Federal Shutdown Temporarily Averted, More Work Needed

The passage late last night of a “laddered” Continuing Resolution (CR) to avert a shutdown of the federal government is a band-aid approach to an intractable problem: a chaotic U.S. House of Representatives that’s being pulled to the far right by extremists. Keeping the government open after the threatened November 17 shutdown is welcome news, and President Biden is expected to sign the CR. But we need Congress to pass appropriations measures that fully fund critical programs like WIC, child care, enforcement of labor laws, and more that promote economic security and foster racial, social, and gender equity. 

Coming Soon: #GivingTuesday! 

With your support on November 28, CLASP will stay at the forefront, developing visionary strategies to fight poverty and promote racial and gender equity.

Proposed TANF Regulations Would Target Spending on Families with Low Incomes

Proposed new rules for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program aim to ensure that TANF funds reach families with low incomes and are used for activities tied to the program’s goals. Check out our new fact sheet for details on the proposed changes. If you’d like to submit a public comment, the deadline is December 1, 2023.

Statement for the Record: “Exploring Paid Leave: Policy, Practice, and Workforce”

Late last month, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing to explore policies and practices on paid leave. CLASP provided a statement for the record describing how far the United States lags behind other developed nations on access to paid leave. Our statement also offers recommendations for why we need a federal paid leave program.

Nearly half of families with children experienced food insecurity during the pandemic. While this one-year extension provides some breathing room for a full reauthorization of the Farm Bill, the provisions in the extension don’t go far enough to meet demand for SNAP and other nutrition programs.