John,

The Senate Appropriations Committee has released details of the FY 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill and, while we didn’t get everything we wanted for vulnerable communities, there were some wins that are great achievements and should be celebrated this holiday season. A few of our wins are:

• An increase in both the Medicaid federal funding and federal matching rate for Puerto Rico

• A year of uninterrupted Medicaid coverage for children, preventing loss of health care because of bureaucratic hurdles

• Summer food benefits for children who qualify for free school meals

• A 30 percent increase in affordable child care funding (to $8 billion) and $12 billion for Head Start

• $3.6 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, and new Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers to support over 11,700 additional low-income households

• $5 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help families address the rising cost of heat and cooling

At the same time, we must call out Mitch the Grinch who reportedly refused to negotiate a plan that would include an expanded Child Tax Credit. We cannot overstate the significance of the expanded, monthly CTC: child poverty was cut by almost half last year. Not extending the Child Tax Credit will have disastrous outcomes that will reverberate for generations.

Time after time, Mitch the Grinch has taken public pleasure in cutting funding for critical domestic spending programs.

All hope is not lost. We plan on coming back stronger than ever in 2023 to keep fighting for the expanded Child Tax Credit and to protect and increase funding for critically needed programs. Just look at this statement from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at our 40th anniversary dinner earlier this year:

"CHN continues to be a force of the dignity of every person, bringing together new and battle tested activists alike. You have mobilized a united front in the fight for justice and equity."

We’re not giving up and neither should you. With your year end contribution of $5, we can continue our vital fight for programs that benefit the least among us. Please, pitch in today!

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There will be new challenges in the new year, but we know with supporters like you standing right along with us, there’s nothing we can’t tackle.

Thank you for all you do to support vulnerable communities,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs