| The Human Needs Report is the Coalition on Human Needs' newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations. It is published every other week while Congress is in session. If you would like to receive the Human Needs Report by email, send an message to Adam Hughes with "subscibe Human Needs Report" in the subject line. -
President Releases Fiscal Year 2005 Budget
On February 2 the President released his $2.4 trillion budget for Fiscal Year 2005. The budget the President proposed shortchanges working families across the country. Overall, domestic programs subject to annual appropriation that are not related to defense or homeland security are nearly level-funded. The budget shrinks or eliminates the federal commitment to programs that serve the most vulnerable Americans, but maintains tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans. The budget offers no real relief for the more than 40 million who go without health insurance or the 8.4 million without jobs.
(More >) - CHN Launches New Federal Budget Campaign
The President's irresponsible and unfair budget reduces access to basic resources such as food, shelter, education, and health care for all. In response to the proposed budget, the Coalition on Human Needs is launching a new budget project. "The Opportunity for All Campaign" will mobilize our community and fight for a federal budget that protects the services and benefits needed to provide opportunities and a safety net for low- and moderate-income families.
The federal budget should express a practical commitment to build a nation in which every American, young and old alike, is free from hunger, is adequately housed, and has access to health care. It should include concrete steps to enable parents to have the jobs, skills, and supports they need to raise safe and healthy families, and to ensure every child has the chance to learn and grow in order to become a productive citizen. The President's budget does not do that.
(More >) - Congress Attempts To Restore TEUC Program
Bipartisan Effort in House and Senate to Renew Push for Unemployment Benefits
Last week, on Wednesday, February 4, Representative George Miller (D-CA) introduced an amendment to the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Reauthorization bill (HR 3030) to create a program for temporary extended unemployment benefits for six months. This new program would be created within the Department of Health and Human Services and replace the old Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program. Renewing benefits by the creation of a new program was the only way to make the amendment germane to the CSBG bill, and was the only chance House Democrats had to bring unemployment benefits extension to a vote in recent months.
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