CHN: Senate to Take up Spending Cuts Package This Week

The Senate will take up the White House’s proposed package of domestic spending cuts, also known as rescissions, this week, just in time to meet the June 22nd deadline for using special rules that would allow the package to pass with a simple majority vote. The House narrowly passed the package, which totals nearly $15 billion in cuts, on June 6; 19 Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing it. All Democrats in the Senate are expected to oppose it too, and its passage in the Senate is not a done deal, since several Republican Senators have also voiced concerns about the package. Read More »

EPI: Between 2013 and 2017, wage growth at the bottom was strongest in states with minimum wage increases

CHN: Senate to Take Up Bipartisan Farm Bill, While House to Vote Again on Harmful SNAP Cuts

The Senate Agriculture Committee approved (20-1) its bipartisan version of the Farm Bill on June 13, clearing the bill for Senate floor action as early as this week. The bill includes the reauthorization of SNAP/food stamps but without the deep cuts and harmful changes to SNAP that were included in the bill the House rejected on May 18. The Senate bill maintains current work requirements and eligibility requirements, unlike the House bill that expanded work requirements and tightened eligibility requirements. Even though the House bill was rejected in May, House leaders may bring the bill back up for another vote this week. Read More »

CHN: One Win and One Loss for Consumer Protections

In another blow to consumers and consumer protection groups, the House on May 8 voted to repeal a 2013 measure issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) aimed at preventing racial discrimination in auto lending. President Trump is expected to sign the legislation. Advocates breathed a sign of relief, however, when Congress failed to repeal the CFPB’s payday lending rule before the deadline for action expired on May 16. Read More »

CHN: President Trump Signs Executive Order on Work Requirements

On April 10, President Trump issued an executive order directing several federal agencies to review government assistance programs with the purpose of adding or strengthening work requirements for benefits recipients. While the executive order does not implement new policy at this time, it is seen by advocates as a continuation and expansion of the efforts by the Trump administration and some in Congress to curtail public benefits for low-income Americans. Read More »

CHN: Tax Cut Bill Signed into Law

President Trump signed the GOP tax cut bill into law on Dec. 22 after the bill passed both the House and Senate earlier that week. The bill gives huge tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations, repeals the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, raises taxes on those making under $75,000 by 2027, and adds more than $1 trillion to the national debt. A number of CHN member organizations have released multiple resources covering the GOP tax cut bill. Read More »

CHN: FY18 Appropriations Package Passed with Important Gains for Human Needs Programs

After months of negotiations, uncertainties, a shutdown, and multiple stopgap spending measures, Congress finally passed a $1.3 trillion FY18 spending package to fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year. The spending package includes many wins for advocates and for the communities they fight for, as it contains increases to many programs affecting low-income people and left out many poison pill policy changes. It was not a win for all, however, as Dreamers remain unprotected. Read More »