The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the Big Brutal Bill this week and—like its House counterpart—it’s devastating for nutrition and health care programs for vulnerable communities.
The Senate proposal includes the largest cut to SNAP in history, as part of a budget package that guts basic needs programs.
The bill also contains the largest cuts to Medicaid in history, and will result in 16 million people losing their health insurance. A recent analysis of the House-passed bill found that because of the cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and reduced staffing requirements at nursing homes, 51,000 people will die each year.
Additionally, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as many as 330 rural hospitals nationwide could close or reduce services as a result of this bill. And, new research shows that cuts to Medicaid along with SNAP will reduce jobs by 1.2 million nationwide, equivalent to about a 0.8% increase in the unemployment rate.
Cutting the heart out of basic needs programs including SNAP and Medicaid doesn’t save states or the federal government money—it denies care and creates bigger problems down the road, shifting the burden to service providers, local governments, and taxpayers. This will lead to higher costs and more strain on budgets—household and state budgets alike. And it will cost lives.
It’s not too late to change course. Now more than ever, it’s critical that the Senate act to protect health care, nutrition, and other essential services that help millions of families meet their basic needs. We should strengthen support for these programs—not take them away
View a recording of this webinar here.
Since May, the number of poor children in the U.S. has grown by 2.5 million. Parents report their families are going without enough to eat. Millions of households are on the brink of eviction and can’t afford to pay for their basic living needs. When families don’t have adequate access to the internet, children are shut out of education. The Senate and the Trump Administration have allowed children’s urgent needs to go unmet by failing to agree to more help for families.
Now, as Congress returns for a post-election session, you are needed to show them they must act – and soon. Join CHN, First Focus Campaign for Children, and RESULTS for Our Children are in Danger: A webinar about increased hunger, poverty, and other serious threats to children and their families because of the pandemic.
You’ll hear from Deborah A. Frank, M.D., Founder and Principal Investigator of Children’s HealthWatch. Dr. Frank is a nationally recognized expert on the impacts of economic and social factors on very young children. You’ll hear from parents Kimberly Mitchell and LaShon Marshall about their experiences caring for children during the pandemic. And you’ll hear analysis of new research findings on how children are faring from Indi Dutta-Gupta, Co-Executive Director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty & Inequality, and a leading authority on policy that alleviates poverty and inequality. You’ll also hear about the kind of relief Congress must pass from Cara Baldari, Vice President of Family Economics, Housing and Homelessness at First Focus Campaign for Children. Cara’s work centers on building the political will for a national commitment to reduce child poverty in the United States. Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, will be the moderator.
You’ll get reliable information about how children and families have been affected in the pandemic, including alarming racial disparities. And you’ll also get current information about Congressional proposals for reversing this damage – and how to use it to get our children out of danger.
This webinar will be close-captioned. All registrants will be sent the full recording, slides, and links to important resources.