More than 250 Organizations Urge the House to Prioritize Children’s Safety in FY26 DHS Appropriations Vote
March 5, 2026
The REAL State of the Union: Soaring Gains at the Top; Struggles to Meet Basic Needs for Millions
February 24, 2026
More than 250 Organizations Urge the House to Prioritize Children’s Safety in FY26 DHS Appropriations Vote
March 5, 2026
The REAL State of the Union: Soaring Gains at the Top; Struggles to Meet Basic Needs for Millions
February 24, 2026
“Arbitrary and Capricious:” How – and Why – Courts are Defending Human Needs Programs Against Trump’s Relentless Attacks
David Elliot,
October 18, 2019
It has happened more than a dozen times, and that could be a quite conservative estimate: in federal courthouse after federal courthouse, in all regions of the country, judges have ruled the Trump Administration’s actions to be “arbitrary and capricious.” At Voices for Human Needs, we wondered: why do those words keep coming up? What is the Trump Administration’s track record in the courtroom? And what does this mean for advocates of a human needs agenda?
Friday deadline: Act now to oppose HUD rule that would harm low-income and other vulnerable Americans
David Elliot,
October 17, 2019
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently proposed a rule that would gut a long-standing civil rights protection called “disparate impact theory” under the Fair Housing Act that has offered recourse for countless people experiencing housing discrimination and segregation. On Thursday, CHN submitted comments strongly opposing the rule and calling on HUD to withdraw it. You can see CHN's comments here.
Chairwoman Lowey, a Human Needs Champion, Deserves Our Thanks
Deborah Weinstein,
October 15, 2019
House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced last week that she will not be running for reelection in 2020. Those of us who care about meeting human needs owe her a debt of gratitude for her support for essential services.
Victories abound for human needs advocates, CHN allies
David Elliot,
October 14, 2019
Last week we reported the good news: in two different cases, advocates defeated the Trump Administration in U.S. District Court. The first decision involved the Administration’s proposed Public Charge rule, which would deny green cards or visas to immigrants if they have used certain government aid programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, or housing assistance. The second decision dealt with the Administration’s emergency declaration to spend government funds on border wall construction that Congress had refused to authorize – a federal judge ruled the Administration was out of bounds. As it turns out, those two rulings were just a part of a dizzying amount of jurisprudence that has taken place lately, including several cases that involve CHN member groups and allies. Here’s a rundown of what you may have missed.
Score Two Wins for the Rule of Law
Deborah Weinstein,
October 11, 2019
For those who care about meeting human needs, two key court rulings were handed down Friday afternoon. First. the Trump Administration’s attempt to implement its Public Charge rule on October 15 has been blocked by a nationwide preliminary injunction. And second, a U.S. District Court in Texas blocked Trump's border wall funding.
