CHN just released our latest edition of the Human Needs Report, our regular newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations. This edition includes articles on what to watch for in the upcoming budget season, the child nutrition reauthorization bill moving in the Senate, and two cases of interest before the Supreme Court this term. See below for the full analysis and links to each section of the report.
Click here for the full PDF Human Needs Report: http://www.chn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/February-1-2016.pdf

Budget Season Begins – What to Watch For
Less than two months after FY16 appropriations were wrapped up in December, Congress and the Obama Administration are already working on FY17 budgets. President Obama is technically required to submit his budget proposal to Congress by the first Monday of February, but that timeline has slipped to March or April in past years. This year, President Obama is scheduled to release his requested FY17 budget – the last budget of his Administration – on February 9, formally kicking off the new budget season. READ MORE »

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Passes Senate Committee
Bipartisan legislation to reauthorize child nutrition programs passed the Senate Agriculture Committee on January 20. The Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016 sets the policy and funding structure for all of the federal school meal and child nutrition programs, including National School Lunch, Summer Food Service Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and others. READ MORE » 

Supreme Court To Rule On Two Cases of Interest to Human Needs Community This Term
There are at least two cases the Supreme Court will rule on this session that are of interest to the human needs community. On January 11, the Court heard oral arguments in the case of Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. If the Supreme Court rules against the California Teachers Association, it could severely impact public sector unions. In April, the Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether the President’s executive orders expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (expanded DACA) guidelines and creating the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program will survive. READ MORE » 

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