As the House and Senate consider this year’s farm bill, policymakers must prioritize protecting EBT households from benefits theft by improving the safety features of EBT cards, ensuring the reimbursement process for stolen benefits is swift and efficient, and guaranteeing EBT households have reliable, consistent electronic access to their balance and transaction information.
Archives: Voices
The Coalition on Human Needs Strongly Supports the Biden Administration’s Actions to Protect Immigrant Families and Workers
The Coalition on Human Needs applauds the Biden Administration’s announcement of administrative actions aimed at protecting families with an undocumented spouse and allowing certain DACA recipients and other Dreamers to receive work visas more quickly.
Groups oppose deep cuts to IRS, an end to Direct File
Ahead of last week’s House Appropriations Committee consideration of the FY25 2025 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) bill, nearly 100 groups wrote leading House appropriators in opposition to a proposal that could cut funding for the IRS by billions of dollars and end the popular Direct File project, which allows some taxpayers to file quickly, easily, and for free.
CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, June 14, 2024
The Children’s Week Edition. This week is Children’s Week, with two important sets of events focused on children. First Focus on Children sponsored or co-hosted events aimed at protecting the health, safety, and well-being of America’s children. Topics covered this week included the benefits of expanding the Child Tax Credit, addressing youth homelessness, raising the voices of dads in setting child policy, improving the conditions of children and families in Puerto Rico, and reducing the dangers of lead exposure for children.
Labor leaders and advocates warn of the negative impact of privatizing SNAP’s workforce
Labor leaders and other advocates are sounding the alarm on two provisions in the House farm bill that would allow states to privatize the employees who administer SNAP benefits – a move that they say would threaten the integrity of the nutrition assistance program as well as endanger workers.
Drug overdose dilemmas: Fewer fatalities — but more total overdoses and racial disparities
In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of fatal drug overdoses in 2023 showed a 3 percent decrease from 2022, from 111,029 to 107,543. That 3,486 fewer people died from overdoses is good news. But how good? Is this single statistic a sign of widespread success in our national efforts to reverse and reduce our drug epidemic? A recent New York Times article asked “Has fentanyl peaked?” Has it? Are there fewer fatal overdoses because people with substance use disorder are using less?
The Census counts everyone. So why shouldn’t everyone be counted?
Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau seeks to count every person living in the United States. The census counts adults and children; voters, people not registered to vote, and people who cannot vote; people of all races, genders, and religions; rich people and poor people; and people living in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories, and on American Indian reservations. And it counts everyone residing in the United States (which excludes people visiting from other countries for tourism or business trips), whether or not they are U.S. citizens.
CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, June 3, 2024
The tax scam edition. In 2025, a massive debate over taxes will be upon us. The outcome of the debate will determine whether the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations will pay their fair share – and whether our federal government will have the resources it needs to fund programs that address crucial human needs.
Advocates hail Biden Administration decision to expand and make IRS Direct File permanent
The IRS announced this week that it will both make permanent and expand Direct File, which this year for the first time enabled 140,000 filers in 12 pilot states to file their taxes quickly, easily, and, most important, for free. The announcement stated that all 50 states plus Washington D.C. will be invited to participate in the program.
I got help. Now I give back. That’s how a healthy society should work.
Life is unpredictable. And sometimes, no matter how hard you work, life throws curve balls that hit you in the gut. That’s what our tax dollars are supposed to be for — a helping hand when we’re most in need. More than once in my life, the social safety net came through for my family. And thanks to that help, we’re able to give back today.
Advocates for Older Americans Tell Congress: Don’t Cut SNAP’s Thrifty Food Plan
Three dozen groups advocating for older Americans this week delivered a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees expressing concern about possible cuts to SNAP. Advocates delivered the letter as the House Agriculture Committee prepared to begin their Thursday markup of the Farm Bill, which policy experts say could cut nearly $30 billion from SNAP over a 10-year period.
Coalition on Human Needs: House Farm Bill is a cruel and inhumane blueprint for increasing hunger in America
If the Farm Bill to be considered in the House Committee on Agriculture on May 23 becomes law, it will mean a cut of nearly $30 billion in SNAP benefits over a decade. Such cuts are unconscionable. For many children, they will make learning more difficult and lead to negative health outcomes. They will force families to choose between putting food on the table and paying for other expenses such as rent, utility bills, or prescription drugs. They will also harm our economy, removing the stimulative benefits of SNAP and even hurting farmers and ranchers along the way.