CHN just released another edition of the Human Needs Report. Read on for a the latest on Congress’s budget and spending work, stalled disaster aid for Puerto Rico, the loss of food assistance for millions, a new bill to protect Dreamers, and more. Click here for a PDF version.  

In This Edition

House and Senate Budget Committees Move Toward FY20, but with Different Tactics and in Different Directions
While the Senate Budget Committee recently passed a budget resolution for FY20, its House counterpart abandoned the idea in favor of pushing forward a deal to lift spending caps. New analysis from CHN shows the importance of lifting the spending caps in order to prevent serious losses in human needs programs. READ MORE »

Disaster Aid Bill Remains Stalled in the Senate
Efforts to get billions of dollars in disaster aid to Americans in Puerto Rico, other U.S. territories, and states across the mainland affected by natural disasters remained stalled after two proposals failed to advance past a procedural vote in the Senate on April 1. Unless a deal is reached soon, aid will be delayed until May. READ MORE »

Court Strikes Down Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements; Appeals Expected
In late March, a U.S. District Judge in Washington, D.C. blocked the Trump Administration from allowing two states to impose work reporting requirements on Medicaid recipients, a policy that experts say would deny basic health coverage to millions of Medicaid enrollees if implemented nationwide. READ MORE »

Trump Intervention Renews Spotlight on ACA Lawsuit
The cast of characters working either to overturn or defend the Affordable Care Act in federal court continues to evolve and expand. More states are intervening to join the legal effort in the ACA’s defense, two states are rethinking their effort to overturn the law, and a sweeping array of state and national hospital associations, medical groups, consumers, and even the insurance industry are joining the fray. READ MORE »

71,000 Weigh in on SNAP Rule; Comment Period Extended
The USDA has received 71,000 comments on the proposed rule that could result in 755,000 very poor Americans losing SNAP benefits. The comment period has been extended through Wednesday, April 10. READ MORE »

Senate Bills Would Provide Protections for Dreamers and TPS Recipients
A bipartisan bill was introduced in the Senate on March 26 that would create a path to citizenship for Dreamers. On the same day, legislation was introduced in the Senate to allow qualified Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients to apply for Legal Permanent Resident status. READ MORE »

House Moves Bills on Paycheck Fairness and Violence Against Women
The House recently passed two measures to support and protect women. The Paycheck Fairness Act would help to close existing gender pay gaps, while the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act would improve lifesaving services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. READ MORE »