Child Advocates Pleased with More Federal Funds for Health Care and Education, But Object to Cuts to Child Food Programs

WASHINGTON – Voices for America’s Children (Voices), the nation’s largest multi-issue child advocacy network, reluctantly supports U.S. Senate action (H.R. 1586)  to provide additional federal dollars for health care and education services for children but objects to using child food programs to pay for the legislation. Because these critical health care and education funds must be made available to struggling states as soon as possible, Voices urges the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this legislation early next week.

This week the Senate voted to maintain Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) at the enhanced rate enacted by the stimulus package. The federal money helps states with the cost of Medicaid, but the current legislation would offset the costs with funding from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps).

“Most states are still struggling to close budget gaps, so federal health care and education funding is desperately needed to stave off cuts to services affecting children,” said Bill Bentley, president and CEO of Voices for America’s Children. “So although we support the FMAP extension and education aid, we strongly oppose funding them with food program dollars which are just as urgently needed.”

“One in four children is already experiencing hunger issues, and cuts to nutrition programs will only exacerbate this problem. We should not be paying for critical health and education services for children with funds from another critical service like food program aid,” said Bentley. “What’s especially maddening is that all these services serve many of the very same kids in need.”

Voices recently joined with AARP and the Food Research and Action Center to urge Congress not to raid the SNAP budget.

“Voices calls on Congress to do the right thing and restore the cuts in SNAP benefits,” said Bentley. “It is also imperative that Congress finish the work on child nutrition reauthorization and other pending legislation critical to children and families.”

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As the nation’s largest network of multi-issue child advocacy organizations, Voices for America’s Children (Voices) has been on the forefront of every major child policy victory for the past quarter-century. With 60 members nationwide, Voices speaks up for kids, and mobilizes and advocates for public policies to improve the lives of all children, especially those most vulnerable, throughout the United States. Visit us at www.voices.org.

Voices is a founding member of the Children’s Leadership Council, a coalition of more than 50 leading national policy and advocacy organizations. www.childrensleadershipcouncil.com.