Child Advocates Voice Concerns About New Debt Ceiling Law

WASHINGTON – Citing deep cuts to programs children and families depend on, Voices for America’s Children today expressed concern about the new debt ceiling law. Voices for America’s Children (Voices) is the nation’s largest network of multi-issue child advocacy groups.

“All Americans agree on the importance of raising the debt ceiling so our nation would not default on its financial obligations. What many of us don’t agree on is that children and families who can least afford it will be ‘paying’ for this bill through fewer early childhood programs, higher college loan costs and cuts to other programs so crucial to our children’s success,” Voices for America’s Children President and CEO Bill Bentley said. “I am disappointed that there is no immediate shared sacrifice and no additional revenues will be raised through this bill.”

The plan will raise the nation’s debt ceiling through 2012 and achieve $2.4 trillion in deficit reduction. A 12-member special committee of lawmakers will be charged with finding an additional $1.5 trillion in spending cuts by Thanksgiving.

Bentley added that he was pleased that the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid and Social Security will be protected from spending cuts under the special committee’s jurisdiction. He said it is critical that “we get clarity as soon as possible about the way in which the special committee is going to address deficit reduction. We encourage policymakers to include revenue as part of any deficit reduction plan.”

“I am disappointed that a balanced approach combining revenue with targeted cuts was not approved,” said Roy Miller, president of The Children’s Campaign, a Voices member headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida.  “Without balance, children will lose ground.  They have lost so much ground already the only step left will have them falling off the cliff.”

“This legislation asks middle-class families to shoulder the burden of the debt crisis while corporations, billionaires, and millionaires are asked to do nothing. Meanwhile, regular working people in Arkansas have just been told that they need to work harder and expect fewer of the services that we all rely on for economic security,” said Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a member organization of Voices for America’s Children.

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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 62 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.