| Abstract: |
The House has passed a budget reconciliation bill that supporters are referring to as a "one big, beautiful bill." However, the authors of this Issue Brief believe that this budget bill threatens the health and nutrition of millions of children and pushes millions of children into poverty in order to provide tax credits for corporations, the wealthy, and even for people wanting to buy gun silencers and tanning beds. While many of the bill's supporters claim that children and other vulnerable populations will not be harmed by the changes made in reconciliation, this is just not true. It is impossible to achieve the level of funding cuts set forth in the bill without causing direct and indirect impacts to the health and well-being of children and families. The House reconciliation bill singles out programs that disproportionately benefit children for cuts. Only 8.87% of total federal spending goes to kids, but the programs targeted by the bill devote a much larger share to children. For example, 20% of Medicaid funding goes to children, 100% of the funding in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) goes to children and pregnant women, and 43% of SNAP dollars go to families with children. These three programs rank among the top 10 largest federal investments in children and are targeted for more than $1 trillion in cuts. These programs work alongside one another to support our nation's kids. Any of the individual cuts included in this bill would be considered a loss for children, and when taken together, this bill is a disaster for kids. For example, 14 million children depend on both Medicaid and SNAP. This "double jeopardy" risks their access to both food and health insurance. In addition, enrollment in certain benefit programs makes it easier for children to receive other supports. For instance, SNAP recipients automatically qualify for free school meals and child care subsidies. If children are not enrolled in SNAP or Medicaid, they are also likely to experience reduced participation in these other programs that qualify for automatic eligibility. Medicaid, SNAP, and tax policy are essential to keeping kids fed, healthy, and cared for. As the House bill moves to the Senate, Congress still has an opportunity to choose babies over billionaires. First Focus Campaign for Children calls on lawmakers to protect children by stopping this bill. [This Issue Brief was prepared by First Focus Campaign for Children, the advocacy arm of First Focus on Children.] |