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Kids Agenda: A 10-Year, $500 Billion Investment
New
investments in children and families are critical. Whatever their
political persuasion, the vast majority of Americans want more
investments in their children and grandchildren to improve each child’s
life chances for success, ensure the nation’s global competitiveness,
an share resources with our aging population. Read more on the Kids Agenda.
We urge the President and Congress
to:
Create a universal
children's health insurance program similar
to Medicare for the elderly
Over 8,000,000 children do not have health insurance
and millions more are at risk of losing their coverage.
Combining and expanding Medicaid, SCHIP, and employment-based
insurance is achievable. ECM strongly opposes
any attempt by the Administration and Congress to
cut or block grant the Medicaid entitlement.
Lead a nationwide effort to reduce child abuse
and neglect
Nearly three million reports
of child abuse and neglect are made annually. Proven
programs exist to prevent and treat child abuse, a
widespread problem that contributes to many other
social ills. ECM strongly opposes any
attempt by the Administration and Congress to block
grant the 4e foster care program.
Promote after-school programs
that provide learning activities and connect kids
with caring adults
After-school programs
have been shown to help prevent crime, drug use, and
teen pregnancy. Millions of unsupervised children
and teens would benefit. The 21 Century Community
Learning Centers program has not seen an increase
in federal funding in three years, resulting in fewer
and fewer children being served. ECM supports a substantial
increase in funding for after-school programs.
Ensure that every child, regardless
of income or background, has access to high quality
pre-school education
Millions of eligible
three and four year-olds are not enrolled in quality
pre-kindergarten programs that can help prepare them
for school. ECM opposes any effort by
the Administration in Congress to block grant or cut
funding for Head Start and supports universal access
to pre-school education for 3 and 4 year olds as an
alternative to Social Security privatization.
Learn More:
>Economic Benefits of Pre-K Education (pdf)
>Pre-K and Early Learning (pdf)
Extend the child tax credit
to the working poor
Currently, families that
make between $10,500 and $26,500 per year do not receive
the $1,000 per child credit that families with higher
incomes receive even though they pay federal payroll
taxes. ECM believes extending tax cuts
to these families will help lift them from poverty and
simply show fairness as trillion of dollars in tax cuts
have gone to more fortunate individuals.
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