In Case You Missed It . . .

This week at CBPP, we focused on food assistance, the federal budget and taxes, health care, state budgets and taxes, housing, family income support, and the economy.

• On food assistance, Zoë Neuberger warned that a House proposal would restrict high-poverty schools’ eligibility for community eligibility, an option that allows them to provide meals at no charge to all students.  Brynne Keith-Jennings explained that demand at food banks across the nation will rise as thousands of childless adults lose their SNAP benefits.

• On the federal budget and taxes, Janne Huang highlighted how working family tax credits create a sense of belonging and dignity for their recipients.  Chuck Marr encouraged the Senate Finance Committee to require all paid tax preparers to meet a basic standard of competence.  He and Bryann DaSilva updated our paper on low-income childless adults, the lone group taxed into poverty by the federal tax code.  Jared Bernstein testified before the Joint Economic Committee about the goals of the federal tax system.  David Reich outlined the strict spending limits that constrain Congress as it begins work on appropriations for 2017.

• On health care, Jesse Cross-Call stressed that Indiana’s Medicaid waiver should not be replicated until evaluations of the program are complete.  Judith Solomon highlighted a letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, reminding states that federal law gives Medicaid beneficiaries the freedom to choose their health care providers.

• On state budget and taxes, Nick Albares showed how California and Minnesota have taken steps, including raising income tax rates, that have enabled them to invest in education and strengthen their economies.

• On housing, Douglas Rice urged Congress to act to reduce child homelessness by including funding for 10,000 new housing vouchers for homeless families in the 2017 budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

• On family income support, LaDonna Pavetti and Ife Floyd updated our report on how eliminating the Social Services Block Grant would affect services for vulnerable children, adults, and the disabled.  Floyd also emphasized the need for a dedicated federal funding stream for subsidized jobs programs.

• On the economy, we updated our backgrounder on how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available.

Chart of the Week: Spending Through the Tax Code Skews Toward the Top

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A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:

Republican Proposal Would Restrict Free Meal Programs At Thousands Of America’s Poorest Schools
Think Progress
April 19, 2016

Can the Next President Actually Save Public Universities?
The Atlantic
April 19, 2016

Why America’s Schools Have A Money Problem
NPR
April 18, 2016

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