Children’s Advocates Applaud McConnell Budget Comments

Ed Walz (Former Staff)

Washington – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) today told reporters that he expects year-end fiscal legislation to lift congressional budget caps that have driven cuts to critical investments in children. The bipartisan children’s advocacy group First Focus led more than a dozen leading advocates for children and families in congressional leadership to raise the arbitrary congressional budget cap on “non-defense discretionary” appropriations to a level on par with defense discretionary funding.

Responding to McConnell’s comments, the First Focus Campaign for Children released the following statement by its president, Bruce Lesley:

“Senator McConnell’s comments are very encouraging, and we urge bipartisan negotiations on lifting the non-defense discretionary budget caps. Investing in a strong defense protects children from real and serious threats. So does investing in the initiatives that protect kids from hunger, homelessness, ignorance, abuse and neglect, illness, and poverty.”

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First Focus is a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. For more information, visit www.firstfocus.org.