SOTU offers no vision for improving the lives of kids
In response to last night’s State of the Union address, First Focus on Children President Bruce Lesley issued the following statement:
“Millions of our nation’s children are living in poverty. Millions more are without health insurance. And nearly all of them are living in families who struggle each day against the rising price of food, rent, and other necessities they need to keep those children strong. The President had an opportunity last night to present his vision for improving the lives of our children and families.
Instead, he used his State of the Union address to boast about kicking them off Medicaid and stripping away their food assistance to give tax breaks to wealthy people and corporations. He declared a “war on fraud” that JD Vance will lead, but we have seen this before — the failed DOGE initiative disproportionately targeted children’s programs for cuts, delivering grievous harm in the name of “fraud,” “program integrity,” and “efficiency”. Children need supports through Medicaid, SNAP, and child care — not threats and cuts.
The President mentioned the Child Tax Credit but skipped saying that it fails to cover even half of inflation since 2017 and that his own vice president promised more than twice the current amount during their campaign. It’s likely he doesn’t realize that the current CTC also leaves nearly 20 million children — including babies — with partial or no credit because their parents make too little, they had a parent die or are victims of a natural disaster.
The children who need the most are getting the least under this Administration.
The President also promoted his “Trump Accounts,” which are adult benefits masquerading as child benefits that will greatly exacerbate generational income disparities.
The President hailed the First Lady’s interest in child welfare but said nothing about what his Administration is doing to help children and families. Perhaps that is because there is little to talk about.
His only other reference to the nation’s children and youth was a culture war attack on immigrant and LGBTQ kids. What a shame that the President of the United States consistently chooses to bully children instead of lifting them up.
The President offered no vision whatsoever about improving child health, hunger, early childhood experiences, education, child care, family leave, homelessness, or gun safety.
Children needed a vision of hope and aspiration from the President. What they got was a celebration of what he’s taken from them.
But he has another chance. Last year, President Trump’s budget proposed significant cuts to children’s programs and large-scale divestment in their well-being. His FY 2027 budget, due out soon, offers another opportunity to propose plans and policies to support the children his Administration professes to care about. We would urge him to choose a different pathway and help children and families this time.”