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Michael C. Laracy
Senior Associate
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
701 St. Paul St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
Office: 410-547-3675
Fax: 410-547-3613
E-Mail: mlaracy@aecf.org
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Renewed efforts are underway
to achieve passage of child indicators legislation this Congress,
which would provide for a state-level child well-being survey.
Senators John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
introduced their legislation, S.1482 in the Senate on May 24.
Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sharrod Brown (D-OH) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have signed on as co-sponsors in the Senate. Representative Chaka Fattah (D-PA) introduced companion legislation
in the House, HR 2477, where it has been co-sponsored by 15 Representatives including:
| Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) |
Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA) |
| Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) |
Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) |
| Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) |
Rep. Donna Christensen (D-VI) |
| Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) |
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) |
| Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI) |
Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA) |
| Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger( D-MD) |
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) |
| Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) |
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) |
| Rep. Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA) |
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On June 1, 2007, there was a briefing in the Capitol on the legislation.
Materials from the briefing are posted here. Please contact Debbie
Stein at (301) 656-0348 or debbie@thehatchergroup.com to receive
additional information.
Advocates are seeking additional
co-sponsors for both bills.
Over the past several years,
the federal government has shifted greater responsibility to the
states for programs that benefit children and families. As state
officials assume greater responsibility, however, they require
data on child well-being that is both timely and state-specific.
Unfortunately, most state officials currently lack reliable data
on child well-being in their state because the survey funded by
the original welfare law has proven largely inadequate.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is supporting efforts of Sens.
Rockefeller and Snowe, and Rep. Fattah to pass a state-level child
well-being survey that would provide timely state-specific data.
The legislation would require the Maternal/Child Health agency
to gather data from a representative sample of families in each
and every state. Most importantly, this data will be reliable
at the state level and made available to states within six months
of the survey's completion. Timely, accurate data will help ensure
that federal programs for low-income families and children are
working on the ground in every single state.
Continue to visit this website for updates. Throughout
this year, it will be important to reach out to Members in the
Senate and House to emphasize the importance of state-level data
for our nation's children
© 2007 Child Indicators |
