Legislative Agenda

Learn what the 110th Congress can do to address the needs of those who are poor in our nation:

• Minimum Wage. Increase the federal minimum wage to provide increased opportunities for low-income workers to support themselves and provide for their families. Automatically index the minimum wage to keep pace with inflation.

• Health Care. Provide adequate funding for health care services for the most vulnerable Americans.  In reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance program (SCHIP) in 2007, Congress should increase funding levels to expand coverage for all eligible children and include program reform to make it easier for eligible children to apply for SCHIP. Congress should also establish Medicaid reform that maintains the integrity of the program. Remove recent restrictions to Medicaid that create barriers to participation for low-income families.

• Nutrition. Strengthen the Food Stamp Program to better help the working poor and the elderly meet their nutrition needs. Protect funding for critical food programs that serve low-income families across America, including the Commodity Supplemental Food Program that provides packaged food to low-income children and seniors, and the Community Food and Nutrition Program that provides funding to state, public, and community-based organizations to help needy families obtain nutrition benefits.

• Housing. Federal housing policies should ensure that communities have access to all the tools necessary to create a seamless continuum of affordable housing options for families and individuals. This includes increased funding for all Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidized housing programs, full support for programs aimed at increasing homeownership, the establishment of a National Housing Trust Fund, and a comprehensive approach to the reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program.

• Welfare Reform. Catholic Charities USA encourages lawmakers to improve the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program by expanding more opportunities for low-income families. Policies changes should support and strengthen families, including fathers; expand employment and training; and improve work support such as child care, transportation, and other essential services necessary to remove barriers to employment.

• Seniors. Enhance funding and flexibility for programs that provide important preventative health services, home delivery of meals, and other support services to elderly Americans.

• Child Welfare Services. Improve the protection and care of abused, neglected, and abandoned children and youth by expanding current resources to create a full continuum of services to support individual youth, family members, and other caregivers. Support legislation and regulations that remove barriers to kinship care.

• Child Care. Provide adequate funding so more low-income parents can place their children in safe and nurturing learning environments. Every year an estimated 12 million infants, toddlers and preschoolers spend a significant part of the day in child care. Research shows that quality child care is essential to the full development and future success of children. For many low-income families, access to child care determines the choice between welfare and work.

• Social Services Block Grant. Preserve funding for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). SSBG plays an important role in the types of services local Catholic Charities agencies provide to low-income people including services to the elderly, persons with disabilities, and child protection services for neglected children.

• Immigration. Enact comprehensive immigration policies that promote the security of our nation, but also put undocumented workers and their families on a path to lawful permanent residence and citizenship.  Legislation should create greater legal avenues for necessary workers to enter the United States, integrate and promote the success of newcomers, and improve the economic prospects, health, labor protections, and stability of all U.S. residents.

• Other Programs. Provide sufficient funding and flexibility in other areas that meet the needs of low-income families, youth, and adults, including juvenile justice programs, the Workforce Investment Act, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Head Start, and the Community Services Block Grant.

• Disaster Relief. Consider the ongoing needs of the Gulf Coast in making funding decisions. The unmet needs for continuing care and permanent housing in the hurricane-devastated region are staggering.  Only the federal government has the resources to help state and local governments and faith and community-based groups to begin to address these needs.

Click here to access the full Legislative Agenda (pdf).