Evans Hails Poverty-Reducing Wins in Budget Deal, Including Help with Child Care, Housing, Health Care, Food Aid

WASHINGTON (Dec. 22, 2022) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) said a bipartisan congressional budget agreement includes several "wins" for reducing poverty, as well as significant funding to help fight gun violence.

"Thanks to Democrats' tireless negotiating, this agreement includes significant funding for several domestic programs, including some nationwide poverty-busters such as affordable housing programs, a 30 percent boost to a program that provides financial assistance to lower-income families for child care, and stable Medicaid and CHIP health coverage for kids," Evans said.

"I look forward to voting for this bill in the House because of the many positive items in it. I'm pleased the Senate has passed it so that we can also avoid a potential government shutdown."

The bill also includes funding Evans requested for 14 Philadelphia projects, totaling more than $16.6 million. Details are available here.

Among Evans' national priorities included in the bill are:

• A 30 percent funding increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program, which provides financial assistance to lower-income families for child care. This is expected to serve additional children and families. The bill also would provide $11.996 billion for Head Start, including a cost-of-living adjustment for Head Start staff and $262 million in quality improvement funding that can be used to recruit and retain staff.

• A 14 percent increase for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Enforcement (ATF) to bolster efforts to prevent and respond to gun violence

• Funding for Gun Violence Reduction Grants, including $135 million for STOP School Violence Act grants; more than $400 million in community projects to fight crime and improve public safety in communities across the country; $50 million for community-based violence intervention and prevention initiatives; and $95 million to strengthen the National Instant Criminal background check system

• $125 million in grants for the Second Chance Act; and fully funding the requested $409.5 million for programs and activities authorized by the First Step Act of 2018, including medication-assisted treatment

• A 48 percent funding increase this year for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, which provides voluntary, essential services for parents during pregnancy and a child's first years. Pennsylvania received $11.4 million last year, which is projected to increase to $16.6 million for this year under the bill. Documented outcomes of the program include decreasing maternal mortality and morbidity, improving school readiness and promoting family well-being. The bill also authorizes doubling the program's funding over the next five years.

• Guaranteeing that every one of the 40 million children in Medicaid and CHIP would have 12 months of continuous, stable coverage when they enroll. This would dramatically reduce disruptions in coverage and care for children, creating critical stability for their ongoing health needs.

• Reauthorizing child nutrition programs at $28.544 billion, including $40 million to create a nationwide permanent Summer Electronic Benefit (Summer EBT) program starting in 2024 so that Philadelphia's children can access healthy, nutritious meals throughout the summer and $30 million for school equipment grants so schools can continue serving healthy meals.

• $154 billion for the SNAP food-aid program to ensure participants receive increased benefits and emergency allotments to continue to address the Covid-19 pandemic.

• $6 billion for WIC, the Women, Infants, and Children food-aid program, to fully fund anticipated participation.

• Permanently extending a policy from the Biden American Rescue Plan allowing states to provide 12 months of post-birth coverage to pregnant individuals in Medicaid and CHIP. To date, 27 states have implemented this policy to support maternal health. This permanent extension would secure those gains and encourage more states nationwide to take up this option.

• An 8.4 percent increase for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including $12.6 billion in funding for new affordable housing, critical health, safety, and maintenance improvements to ensure the safety and quality of public and low-income housing.

Evans said several of the housing-related funding items will help to fight poverty:

• $1.5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program that constructs new rental and homebuyer units

• $8.5 billion for public housing, including $3.2 billion to meet the full annual capital accrual need to improve the quality and safety of public housing for more than 1.7 million residents

• $350 million for sustained investments to revitalize low-income housing and distressed communities through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, $100 million above the president's budget request. Philadelphia has previously benefited from this program with a $30 million grant that Evans supported, which is leveraging over $225 million in investment to revitalize the Sharswood-Blumberg neighborhood.

• $258.3 million to construct over 2,800 new affordable housing units for seniors and persons with disabilities.

• $6.39 billion for Community Development Block Grants and related economic and community development projects that benefit low and middle-income areas and people, including $85 million to incentivize affordable housing production

• $3.63 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants to fund services and housing interventions for families experiencing housing instability, including $107 million for homeless youth, $75 million for permanent supportive housing, and $52 million for survivors of domestic violence

• $1.435 billion for the Housing for the Elderly and Housing for Persons with Disabilities programs

• $130 million for new Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for low-income households including families and veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness, youth aging out of foster care, and survivors of domestic violence

• $125 million for the Family Self-Sufficiency program that helps housing choice voucher program participants, public housing tenants, and tenants in the Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program obtain employment that will enable participating families to save and improve financial well-being

• $86.4 million to support fair housing

• $20 million to support legal aid eviction prevention efforts

After the House passes this legislation, it will go to the desk of President Biden, who supports the bill, for his signature. A detailed summary of the bill is available here.

During Evans' first six years in Congress, his office has helped to return to or save more than $25 million for Philadelphians from federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs. His website is evans.house.gov and his social media handle is @RepDwightEvans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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