STATEMENT: Share Our Strength’s Lisa Davis on the President’s FY24 Budget Proposal

“We applaud the Administration for proposing significant investments in the programs and policies that lead to meaningful change for children and families across the nation,” says Davis.

Contact: Meredith Jorss, mjorss@strength.org 

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the White House released the President’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024. This proposal, which outlines the administration’s priorities for the nation, includes the reinstatement of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) and investments in school meals. The following is a statement from Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President of Share Our Strength and its No Kid Hungry campaign.

“We applaud the Administration for proposing significant investments in the programs and policies that lead to meaningful change for children and families across the nation. 

“Specifically, it would:

• Reinstate the expanded Child Tax Credit, or CTC, increasing this tax benefit from $2,000 to $3,000 per child for children 6 years or older, and to $3,600 per child for children under the age of 6. It would also make it fully refundable so that it no longer excludes children in the lowest-income families and would allow families to receive monthly advance payments. 
• Invest over $15 billion in the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, which allows eligible schools to reach more kids whose families face financial hardship  with no-cost school meals. This also streamlines meal service for schools and removes the stigma of students being singled out as poor.

“We know these programs work. Before it expired, the expanded CTC was a lifeline for households, helping parents afford necessities like food, rent, diapers and utilities, and lifting millions of kids from poverty.  

“It also advances equity, strengthens families and fights hunger by making sure parents and caregivers are better able to support and feed their children.

“Not only did the temporary expansion of the CTC reduce child poverty by more than 40 percent, moving 2.9 million children from poverty in 2021, it also narrowed the differences in poverty rates between children of all races and ethnicities. 

“An investment in an expanded CTC is an investment in our nation’s children, providing a ladder out of poverty and supporting a strong new generation. 

“Access to no-cost school meals is also critical to achieve this. Expanding the Community Eligibility Provision will help families struggling to stretch limited budgets. It will also help schools cut through red tape so they can reach more kids with the healthy meals they need with less red tape so they can focus on learning and not their empty stomachs. 

“The President’s budget also underscores the importance of the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. We are grateful the Administration supports the need to expand access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for vulnerable populations and the importance of prioritizing cross-enrollment efforts among programs. 

“We strongly support the Administration’s proposed budget and stand ready to work with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to make these investments a reality for millions.”