Thread by @Campaign4Kids

We have a slew of ideas. Children’s issues have historically been bipartisan — just often ignored. The U.S. Senate majority should lead on any number of very serious and important challenges facing our nation’s children.

Here is a Proactive Agenda. —> campaignforchildren.org/resources/repo… (1)

https://twitter.com/JohnCornyn/status/1128969598538321920

@JohnCornyn The Senate could begin be addressing the troubling problem of child abuse and neglect dearth’s, which is something particularly awful in Texas. 👇

More children die from abuse in Texas than in any other state  | Crime | Dallas News dallasnews.com/news/crime/201… (2)

@JohnCornyn Here is a bipartisan bill that needs reintroduction and is in the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee, on which you serve.

Hatch introduces bipartisan bill to strengthen child welfare systems following two-year investigation - Ripon Advance riponadvance.com/stories/hatch-… (3)

@JohnCornyn There is also this important bipartisan bill on child abuse and neglect.

@RepKarenBass and @RepDonBacon Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Assist With Transition In Child Welfare Funding - Los Angeles Sentinel lasentinel.net/rep-karen-bass… (4)

@JohnCornyn There is also this bipartisan bill introduced by Sen. @RoyBlunt and @RepLawrence. Again, an issue in the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee,on which you serve.

Letter of Support for The Timely Mental Health Act —> campaignforchildren.org/resources/lett… (5)

@JohnCornyn There is an important bill by @SenBobCasey, the “Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act,” that was passed in the bipartisan “SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act” but was delayed. It helps former foster youth retain health care.

Please cosponsored and pass it. (6)

@JohnCornyn @SenBobCasey Texas has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the nation. This new report by the National Academy of Sciences makes numerous important recommendations.

New Policy Recommendations Aim To Reduce Child Poverty By Half, Within 10 Years | KUT kut.org/post/new-polic… (7)

@JohnCornyn During consideration of the tax bill, 68 senators supported an improvement to the Child Tax Credit in amendments offered by Sens. @marcorubio @SenMikeLee @SenatorBennet @SenSherrodBrown.

More than two-thirds of the Senate supported such improvements. niskanencenter.org/blog/the-ameri… (8)

@JohnCornyn Children have a poverty rate that is an appalling 62% higher than adults, and it is costing our nation an estimated $800 billion to $1.1 trillion a year.

Since TANF expires this June, it is time that our nation makes it a goal to cut child poverty in half over 10 years. (9)

@JohnCornyn There is also the bipartisan PACE Act by @SenatorBurr and @SenAngusKing that would allow families to claim a tax credit if they paid expenses for the care of a qualifying individual that enabled parents to work, go to school, or actively look for work. (10)

@JohnCornyn Texas also leads the nation in the number of uninsured children and that issue is also in the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee, on which you serve.

Texas has the highest number of uninsured kids in America, report finds | Texas Tribune texastribune.org/2018/11/29/num… (11)

@JohnCornyn One important step the Senate could take would be to make the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) permanent.

CHIP is the ONLY federal insurance program that is temporary and has a funding cliff. Fixing this saves money by keeping kids out of Obamacare. (12)

@JohnCornyn You have expressed support for CHIP and opposition to Obamacare in the past, so we think this could easily be a bipartisan proposal. It also saves money, according to CBO. (13)

@JohnCornyn There is also bipartisan legislation originally introduced by Texas Reps. Joe Barton and Gene Green and now offered by @RepJoeKennedy and @RepJohnKatko called the “Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act.” —> kennedy.house.gov/newsroom/press… (14)

@JohnCornyn There are also a raft of bipartisan bills to address maternal & infant mortality. This should be a priority. Nobody is for dying babies and mothers.

Beyond The Preventing Maternal Deaths Act: Implementation And Further Policy Change | Health Affairs healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hbl… (15)

@JohnCornyn There is also bipartisan legislation to address child and family homelessness by @SenFeinstein @senrobportman @RepSteveStivers @daveloebsack called the “Homeless Chiildren and Youth Act.”

Texas’ homeless youth slipping through cracks, new report says texastribune.org/2017/11/15/hom… (16)

@JohnCornyn A bipartisan National Commission on Children was formed during the Reagan years and issued a final report to the Bush Administration in 1991.

It is well past time for the country to engage in a bipartisan dialogue & find solutions for children once again — 28 years later. (17)

@JohnCornyn In light of the many child abuse scandals that have occurred in this country involving children time and time again, it is time for our country to create an independent Commissioner for Children, just as other nations have done to protect their children from harm and abuse. (18)

@JohnCornyn There are also some no-to-low cost ideas that would better inform lawmakers about the impact policy and budget decisions that come before Congress would impact children.

Simple and smart. (19)

@JohnCornyn We urge the adoption of a “best interest of the child” standard in the consideration of any and all policies that impact children.

It is sad to say that this is often isn’t even a consideration but needs to occur on all kids’ issues related to domestic & immigration policy. (20)

@JohnCornyn Per your request for “bipartisan legislative proposals,” we stand ready to work with you on our bipartisan Proactive Kids Agenda that would be very important to Texas children & is often in the jurisdiction of committees on which you serve.

Thank you for your consideration. (21)