February 25, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 37 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 37
(Senate - February 25, 2020)
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[Pages S1158-S1159] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION By Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Ms. Collins): S. 3338. A bill to establish programs to improve family economic security by breaking the cycle of multigenerational poverty, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleague from New Mexico, Senator Heinrich, in introducing the Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act. Our bipartisan bill would support an innovative approach to fighting poverty, one that focuses on addressing the needs of children and their parents--two-generations together--in order to help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Many current conversations about lifting families out of poverty highlight record low unemployment and the booming U.S. economy as proof that we are finally headed in the right direction. I see many encouraging signs, such as the U.S. poverty rate finally in 2018 falling below the pre-recession level and Maine experiencing the largest decline in child poverty in the Nation from 2016 to 2017, but I also know far too many families still struggle financially. Over 38 million people, or about one in eight Americans, lived below the poverty line in 2018. This sadly includes nearly 13 million children, including 35,000 children in Maine. Despite recent progress, Maine's child poverty rate is still higher than all the other New England states. In addition to recognizing the continued need to lift up families and provide a brighter future for our Nation's youth, the economic motivation for addressing intergenerational poverty points to one simple fact--we must do something different. It is estimated that child poverty costs the U.S. between $800 billion and $1.1 trillion a year. For a sense of scale, the high end estimate of $1.1 trillion annually is similar to the amount Congress appropriated in December to fund programs across the entire government. Our legislation marks an important first step toward reevaluating our approach to poverty-reducing programs and encouraging innovative, more effective uses of taxpayer dollars. We support an approach that is aimed at equipping both parents and their children with the tools they need to succeed and become self-sufficient. Oftentimes, Federal programs intended to help low-income individuals address certain issues in silos, overlooking the fact that the needs of family members are usually interconnected. Our bill aims to change that. For example, helping a mother secure safe, high-quality child care can have a positive impact on her ability to succeed in the workforce, as well as improving her child's ability to be ready for school. While that child receives care and an education, her mother can be connecting with skills training to help her improve her income. Connecting various Federal programs that target both parents and children with supports aimed at increasing economic security, educational success, social capital, and health and wellbeing has the potential to lift whole families out of poverty. Listen to the story of Ambrosia Ross, a mother of three from Washington County, Maine, who was part of the first cohort of participants at Family Futures Downeast, a two-generation program designed to improve economic outcomes for low-income families through post-secondary education for parents at the same time their children access high quality early childhood education. In a testimonial about her experience, Ambrosia says, ``Family Futures Downeast opened up a whole new world, not just for me but also for my children . . . . Both of my boys talk about going to ``Mama's school'' and assure me that they are going to go to college also! They watch me doing homework and ask to do theirs as well. It means so much to me to know that not only has FFD changed my life but also set my children on a brand new path.'' In addition to continuing to attend college full time, Ambrosia is putting her new skills and education into practice by serving as a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Support Counselor. Her sons are also both eager to continue learning and her young daughter is already a ``wanna-be reader.'' Family Futures Downeast is just one example of the great strides we have made in bringing communities and service providers together to implement two-generation strategies. By blending federal dollars with the help of the State of Maine, Family Futures Downeast has reached nearly 230 individuals in Maine's most impoverished county with astounding results. In 2015 when the program was just getting started, I was proud to support Family Future Downeast's application to participate in a federal demonstration project aimed at combatting rural child poverty, which provided critical technical assistance and, with additional support from the John T. Gorman Foundation in Portland, helped the program get off the ground. The legislation we are introducing today would build on efforts like Family Futures Downeast that are increasing opportunities for families in need across the country by funding projects that work. Specifically, the Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act would create an Interagency Council on Multigenerational Poverty and Economic Mobility to better coordinate federal efforts aimed at supporting vulnerable families and moving them out of poverty. The Council would also make recommendations to Congress on ways to improve coordination of anti-poverty programs and to identify best practices. While I applaud ongoing efforts across the federal government to implement two- generation strategies, this Council is needed to tackle logistical challenges, such as lack of coordination and communication across federal agencies--and in some cases different departments within a single agency--and improve the dissemination of information and best practices. Our bill would also authorize a pilot program that would provide additional flexibility for states and local governments to improve the administration of programs using Two-Generation models. It would authorize five states to participate in Two-Generation Performance Partnerships, allowing states to achieve reductions in poverty by blending similarly purposed funds across multiple federal programs. Two-generation approaches are often created ``from the bottom up,'' meaning local organizations and states are at [[Page S1159]] the forefront of responding to local or regional needs. Therefore, our role as federal policymakers should be to give states and local organizations the flexibility they need to be creative in solving their unique challenges. For this reason, our legislation would reduce duplicative reporting and application requirements that may deter local agencies and organizations from making the most effective use of taxpayer dollars. To ensure accountability, the bill would require that these pilot programs be targeted at specific, poverty-reducing outcomes. While federal programs have helped many of those living in poverty manage day-to-day hardships, they are falling short of breaking the cycle of poverty that has trapped too many families. With this bill, we have the chance to make a permanent difference in the lives of families and to break the multigenerational cycle of poverty. Just as a child's ZIP code should not determine his or her future success, so should the bureaucratic siloed approach to poverty not make it so difficult for families to get the help they need to escape poverty. The federal government can be an effective partner in providing opportunities for parents and their children, lifting up families, and in turn, building stronger communities. State and local governments can be at the forefront of these efforts, and the increased flexibility proposed by this bill would help reform practices across government. In addition to strong support from national organizations like Ascend at the Aspen Institute, I want to thank the Maine Community Action Association and the Maine Head Start Directors Association for endorsing this important legislation. I also thank Senator Heinrich for his continued leadership and urge my colleagues to support this innovative approach to moving families out of poverty by giving them the tools they need to succeed. ______ By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Reed, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Jones, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Tester, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Casey, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Warner, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Udall, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Carper, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Booker, Mr. Brown, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Coons): S. 3339. A bill to restore military priorities, and for other purposes; read the first time. S. 3339 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Restoring Military Priorities Act of 2020''. SEC. 2. RESTORATION OF REPROGRAMMED FUNDS. All amounts transferred under the Department of Defense reprogramming action FY 20-01 RA, ``Support for DHS Counter- Drug Activity Reprogramming Action'', shall be restored to the appropriation accounts and the programs, projects, and activities for which such amounts were appropriated or otherwise made available by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020 (division A of Public Law 116-93). SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON GENERAL TRANSFER AUTHORITY. Section 8005 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020 (division A of Public Law 116-93; ) is amended by striking ``$4,000,000,000'' and inserting ``$1,798,000,000''. SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS/GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM TRANSFER AUTHORITY. Section 9002 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020 (division A of Public Law 116-93; ) is amended by striking ``$2,000,000,000'' and inserting ``$371,000,000''. ____________________
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