Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025

DOMESTIC HUMAN NEEDS (DHN) HOUSING APPROPRIATIONS LETTER: Interfaith letter requesting Congress to provide responsibly robust funding levels and service continuation for homeless assistance and affordable housing programs in the fiscal year (FY) 26 spending bill. Bearing witness to how having a safe place to call home transforms lives, we urge you to include language in the next continuing resolution or appropriations bill requiring HUD to renew all existing Continuum of Care grants expiring during calendar year 2026 for one 12-month period (Section 166 from H.R. 5450/S. 2882 achieves this and there is support across the aisle). Given delays posed by the government shutdown, grants soon ending, and the time it takes to participate in a funding competition and then develop new project sites and programs, renewing current CoC grants is the responsible course of action at this time. Supporting steadfast service would reflect Gods reliability and trustworthiness, prevent months of funding gaps, and equip providers to continue to cover rent, staff, and operation. CENSUS FUNDING: At a time when so many of us are keenly aware of the importance of good accurate data, letter expressing support for the Census Bureau and opposing a poison pill policy rider, Section 605, from the House version of the Appropriations Bill. The letter urges the final Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science bill provides no less than the amount recommended by the House Appropriations Committee, $1.6765 billion, and that Section 605 of the House bill be stricken in conference. REENTRY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM: As Congress works to finalize its FY26 appropriations, this letter urges Congress to allocate $110 million for the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) grant program in the final FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill. The REO program supports workforce development and reentry services leading to career-path employment for individuals with criminal legal histories, as well as employment services for youth and young people involved in the criminal legal system or who have not completed school. UPHOLDING PROTECTIONS FOR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN ACT OF 2025 (H.R. 6389): Letter to the House expressing support for The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025, a bill that would address many of the harms to unaccompanied children enacted in H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). OBBBA imposes an unprecedented fee structure on all individuals seeking protection in the United States, including unaccompanied children. The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act would exempt unaccompanied children from these onerous fees, and it would eliminate the new fee for abandoned, abused, or neglected youth to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. The bill also addresses other OBBBA provisions that threaten the safety and wellbeing of unaccompanied children, including by: Repealing a provision that provides funding for summary returns of specified unaccompanied children-a provision the Administration has attempted to rely upon to justify mass forced returns of Guatemalan children Repealing provisions funding traumatic body examinations of children in the custody of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Promoting safe sponsor placements for unaccompanied children by prohibiting ORR from using funding provided under OBBBA to share information on sponsors with DHS for purposes of immigration enforcement, a practice that deprives children of safe, loving homes and significantly prolongs their length of stay in government custody. PLEASE NEGOTIATE FY26 NDAA CENTERED ON HUMAN DIGNITY: Blast to Senate with the message - Please hold Pentagon funding at the $892.6 billion agreed upon by the House of Representatives as you conference the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Why? o The Pentagon budget has already been hugely bolstered by HR1 that injected $150 million more into Pentagon spending. o Americans are experiencing drastic cuts in critical healthcare and food assistance programs as stipulated in H.R. 1. o These cuts are being exacerbated by the government shutdown - a shutdown rooted in Congress' stalemate around American healthcare costs. Giving additional funding to the Pentagon while failing to act for basic human needs would send a terrible and hurtful message to the American people, communicating a disregard for human dignity and compassion. o The Administration is deploying Pentagon forces unconstitutionally - both domestically and overseas. If additional money goes to the Pentagon, Congress would be tacitly supporting this unlawful overreach. VOTE NO ON H.R. 5371 SPENDING PACKAGE (CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO FUND GOVT THROUGH. JAN 30, 2026): Blast to House urging Reps to vote NO on the spending package (H.R. 5371) expected on the House floor later today. This bill does not include provisions to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits and protect vital health programs. These tax credits are vital to rein in ballooning health costs - we must prevent them from expiring. Every day of delay means more people will become uninsured as they despair over unaffordable premium increases. Please do what is right for the American people. GUARDRAILS ARE NECESSARY TO PROTECT INVESTMENTS FOR CHILDREN: Letter to leadership of House and Senate calling for additional language that protects Congress' Constitutional right around appropriations to help ensure appropriated funds reach the children, families, and communities as intended and without delay. Investing in children leads to stronger outcomes both now and throughout a childs lifetime. Federal funding for children has consistently fallen-with FY25 marking the 4th straight year investments in children have dropped both in terms of dollar amount and share of spending in the federal budget. In addition, the current Administrations actions have put the Congressionally appropriated funding at risk. Over the past year, the Administration has unilaterally deferred or impounded funds set to serve children and families. There have been drastic staffing reductions in the offices that provide technical assistance and implement many of these critical programs. Guardrails are needed to protect Congress power, ensuring appropriated federal funds are apportioned consistent with bipartisan appropriations agreements, and to preserve the federal programs dedicated to bettering the health, development, and well-being of children. INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT: Letter to Senate leadership re: the Senate Interior-Environment spending bill that includes a provision that would eliminate $250 million in previously approved funding for lead service line replacements. The provision repurposes that funding that Congress had already approved for FY2026 in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The letter urges Senate leadership to remove this provision from the spending bill.

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Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE