Bipartisan Bill to Expand Children's Health Coverage Passes Congress

Over the last few months, CDF activists have been contacting their Members of Congress to let them know that they support comprehensive health coverage for all children in America sending over 180,000 emails and making over 1,000 calls. Because of your hard work, we wanted to let you know that last week, the House and Senate passed a negotiated, bipartisan bill to reauthorize and expand funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Although the bill will only provide health coverage to 1/3 of America's uninsured children, it's a step in the right direction. Find out how your Members of Congress voted on this important children’s health legislation.

The bill now goes to President Bush to sign — but he has threatened to veto it, potentially denying health coverage to millions of uninsured children. Stay tuned — we'll continue to keep you updated on the status of this bill and actions you can take. In the meantime, learn more about CDF's campaign to ensure comprehensive health coverage for all of America's children.

CDF Issues Report and Holds Summit on America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline^? Crisis

CDF recently issued a report, America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline^SM, to spotlight an urgent national crisis at the intersection of poverty and race that means that Black boys have a one in three chance of going to jail during their lifetime, and Latino boys a one in six chance of the same fate. Tens of thousands of children and teens are sucked into the Pipeline each year. The report includes:

• an overview of the major factors behind the Pipeline
• photographs that show the faces of children in the Pipeline
• case studies describing how the Pipeline affects children
• descriptions of some promising approaches to help keep children out of the Pipeline
• research tables and state-by-state data of key child indicators
• a call for the hard work and persistence needed to build a transforming movement to put the necessary social and economic foundations beneath all children and families

The report was released earlier this week at CDF's Cradle to Prison Pipeline^? Summit held at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Summit provided the environment for a highly interactive dialogue to explore the underlying causes of the Pipeline, share promising approaches and develop a plan of action to dismantle it. Learn more about the Summit and view a video of Dr. Bill Cosby, one of the Summit's speakers.

CDF Celebrates Five Extraordinary Individuals

On October 25, CDF President Marian Wright Edelman and others will celebrate five extraordinary young people at the 2007 Beat the Odds^? Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. The Beat the Odds program (initiated by CDF in 1990 to celebrate the positive potential of young people) works with local education advocates to select and honor students who have overcome tremendous obstacles in their lives, demonstrated academic excellence and have given back to their communities. Learn more about this moving event and the Beat the Odds program.

Worship Resources to Celebrate Children

Regardless of how the U.S. Congress and the President end their current debate over what level of funding to provide for children's health insurance, we know it is not going to be enough to guarantee a "Safe Harbor of Hope and Health Care for All Children," the theme for this year's National Observance of Children's Sabbaths^? Celebration.

To do all we can to ensure all children the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential, CDF developed the interfaith National Observance of Children's Sabbaths Manual. This 16th edition is a valuable resource for any faith community working for peace and justice. It contains worship and educational materials, direct service activities, and social justice initiatives to be used not only for your congregation's Children's Sabbaths celebration on October 19-21 but year-round.

Order your manual today online or by phone at (865) 457-6466.

CDF President Marian Wright Edelman in Your Inbox

Each Friday, CDF President Marian Wright Edelman pens a Child Watch^? column reflecting on a timely children's issue — she's recently written about the Jena Six case, children's health legislation, and gun violence.

Sign up today to receive the Child Watch column via email each week.