The Coalition on Human Needs just released another edition of the Human Needs Report, with the latest on Congress’s spending and budget work, immigration, work requirements, and a rule affecting tipped workers. Click here for a PDF version of the Human Needs Report.

Overnight Shutdown Ends after Budget and Spending Deal is Reached
An hours-long government shutdown ended in the early morning hours on Feb. 9 after the House and Senate agreed on a stopgap spending bill and budget deal that raises topline spending caps for FY18 and FY19. Provided in these increases are a number of priorities advocates have been pushing for, but a number of key priorities were also left out of the deal. READ MORE »

President Trump’s FY19 Budget Expected Feb. 12
The Trump administration is expected to release its FY19 budget on Feb. 12, and it may be the only GOP budget outline released this year. Advocates are worried that it will be similar to the Trump FY18 budget, which called for trillions of dollars of cuts to human needs programs. Register for a webinar on Feb. 14 to learn more about what the president is proposing this year. READ MORE »

Immigration Issues in Flux
Advocates who had pushed for the inclusion of a legal fix for Dreamers who have benefited from the DACA program were upset that one was not included in the stopgap spending bill passed on Feb. 9. An open floor debate on a DACA fix will likely take place in the Senate next week, but the future is less clear in the House. READ MORE »

Work Requirements Threaten Benefit Recipients
Recent decisions and possible future action on adding work requirements to Medicaid, SNAP/food stamps, housing, and other possible programs continue to threaten the access to needed benefits and services for low-income people. Kentucky and Indiana, for example, recently became the first two states to add work requirements to Medicaid benefits. And Speaker Ryan recently talked about the possibility of adding work requirements to SNAP, housing assistance, and other benefits for low-income recipients. READ MORE »

Tipped Workers Could Lose Billions under Proposed Labor Department Rule Change
Advocates for restaurant employees and other tipped workers are speaking out against a proposed rule that would make tips the property of employers. An economic analysis compiled by DOL staff showed that the proposal could result in the loss of billions of dollars for tipped workers, but that that analysis was shelved. CHN and many of our members have called on the Labor Department to withdraw the proposed rule and protect tipped workers. READ MORE »

The Human Needs Report is a regular newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations from the Coalition on Human Needs. Sign up to get the Human Needs Report delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to our blog, and follow CHN on Facebook and Twitter.