Join Michigan's Children President & CEO Jack Kresnak when he is the featured speaker at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic Club Luncheon on Feb. 18.

Jack will discuss the social and economic implications of Michigan's dropout crisis, as well as the current state of health and social programs affecting children in his presentation "Investing in Michigan's Future Workforce".

12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center

Cost: $40 member, $300 member table of 8

To register contact Mary Michalak at 517-487-6340 or events@lansingchamber.org.

Sponsored by HealthPlus of Michigan

For more about this event, click here.

Our friends at First Focus, a national bipartisan children's advocacy group, have released a new side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate economic recovery packages, underscoring how the Senate approach undermines support for kids' programs.

Specifically, a recent analysis by the organization has found that in the Senate, more that 45 percent of the $83 billion in cuts proposed to the appropriations titles is from spending on children's programs. In total, the Senate legislation provides $50 billion less for children's programs than the package passed by the House of Representatives two weeks ago.

The largest cuts to children's programs include the following:

• School Construction. While the House bill provides $16 billion for this purpose, the Senate compromise eliminates funding entirely. Not only does this assistance directly produce jobs, an immediate stimulus, but it also ensures 21st century schools for our children.
• Child Tax Credit. The House provided $18.2 billion for the Credit, which is critical to help low income families. By rolling back improvements to the credit, the Senate has cut that amount by more than half, providing $7.5 billion. These resources are directly given to low income families who will use them in the economy immediately. In addition, this money helps keep kids out of poverty.
• Head Start. The Senate cut the House's $2.1 billion appropriation by half, providing $1.05 billion for the critical program that promotes school readiness. This funding would directly produce jobs, since there is great demand for Head Start positions, providing immediate stimulus. Moreover, this program delivers the long-term benefit of providing comprehensive child development services to disadvantaged children to break the cycle of poverty.
• State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. The House provides $79 billion for this key fund, but the Senate only allocates $39 billion. Half of this money goes to help keep local school districts afloat, saving jobs in thousands of districts facing difficult budget cuts. And, the funds ensure the continued education of our children without having to deal with diminishing resources, teacher layoffs, and classroom mergers.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps). The House provides $20 billion, while the Senate provides $16.5 billion for this program. Economists have widely acknowledged that boosting food stamps is the most efficient way to get money into the economy immediately, while also keeping kids from going hungry during economic downturns.

To view a complete side-by-side breakdown of the child-related provisions in the stimulus and for more on the package, click here.

In her State of the State address given on February 3rd, Governor Granholm outlined her broad agenda for 2009, including several initiatives -- new and ongoing -- affecting Michigan children and families.

Included were educational reforms, policies that would protect families during the economic crisis, and an invitation to lawmakers to join her in ensuring that budget cuts do not limit access to necessary health care services for children, seniors and the disabled.

To read a summary of her proposals affecting children and families, click here.