On December 20th, Congress passed a short-term funding bill known as a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would fund the government through March 14, 2025. The CR maintains level funding for McKinney-Vento’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act funding, Title I, and other federal programs at FY 2024 levels through March 14, 2025. 

The new Congress is now tasked with finalizing spending for FY 2025, which runs through September 30, 2025. We are very concerned about potential cuts to EHCY, RHYA, and other funding given the incoming majority party’s public support for cutting non-defense funding, the fiscal caps that are already in place, and the potential for automatic cuts if an agreement isn’t reached by April 1st. Further, legislation that would completely abolish the U.S. Department of Education – including repealing the McKinney-Vento Act’s EHCY funding and all its protections – was recently introduced in the Senate, and almost certainly will be reintroduced this year.

With the new year comes an even greater urgency to advocate and educate members of Congress and their staff on the importance of dedicated federal funding for children and youth experiencing homelessness and those in foster care. 

• Please join us on January 14th at 3pm ET for a webinar on the new federal policy landscape, hot topics, and advocacy priorities.
• If you would like to schedule an educational meeting with your member of Congress, please contact SHC’s Senior Manager of Federal Policy, TJ Lucas.