January 25, 2019
Greetings!
This is day 35 of the partial government shutdown. While neither party has produced a bill that could pass both chambers of Congress, negotiations are ongoing. We will continue to provide updates on the shutdown impacts and the status of appropriations negotiations between the chambers and the White House.
Appropriations
House of Representatives
On Wednesday, the House voted 234-180 to pass a measure ( H.R. 648) that would include a new six-bill minibus, excluding the Department of Homeland Security, that contains the versions of the spending bills that were agreed upon during each conference at the end of the 115 th Congress. In addition, House Leadership voted 229-184 a continuing resolution ( H.J. Res 28) which would extend funding to nine departments and several agencies that remain unfunded as of December 22 nd.

Senate
Meanwhile, the Senate voted on two spending packages to end the partial government shutdown. In a vote of 51-47 and 52-44, both packages failed to pass. This is the first action that the Senate has taken since the shutdown began on December 22 nd. The first package included the provisions that President Trump outlined over the weekend including full-year funding for all seven remaining spending bills, $12.7 billion disaster aid package, $5.7 billion for the construction of a border wall, three years of temporary relief for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and immigrants receiving Temporary Protected Status, and an extension of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The second package ( H.R. 268) is the package passed by the House last week with a vote of 237-187, which would provide funding for the nine departments and several agencies through February 8 th and $14.2 billion in disaster aid.
Child Welfare
Kinship Navigator Funding
The Children’s Bureau has released guidance to state, territorial and tribal title IV-E agencies on the actions required to applying for Kinship Navigator Funding to support the development, enhancement or evaluation of kinship navigator programs.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Early Issuance of February SNAP Benefits Successful
Between January 14 and 20, state SNAP agencies succeeded in issuing $4.1 billion in February SNAP benefits early, ensuring that over 85 percent of the cost of February SNAP benefits will be provided for through the Continuing Resolution that expired on December 21, 2018. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has stated that it is confident that the contingency fund is adequate to provide for the remaining benefits to be issued to SNAP households for the month of February.

The early issuance of February SNAP benefits only temporarily ensures that participants will have access to SNAP benefits next month. If the government shutdown continues, there is no guarantee that March SNAP benefits will be available. APHSA will continue to work closely with states, FNS and other stakeholders to address this matter. Continue to check TWIW for updates. 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
TANF Extension Signed Into Law
On January 22, the Senate passed by voice vote H.R. 430 – The TANF Extension Act of 2019, which will extend the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program through June 30, 2019. The bill passed in the House of Representatives on January 14 and was signed by the President on January 24. Upon enactment, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be able to distribute the second quarter payments to states for TANF, as well as mandatory child care funding (Child Care Entitlement to States). Once the bill has been enacted, HHS has stated that it will take four business days for the second quarterly payments to be made.

Summary of H.R 430.
Housing
Shutdown Impact on Federally-Assisted Housing
As previously reported, the shutdown has threatened the viability of federally-assisted housing programs due to both the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) remaining unfunded for fiscal year 2019. Currently there are a small number of tenants in HUD and USDA Rural Development (RD) project-based rental assistance properties that are facing imminent disruption in housing services due to rental contracts between owners and HUD and RD expiring in December. Most residents are not currently under threat of disruption because rental assistance payments will continue through February. However, if the shutdown goes past February, the risk of disruption of almost all these housing services could greatly increase due to nonpayment to owners.

Regarding the Department of Justice-related housing programs, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) housing protections (34 U.S.C. 12491) are currently still in force. And, despite the law not being reauthorized, the programs with VAWA funding will continue throughout the shutdown but payment requests are expected to be delayed.

The Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding released an updated fact sheet on the impacts of government shutdown on affordable housing programs.

The National Housing Law Project issued a memo on the legal rights of federally-assisted residents during the government shutdown
Announcements
Call for Proposals - 2019 APHSA National HHS Summit
APHSA is accepting proposals for the APHSA 2019 National Health and Human Services Summit, May 19-22 in Arlington, VA.

APHSA is elevating critical policy discussions and providing an opportunity for collective conversations with the Administration and Congress for a shared path forward for a modern, responsive and effective human service system.

We are seeking proposals that will create conversations, engage public and private partners from the health and human services sector and include thought leaders in the field.
Call for Proposals - 2019 National Child Welfare Evaluation Summit
The Children's Bureau is accepting proposals until February 1, at 11:59 p.m. ET for the 2019 National Child Welfare Evaluation Summit . The conference will be held on August 20–21, 2019, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Evaluation Summit is an opportunity for child welfare partners and stakeholders to join the research community in exploring relevant evaluation methods, findings, successes, and challenges that can improve child welfare services and inform our goals for the future.
Reframing Hunger in America - Frameworks Institute
According to a new report issued by the Frameworks Institute, while many Americans believe that some people struggle to put food on the table food assistance programs are sufficient to handle the problem. The reality is that today, many people in the United States (about one in eight) don't get enough food, or enough healthy food, and our current food policies don't go far enough to prevent serious hunger.

The disconnect poses challenges to advocates who are working to protect existing food assistance programs and pursue even bolder strategies to end hunger in America: How can they build support for solutions to an invisible problem?

To answer this question, the FrameWorks Institute studied how Americans think about hunger, how the field frames it, and how to reframe the issue.
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Releases "Your Money, Your Goals: A financial Empowerment Toolkit"
This toolkit is designed for anyone who serves people living with low incomes through non-profit, community-based, or private sector organizations or works in a government agency dedicated to helping the public.
What factors increase the risk that low-income families with children will face material hardship? - The Urban Institute
More than two-thirds of low-income parents reported problems paying for housing, utilities, food, or medical care in 2017. Health problems and financial shocks were associated with increased difficulty meeting basic needs, while savings, homeownership, and health insurance were buffers against hardship.
How affordable housing providers help low-income residents achieve economic mobility - The Urban Institute
Which economic mobility services work for low-income people, and how can affordable housing providers offer them? This report explains economic mobility, reviews evidence on interventions, and highlights organizations doing promising and innovative work in the field.
ASPE Releases Child Care Subsidies Report
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) provides state data on those potentially eligible for child care subsidies under federal parameters and those eligible under state rules.