The Ways and Means Committee yesterday approved two pieces of legislation to extend funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program – a program that has earned bipartisan support because it uses evidence-based solutions to help low-income children and families escape the cycle of poverty and climb the economic ladder:

1. The Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act (H.R. 2824), sponsored by Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith (R-NE), which reauthorizes the MIECHV program, and
2. The Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act (H.R. 2792), sponsored by Reps. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Sam Johnson (R-TX), which offsets the costs of reauthorizing the MIECHV program by prohibiting individuals with outstanding arrest warrants for a felony or parole violation from receiving monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.

Upon passing the legislation, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) said:

“By passing these two bills, we reaffirmed our commitment to investing in evidence-based programs that help low-income children and their parents be more successful in school, at home, and at work. I’m grateful to Chairman Smith for being a tireless advocate for the MIECHV program, as well as to Congresswoman Noem and Chairman Johnson for making sure taxpayer dollars are going toward solutions that work. Their leadership provides certainty for families, states, and communities that MIECHV will continue to improve peoples’ lives.”

Subcommittee Chairman Smith added:

“I’m pleased the Committee chose to move this important legislation forward to help support healthy, independent families. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to meet with Nebraskans working with home visitors and see firsthand the positive outcomes being achieved through this program. MIECHV is one of the only social programs where funding is contingent on proven evidence of effectiveness, which is a model we need to replicate across the federal government to ensure taxpayer dollars are focused on programs producing real results. This bill is also fully paid for – to do otherwise with our national debt now exceeding $20 trillion would be entirely irresponsible. I’m grateful for the hard work of many Committee members on this effort and look forward to bringing it to the House floor.” 

CLICK HERE to learn more about the legislation.