{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcgarvey.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mcgarvey-introduces-legislation-to-protect-the-well-being-of-children-in-federal-policymaking-for-national-childrens-week", "Congressman McGarvey and Senator Markey Introduce Legislation to Protect the Well-Being of Children in Federal Policymaking for National Children\u2019s Week", "2026-06-11", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "KY", "Morgan McGarvey", "M001220", "mcgarvey.house.gov", "mcgarvey", "https://mcgarvey.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington (June 11, 2026) - Today, Representatives Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) introduced the Child Safety and Well-Being Act to advocate for and protect children in federal policymaking. The legislation would establish an independent commission to promote the interests of children and marginalized youth and ensure that their interests are protected and advanced in federal policy. Companion legislation was introduced by . Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) in the Senate.\n\nThe Child Safety and Well-Being Act comes in advance of National Children\u2019s Week, while the Trump administration\u2019s drastic cuts in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill devastate health care coverage and nutrition assistance for children across the country. Recent data shows that 1.5 million children have lost Medicaid or CHIP health coverage since January 2025.\n\n\u201cIn Kentucky, one in five kids still lives in poverty, and the latest cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP will push that number higher,\u201d said Congressman McGarvey. \u201cThe federal government is failing our kids when it comes to the basics, and they\u2019ve all but ignored the new issues our kids are dealing with. Young people are growing up in a world that\u2019s changing faster than our policies can keep up, and that\u2019s why this bill is so important. It forces us to confront those issues with every decision we make in Congress and ask ourselves how we can make the next generation\u2019s lives better.\u201d\n\n\u201cChildren are around twenty-five percent of the population, but they are one hundred percent of our future,\u201d said Senator Markey. \u201cChildren\u2019s voices must be represented when we make decisions that will impact their lives. As the Trump administration strips health care, education, nutrition assistance, and protections from children all over the country, we must create pathways for American families to fight back and make their voices heard in Washington.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur children shape our future,\u201d said Congresswoman DeLauro, co-chair of the Congressional Babies Caucus. \u201cIt is up to us to ensure they are protected and never treated like an afterthought by our policymaking. They are the heart of our nation and our most valuable resource. We should treat them as such. I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Child Safety and Well-Being Act, legislation that would establish a Children\u2019s Commission to examine federal policy and its impacts on our children so that lawmakers can make informed choices when legislating. We must ensure our children can grow into successful adults, in environments that help them thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cChildren will live with the consequences of today\u2019s decisions longer than the rest of us, and yet they\u2019re usually left out of the rooms where these decisions are made. That results in adult-centric policies on everything from education to health care to gun violence, rather than addressing the needs of children. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to co-lead the Child Safety and Well-Being Act to create an independent commission dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of our children in the policymaking process. It\u2019s our job as the adults in the room to look out for the children who can\u2019t look out for themselves,\u201d said Congresswoman Jacobs.\n\n\u201cEvery child deserves a chance to grow up in a healthy, safe, and supported environment,\u201d said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, co-chair of the Congressional Mamas\u2019 Caucus. \u201cThis legislation ensures that federal policy takes into consideration our children\u2019s well-being. I am proud to co-lead this legislation to center the voices of children and families who have too often been overlooked and give them the support and resources they need to flourish.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe founded the Dads Caucus to champion policies that help children and families thrive,\u201d said Dads Caucus Chair, Congressman Jimmy Gomez. \u201cYoung people today face challenges that would have been hard to imagine a generation ago, and we have a responsibility to ensure their needs remain front and center. That's why introducing the Child Safety and Well-Being Act with fellow Dads Caucus member Rep. Morgan McGarvey is so important. Children deserve leaders who are focused on their future and committed to helping them succeed.\u201d\n\nThe bill would:\n\nEstablish a Children\u2019s Commission to evaluate how federal policy affects children\u2019s well-being, monitor the development and implementation of laws affecting children, and inform Congress and the states on the views and interests of children.\n\nEmpower the Commission to advocate for the views and interests of children and marginalized youth by advising Congress, agencies, and states on policies impacting child well-being.\n\nDirect the Commission to publish reports, examine global and domestic issues, and collaborate with other children\u2019s commissioners across the country and around the globe to further support the interests of children and marginalized youth.\n\nThe Child Safety and Well-Being Act is endorsed by First Focus Campaign for Children, UNICEF USA, Child Labor Coalition, Education for All Coalition, Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs (AMSPDC), GlobalPartnersUnited LLC, Kids Can't Wait, Kurtishi & Associates, Media Voices for Children, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Consumers League, National Council of Jewish Women, National League for Nursing, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK), RISE Institute, School-Based Health Alliance, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team, Students Engaged for Advancing Texas (SEAT), The Initiative for Civility in Everyday Life, The World As It Could Be, Voices for Virginia\u2019s Children, and ZERO TO THREE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-12T06:37:16Z", "2026-06-12T06:39:00Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mcgarvey.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mcgarvey-introduces-legislation-to-protect-the-well-being-of-children-in-federal-policymaking-for-national-childrens-week"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8945960327982903, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}