Coalition on Human Needs seeks year's funding for nation's urgent needs

I've blogged here before about the Coalition on Human Needs. They analyze census data and legislation to give those of us working on the ground the tools we need to make the case for better housing and health care, reduction of hunger and malnutrition, the geography of poverty, energy assistance, disability issues and more.

Now the coalition has sent a letter to Congress signed by more than 160 organizations, calling for passage of a full year omnibus appropriations bill for the nation's current urgent needs. Service providers, faith communities, policy experts, labor and civil rights groups are among the signers.

Agencies need a full year's budget in order to make spending decisions, including a line item for emergency spending. Otherwise, planning is impossible. The letter focuses particularly on emergency funding to meet the Ebola crisis and the needs of the refugee children on the border who have fled violence at home.

The current temporary funding measure expires Dec. 11. This is a strong push to end the practice of stop-gap funding for a couple of months.