@burnsideashley1
Senior Policy Analyst with the Public Benefits Justice Team at @CLASP.org. Previously worked at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities & the Congressional Hunger Center. LGBTQ, disability, and anti-poverty advocate. All views are my own. (she/her)
My colleague Jesse Fairbanks and I wrote a @clasp.org blog discussing how Trump Accounts will exacerbate wealth inequality. We offer recommendations of policies that would effectively promote wealth and opportunity: www.clasp.org/blog/generou...
Fact check: the OBBBA did NOT eliminate taxes on Social Security.
In fact, it does nothing to help lower- and middle-income seniors--but it does harm Social Security's financing. #CBPPSOTU
www.cbpp.org/blog/contrar...
The Republican Megabill will result in millions of people losing access to health coverage and food assistance. Or as the President said - "lifting" people off assistance. So cruel. #CBPPSOTU
Trump Accounts as designed will widen inequality and worsen the racial wealth gap. The Dell donation and future donations could be better targeted to families with lower incomes. Read more in our @clasp.org blog:
#SOTU2026 clasp.org/blog/generou...
the state of the union is mens hockey thank you and have a good night
CBPP's Samantha Waxman on today's Senate vote to overturn parts of D.C.'s tax law (via X): x.com/waxmansd/sta...
Reproductive justice isn't just the right to an abortion. It's also the right to have the children you want to have in a safe & healthy environment, without being limited by financial constraints. States should use TANF funds to invest in children and families, and Congress should oppose H.R. 6945.
Our @clasp.org fact sheet that we developed in collaboration with If/When/How explains the harm of using TANF dollars toward crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). CPCs often use shame and misinformation to pressure people away from getting an abortion. www.clasp.org/publications...
Congress is considering a bill that would provide statutory authority for states to use federal TANF funds toward anti-abortion centers, also known as crisis pregnancy centers. TANF funds should go to families with low incomes, not toward centers that shame women.
www.clasp.org/publications...
I am proud to have contributed to this important @clasp.org report documenting the harms from the first year of the Trump Administration's second term across issue areas including public benefits, immigration, child care, early and higher education, and workers' rights.
www.clasp.org/publications...
Children, families, and child care providers will suffer from these actions. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should reverse this decision and provide all states with their funding to serve children and families. Read more from @clasp.org: www.clasp.org/press-room/p...
Arbitrarily withholding federal funds from these five states is illegal, reckless, and cruel. The Trump Administration is using politically motivated, racist, and anti-immigrant commentary to villainize those who oppose them and excuse the illegal withholding of federal funding. (2/3)
This week, the HHS announced the withholding of funding for TANF, CCDF child care subsidies, and the SSBG program from California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. These states stand to lose a total of $10 billion in federal funding. (1/3) Read more: www.clasp.org/press-room/p...
“Child care providers & state child care agency staff already put a lot of effort and energy into reporting how they spend their resources. Adding further reporting requirements to their overburdened workload will take their time & attention away from where it should be” from @scschmit.bsky.social
See @clasp.org's statement on child care providers being attacked by "influencers," and how the federal government's response will threaten access to vital child care for children and families throughout the nation: www.clasp.org/press-room/p...
I'm quoted in @newrepublic.com about the affordability crisis w/ my colleague Lorena Roque: "We can’t talk about affordability in this moment without naming the huge health care costs that families are now facing because of the expiration of the premium tax credits.”
newrepublic.com/article/2042...
We have many examples of cash transfer programs and comprehensive research that demonstrates the utility of providing cash to children and families. Guaranteed income works and is essential for transforming our public benefits system into one that promotes equity, mobility, and abundance.
My CLASP policy brief responds to New York Times reporting about the Baby's First Years study from earlier this summer which questioned the effectiveness of guaranteed income (GI) programs. GI programs work, and one study shouldn't discount the success of them.
www.clasp.org/publications...
After enacting the deepest #SNAP cuts in history & needlessly disrupting benefits during the shutdown, the Trump Administration is quietly advancing draft regulations to take SNAP away from millions more people – primarily working families with kids, seniors & disabled people.
Yesterday, Homeland Security proposed to repeal the 2022 public charge rule. This would allow officers to arbitrarily deny green cards to immigrants based on their health, economic situation, or potential use of benefits like health care & food assistance. Learn more:
www.clasp.org/press-room/p...
[1] This morning, federal agents entered a learning center without a warrant and detained a Pre-K teacher in front of the children she cares for. In a video, the woman can be seen telling the agents that she has documentation.
19thnews.org/2025/11/chil...
Nearly a month into the government shutdown, millions of families are paying the price for deliberate policy choices by the Trump Administration and Congress.
This is a 🚨manufactured🚨 crisis that’s putting jobs, food, and care at risk.
Alarming news this morning that Social Security head Frank Bisignano has been named “CEO” of IRS, a move that raises 3 major concerns:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
CTAN is outraged by the Trump Admin's attempt to forcibly remove dozens of immigrant kids over the holiday weekend.Read our statement and our partners' statements below: childrenthriveaction.org/2025/09/chil...
@clasp.org
DOGE staff at Social Security have put the sensitive data of hundreds of millions is at "high risk," which could have “catastrophic impact,” according to internal SSA docs.
This was not only foreseeable, but widely predicted.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/u...
Today marks the 90th Anniversary of the creation of the #SocialSecurityAdministration #SSA.
But now, policymakers want to cut funding from SSA. Without these benefits, SSI beneficiaries would be left unable to afford essentials. www.clasp.org/publications...
The #ChildTaxCredit amount and eligibility rules changed in the budget reconciliation bill. Unfortunately, the credit won't be available for families with the lowest incomes and some immigrant families. Learn 10 things to know about the #CTC in my new @clasp.org blog: www.clasp.org/blog/10-thin...
During Disability Pride Month and every month of the year, we must celebrate our progress toward access, equity, and justice for the disability community while also acknowledging areas where improvements are needed. The recent reconciliation law will be a major setback for the disability community.
The reconciliation law will restrict access to health care and food for the disability community, despite false claims from lawmakers to the contrary. Devastating cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will kick people off their healthcare and food benefits. www.clasp.org/blog/propose...
July is #DisabilityPrideMonth. Amid the celebrations, this month marks the passage of a law that will cause great harm for people with disabilities: the budget reconciliation law. I wrote a @clasp.org blog summarizing the ways this new law will harm disabled people: www.clasp.org/blog/july-ma...