This Week in Congress + Action Items
Medicare and Food Assistance On the Line During Budget Reconciliation
GOP members of the House and Senate have been gearing up to craft their budget reconciliation bills, and will be amending and voting on them over the course of the next several weeks and potentially months. Budget reconciliation is the process through which Congress passes budgetary related laws — think taxes, grant funding, etc. These budget bills only require a simple majority to pass as law — as a result, they can avoid the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.
The GOP will be trying to get all sorts of things through budget reconciliation, including things that don’t really have to do with the budget. The Senate parliamentarian will have the final word about what is sufficiently budgetary and therefore appropriate for inclusion in the bill. When versions of the bill are brought forward, GOP memebers will make arguments to the parliamentarian as to why provisions are budgetary. Dems, by contrast, will be arguing they are too policy heavy and should therefore be excluded.
Some things the GOP will be trying to include in their budget bills: immigration enforcement laws and resources and building the wall; $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid; $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for the rich; and cutting funding for the food assistnace program SNAP.
This week, we urge you to contact your members of Congress regardless of whether you live in a Blue or Red state/district. Call them and say:
My name is [name], and I live in [city/sate/zip code]. I’m calling because I am extremely concerned about the proposed budget bills in Congress. Cutting taxes for a small percentage of the wealthiest people at the expense of healthcare and food assistance for working class Americans is morally corrupt and simply unfair. Medicaid and SNAP provide fundamental assistance for millions of Americans. Providing that assistance is what government is for and is why I pay my taxes. I urge [senator or rep] to vote against these bills. I also want to demand that they stand up to Trump and Musk and the destruction of our government with everything they have. I will be watching their vote and will be holding them accountable for their actions at their next election. Thank you.
Recommended calling schedule:
Monday - Senators
Tuesday - Reps
Wednesday - Call your Governors per the activism guide and continue to support them if they’re standing up to Trump, or urge them to if they aren’t yet.
Thursday - Call your attorney general’s office per the activism guide, urging them to stand up to Trump.
Lastly, wanted to leave you with this video that I have watched repeatedly to keep me inspired. It’s from our sisters abroad.
I hope you all have a great week!
—Grace