John,

If Congress doesn’t act fast and raise the debt ceiling by June 1st, the United States will default on its debts for the first time in our nations’ history. Instead of working together to agree to a clean debt ceiling increase, right-wing extremists in the House of Representatives are exploiting the situation to demand cruel budget cuts that will do nothing except bring harm to low-income and middle class families and communities.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has proposed a wishlist of staggering funding cuts to essential human needs programs. McCarthy wants to expand SNAP's harsh time limits and work rules to include people aged 50-55 -- people who are most likely to experience major obstacles to work, such as age discrimination and health-related issues that prevent them from being hired. It would apply the same bureaucratic hurdles to Medicaid, placing millions of people at risk of losing coverage, while research shows the majority who are dropped will really remain eligible -- and that such restrictions do nothing to increase employment. And it imposes new restrictions in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) that could deny even minimal aid to one million children.

President Biden has invited members of Congress to the White House next Tuesday to discuss the debt ceiling impasse. Click here to send a message to your senators now, before next Tuesday’s meeting, and urge them to hold a clean debt ceiling vote and then separately expand, not cut, funding for critical human needs.

Legislation passed last week by extremists in the House would:

• Take away medical care, food, and cash aid from millions of people in need by forcing red tape barriers in Medicaid, SNAP, and TANF.

• Slash by $3.6 trillion -- through cuts and caps -- programs that fund housing and home energy aid, education from preschool through college, mental health and substance use treatment, child care, medical research, and much more.

• End many of the renewable energy tax breaks that were enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act.

• Cause massive staff layoffs in Social Security offices around the country, leading to office closures and limiting access for those who receive Social Security benefits.

• Cut the IRS’ capacity to collect the taxes owed by wealthy and corporate tax cheats.

President Biden has made his stance explicitly clear: "Here’s the deal: If Republicans try to take away people’s healthcare, increase costs for middle-class families, or push Americans into poverty, I’m going to stop them. I’m going to stop them.”¹

Now it’s up to the Senate to stand up to right-wing hostage takers.

Before next Tuesday’s meeting at the White House, send a direct message to your senators and demand they reject any deal that would increase poverty and hardship. Click here to take action now.

After the past three years of the coronavirus pandemic, the last thing we need is millions of people being kicked off Medicaid. With inflation causing the price of groceries to skyrocket, the last thing we need to do is make it harder for people to afford food.

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world. We can afford to pay our debts and ensure everyone has nutritious food, safe housing, and access to health care.

Thank you for fighting to protect the most vulnerable,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ Remarks by President Biden on the Economy