Overview: This week, CCUSA sent a welcome letter and its legislative priorities to all members of the 119th Congress. Stating its longtime collaboration with the federal government, CCUSA urged lawmakers to prioritize the welfare of children, families, individuals, and seniors struggling daily to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, members of Congress continue to discuss how to deal with raising the debt limit, with some members preferring the vehicle of a bipartisan spending bill and some preferring a reconciliation package. In budget reconciliation discussions, Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to propose deep cuts to safety net programs, including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Thrifty Food Plan, which is the basis to determine SNAP benefits.
Circle of Protection: CCUSA signed a letter to members of Congress and the incoming Trump administration from the Circle of Protection, a coalition of church bodies and related ministries in the U.S. The letter urges the government leaders to prioritize programs that provide help and opportunity to poor and vulnerable people; to expand the Child Tax Credit; and to structure the tax system so that those with greater financial resources pay a higher rate of taxation.
Economy: In the week ending January 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 217,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 201,000 to 203,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,750, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 213,000 to 213,500.