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Friends, earlier this week my team and I offered you the opportunity to submit your most pressing questions and concerns about what’s happening in Washington with the latest GOP budget cuts and Donald Trump’s many extreme actions.

As you know, I take my responsibility to make sure you are heard and informed very seriously. So as promised I’m coming back to do what I can to answer some of your most Frequently Asked Questions, we put them together in the graphic below. Some of the answers are long because the issues are complex, but I hope you find this helpful in navigating this moment.

If you didn’t get the chance to submit your questions or concerns (or have more), you can still submit them here. [[link removed]]
FAQs from Team Dean

Q: The president is constantly ignoring the Constitution and flouting the laws mandated by judges. Aren't there any laws to hold him accountable for what he is doing illegally?

A: Yes, there are laws in place that prevent executive overreach. That’s why you’re seeing so many headlines about judges halting or reversing the orders and actions taken by Donald Trump (and Elon Musk). That’s also why Congress and individual states are leading the charge on litigation for his unlawful executive actions and why I am proud to be a member of the Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group to contain executive power. Unfortunately, our justice system takes time, and Donald Trump is also now taking the dangerous step of ignoring judicial orders, which is unconstitutional and unprecedented in modern times.
Also, Congress is here to check and balance the executive power. It is our constitutional duty to pass laws, determine how we spend taxpayer dollars, hold the executive branch accountable, and put our democracy first — but this GOP majority is shirking their responsibilities to provide a check on Donald Trump.

Q: What does the CR mean? When is the next budget vote? And what can we expect from this?

A: The Continuing Resolution (CR) is a budget resolution that funds the government, but only until September 30th. This GOP resolution cuts non-defense spending (much of it on programs American families rely on) by $13 billion and increases defense spending by approximately $6 billion. It includes a 57% slashing of the Department of Defense’s medical research programs and more than $3 billion in cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s community development, rental assistance, and homelessness services programs.
Not only are there specific cuts outlined in this bill, but what’s even more critical are the cuts yet determined. This bill itself gives Trump and Elon Musk more power over government spending since it doesn’t specify how significant parts of the funding are to be allocated, meaning they could be free to cut critical programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and SNAP with no accountability. It takes Congress’s power of the purse and hands it to Trump to decide what should be funded or cut. The next step will be either another Continuing Resolution or the GOP proposing an actual budget bill by September 30th.
The budget fight is not over — I will be using my position on the Appropriations Committee fighting to ensure that spending that has been promised to the people will continue to be allocated. And I will be encouraging my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate to stay unified against cuts to vital programs and the social safety net that taxpayers have been paying into for decades on the guarantee that it will be there if they need it.

Q: What is the Democratic Party actually doing to act as an oppositional party?

A: This one is where I know we’re all frustrated — make no mistake, I am too. Nothing feels like enough right now. I’m waking up each day talking to my colleagues and constituents to make sure I’m using every ounce of the power of my office (and my energy) to fight back and offer support where it’s needed most.
The hard truth is that minority power in the House and Senate means we don’t have the votes to override what Trump and the GOP are doing on the budget or with legislation. But we DO have our voices, and we are using them in the media and in person to decry their corruption, overreach, and agency cuts at the VA, USAID, the Department of Education, and everywhere else they’re taking unlawful action.
We are holding town halls when and where GOP leaders refuse to do so, we’re providing resources to our constituents to stay organized and access the information they need. We are aggressively litigating Trump and Elon Musk’s overreach in the court system and, even if we don’t have the numbers to pass bills right now, we are introducing legislation to protect critical programs as we stay unified against their cuts. And while we’re doing all that, we are focusing on taking back the House majority this cycle to ensure we can check the executive branch.

Q: What can we as individuals do to prevent things from becoming worse?

1. Organize in your community, with local groups, get your friends involved in political campaigns and advocacy work, show up to town halls, call your representatives, and make your voices heard. This is a big one! It’s going to take all of us working on the ground to show the GOP and the Trump administration they answer to the American people.
2. Continue spreading real, verifiable information to counteract GOP disinfo
3. Point your friends and family to resources and organizations that you support and trust
4. Share your stories with your community and call your representatives
5. As much as we don’t want to hear it right now — support candidates who are doing the work on the ground to take back the majority. The GOP has almost bottomless resources to run their candidates and overwhelm campaigns. We can’t win without the dollars to combat their spending.

Q: How can we get in contact with your official congressional office?

A: If you are a constituent in my district PA-04 you can schedule an appointment, send our team an email, or give us a call here. [[link removed]] We’d love to hear from you.


I am doing everything I can in Congress to advocate for the people and push back against extreme and unlawful actions by the GOP-led House and the Trump administration. I’m also in the district hosting events, meeting with my constituents, and doing my best to make sure we stay organized, stay hopeful, and keep moving forward together.

I’m glad you’re part of this team. If you have more questions for me, you can submit them here. [[link removed]]

Thanks and I hope this was helpful,

Mad
Madeleine is an attorney, professor, mother, grandmother, and Member of Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District of Berks and Montgomery Counties. She is an outspoken leader who champions progressive priorities such as education, universal access to healthcare, gun safety, and ethical government. Madeleine Dean has built a reputation for getting things done, and we need her to continue to be our voice to serve us in Congress.
Our campaign is funded by people who care about our democracy and want to see continued progress in our community and in our country. If you'd like to donate, you can do so here [[link removed]] . If you’d like to volunteer, sign up here [secure.ngpvan.com/qaBeBKvRnUS-xnVmoAyPBg2] .
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