Overview: The Senate GOP still hopes to get their version of the Reconciliation Bill to the House by next week. However, since the Senate Parliamentarian ruled against a number of provisions in the bill - e.g., limiting the use of provider taxes that states use to increase Medicaid funding and state cost sharing for SNAP - GOP senators will try to revise the language rejected by the Parliamentarian and bring it to a floor vote this weekend.
In the appropriations process for next fiscal year, the House of Representatives has started mark ups on individual bills, but there is no agreement yet on the top line number. The situation looks increasingly like a continuing resolution will be needed at the end of this fiscal year on September 30.
Members of the CCUSA Government Relations team visited several offices of senators this week, appealing to them to remember the poor and vulnerable as they discern provisions for the Reconciliation Bill.
Letter regarding Reconciliation and Farm Bills: CCUSA joined other national Catholic organizations in a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees asking that the final Reconciliation Bill reject drastic cuts and structural changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure additional burdens are not placed on low-income families and individuals. The letter also raises concerns about administrative actions taken this year that have resulted in cuts or terminations of several vital programs in the nutrition and agriculture space, impacting food banks, school meals, international food aid and conservation efforts and the continuing threat that these cuts will be codified through a rescission request. Read the full letter here.
Economy: In the week ending June 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 236,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 245,000 to 246,000. The 4-week moving average was 245,000, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average.
Call to action: You can call and write to your U.S. senators opposing any provisions in the Reconciliation Bill that would remove or reduce Medicaid and SNAP benefits for certain groups, such parents of dependent children, veterans, disabled individuals, youths in foster care and refugees and asylees who have already been thoroughly vetted and entered the country legally. One also could tell senators to make the Child Tax Credit available to families with the lowest incomes by lowering the eligibility requirement. As the credit is written in the Senate Reconciliation Bill, a family with two parents and two children with less than $36,000 annual income would not receive the full tax credit.
Town Halls: We have attached to this message a list of upcoming town hall meetings hosted by members of Congress. This is a great way to have your voice heard. Please reach out to your member for more details. You can use CCUSA's "Find Your Elected Officials" tool.