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September 26, 2025


 

Overview: Congress is in recess this week to observe Rosh Hashanah. Last week, the House passed a continuing resolution, but it failed in the Senate, which means a government shutdown seems more likely since the fiscal year ends September 30, 2025. However, you can reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to pass a funding measure before Sept. 30 (See "Action Alert" below).

Shut down or Continuing Resolution?
Scenario 1: CR is enacted, no shutdown
If a CR is enacted before the fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025, agencies can expect continuity in federal reimbursements, grant draws, and program oversight, though there may be some short-term administrative delays as agencies adjust to the new funding timelines. A CR also would provide Congress with additional time to negotiate full-year appropriations for FY 2026.

Scenario 2: No CR, brief shutdown
If Congress fails to pass a CR or full-year appropriations by the September 30 deadline, a partial government shutdown is likely. During a brief shutdown, many federal agencies will furlough non-essential staff, halt new grant awards and contracts, and suspend routine communications, potentially leading to cash flow issues for organizations that rely on these services. However, funding for essential services such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and most SNAP benefits will likely continue, as will fee-funded operations like USCIS, assuming that the personnel required to run these programs are deemed essential.

Scenario 3: No CR, extended shutdown
In an extended shutdown, the impacts described in Scenario 2 would be magnified. Reimbursements and grant actions could be delayed for weeks, new awards and contract modifications would stall, and federal technical assistance, monitoring, and data reporting would be severely limited or unavailable. Programs that rely on administrative processing (such as those administered by HUD, HHS, and USDA) could experience cascading delays, even if benefit payments continue under mandatory funding, if the employees who administer those programs are deemed non-essential.

Economy: In the week ending September 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims ([link removed]) was 218,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 231,000 to 232,000. The 4-week moving average was 237,500, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 240,000 to 240,250.

Action Alert: Congress only has a few days to prevent a shutdown. Tell your members of Congress to pass a stopgap measure now ([link removed])! If the government shuts down, programs that rely on administrative processing, such as those administered by HUD, HHS, and USDA, could experience cascading delays, disrupting critical services, including food assistance and housing, for people in need. One thing we can all agree on is that the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable in society should not suffer because lawmakers are unable to reach a consensus. Please consider contacting your members of Congress to urge them to get a consensus on maintaining programs and services. You can access the action alert here ([link removed]).

Returning citizens. CCUSA joined the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, the National Council of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition in a letter to the leadership of the Senate and House agriculture committees ([link removed]) urging them to eliminate the ban on food and nutrition benefits for people with drug-related convictions. The ban prevents ex-offenders from fully reintegrating into society. The letter asks the leadership to include the Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials Act, which would eliminate this ban. Read the full letter here ([link removed]).

Migration. "One Church, One Family: Catholic Public Witness for Immigrants," Oct. 22 & Nov. 13. Consider hosting a public, prayerful action that uplifts the dignity of migrants--especially in the places where that dignity is most often denied: vigils in front of detention centers, a prayer service where migrants were publicly detained, or a rosary accompanying people who are going to court hearings. The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas have launched a microsite ([link removed]) where people can learn more and register their public witness.

 

"I live amid infinite poverty and suffering, for which the world does nothing and wants to do nothing. What the natives see of us - Christians professing a religion of love - is neglect, or ambition, or greed, and in most of us, indifference, dislike, and harshness." St. Charles de Foucauld in a letter to Fr. Henri Huvelin (Foucauld's spiritual advisor), January 1, 1908, lamenting the lack of charity displayed to the poor people in southern Algeria.

 

Q. September 27 is the feast day of Saint Vincent de Paul, the patron of all charitable societies. Can you name one other title he has been given by admirers? (Hint: There are two very common ones.)

Please send your answers to the right answer ([link removed]): St. Hildegard is a Doctor of the Church.

 

Please share CCUSA's Washington Weekly ([link removed]) with your friends, family and networks so that we can build a movement of solidarity for those most in need!

Text "CCUSA" to 855-564-3197 to receive our action alerts! You can also access advocacy opportunities through our Action Center ([link removed]).

Stay connected with our work: Follow us on X @EndPoverty ([link removed]).

If you would like to help further Catholic Charities' commitment to alleviating, reducing, and preventing poverty, you can contribute here ([link removed]).

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