Congress is debating critical social safety net legislation that will impact Catholic Charities agencies and the people we serve for decades to come. 

Please contact your members of Congress today and tell them to prioritize the vulnerable people whom Catholic Charities serves by supporting these provisions in the budget reconciliation bill:

• Support Affordable Housing: Invest in the National Housing Trust Fund, HUD Section 202, public housing, rental assistance, HOME, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Housing Choice Voucher program, Section 515 USDA Rural Housing and the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization Program, Homeownership Assistance, and the Community Development Block Grant.
• Support Families: Invest in the permanent, expanded Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and a federally-supported, national Paid Family and Medical Leave program.
• Support Early Education: Invest in early education programs such as universal pre-K, Early Head Start, Head Start and child care for working families.
• Alleviate Hunger: Support child nutrition by extending the WIC certification period, increasing eligibility to 6 years old, allowing an additional snack for full day care and extending Pandemic-EBT.
• Support Healthcare: Close the Medicaid coverage gap; expand Medicare by lowering the eligibility age and adding coverage for dental, vision and hearing; and provide support for nursing homes, affordable prescription drugs, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), community health centers, behavioral/mental health and telehealth services.
• Support Immigration Reform: Support immigration reforms and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure holders, as well as a pathway to legalization for unauthorized agricultural workers, and reforms to the existing temporary agricultural worker visa program.
• Support Nonprofit Employee Retention: Extend the Employee Retention Tax Credit.
• Support Charitable Giving: Encourage giving by making the Universal Charitable Deduction permanent.
• Support Workforce Development and Job Training: Support workforce development, job training and access to capital and markets for small businesses.
• Protect Life: Maintain policies that protect human life, including the Hyde amendment protections.