This week in Washington, lawmakers continued to focus on passing a spending package, adding potential changes to the tax code, and making changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The continued saga around spending and appropriations dominated much of the conversation in Washington this week. The Senate is set to continue consideration of a four-bill spending package into next week. Debate began this week, but congressional leaders have yet to reach consensus on which amendments will ultimately receive votes. The daunting task of completing a FY 2020 spending package before the November 21st deadline has led to congressional leaders suggesting that they may need another short-term continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.
Disaster Recovery
The House could vote as early as next week on a bill that would permanently authorize the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery. When a natural disaster strikes, families and communities are forced to deal with the tragic consequences of loss of life and property. Catholic Charities staff and agencies witness firsthand the difficult struggle impoverished families face attempting to recover. One of the few federal recovery tools that provide vital resources to survivors with the lowest income is the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery. Catholic Charities USA sent out an action alert to our network yesterday to encourage representatives to vote in support of H.R. 3702, the "Reforming Disaster Recovery Act." You can find the action alert here.
Tax Extenders
While Congress is working on a FY 2020 spending agreement, they are simultaneously attempting to renew temporary tax breaks that are expiring, known as tax extenders. The ongoing negotiations among congressional leadership are promising. The potential package would be passed just before the end of the year.
On Monday, Catholic Charities USA sent a letter to Congress encouraging them to prioritize people in poverty when making changes to the tax code. The letter asks for expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, repealing the unrelated business income tax (UBIT), and making changes to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. You can read the full letter here.
SNAP Categorical Eligibility
Last week, the Department of Agriculture announced it would reopen the comment period on a proposed rule that would change eligibility for SNAP after it was discovered that the number of children potentially losing access to free school meals would be 1 million. The proposed rule initially estimated that 500,000 children would likely lose out on free school meals.
In a joint letter with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Catholic Health Association (CHA), Catholic Rural Life, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, CCUSA highlighted how proposed rule changes would make SNAP less efficient and create barriers to access for millions of individuals. You can read the full comment here.
If you would like to speak out on this proposed rule change you can submit an official comment here. The deadline for submitting comments is November 1, 2019.
Faith and the Common Good
Fr. John S. Korcsmar, C.S.C., from St. Michael Church in Plymouth, Indiana, was the first to identify Rosa Parks as the Civil Rights icon who died on October 24, 2005. Last week in the Washington Weekly, the trivia question incorrectly stated that she died on October 25, 2005. She actually died on October 24, 2005, and the article used as a reference was written on October 25, 2005. We regret this error. Rosa Parks died at the age of 92. She refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her defiance sparked the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott; its success launched nationwide efforts to end racial segregation of public facilities. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999. At the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, she said, "This medal is encouragement for all of us to continue until all people have equal rights." Her death resulted in another first when she became the first woman whose body lay in state at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Prayer for Basic Rights
Lord of Wisdom, awaken us
to our duty to care for the basic needs of all people.
Strengthen with hope
people denied their human rights and freedoms.
Provide us all with the voice to cry out
for justice for the poor and the oppressed. Amen
(From Being Neighbor: The Catechism and Social Justice, USCCB, April 1998)
Trivia
Which Supreme Court decision from 1969 ordered immediate desegregation of public schools?
Please send your answers to socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org
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