Hello Humanity Forward Community,

We hope you are excited for a joyous holiday season. For Humanity Forward and many others in Washington, work continues as the "lame duck" period -- the time between an election and the new Congress in January -- proves to be a very busy time for lawmakers.

First, it's important to take a moment to recall where we've been. This Congress has been remarkably productive by historic standards, and we've been proud to be a part of many of the major laws that have passed in the last two years.

Here's what Congress has on their plate for the next month:

Government Funding - The importance of keeping the government funded is self-evident. Congress plans to pass a short-term extension of the existing budget, so that lawmakers have another week to work on the "omnibus" package (a bill containing many different priorities) to keep the government funded

Debate about what exactly could be included in the omnibus bill -- including an extension of the Child Tax Credit -- is ongoing and has yet to be resolved as of this afternoon.

The current budget funds the government through December 16; a short-term resolution would likely extend funding to December 23rd. If a deal isn't reached by the 23rd, a second short-term resolution could keep the government funded until next year. Read more.

National Defense Authorization Act - This must-pass bill is an annual supplement to funding for the Department of Defense, but the bill also typically includes other priorities related to national defense. This year's NDAA had over 1000 amendments proposed by various members. Read more.

Electoral Count Reform Act - This bill is designed to protect American democracy, by clarifying antiquated language in the Electoral Count Act -- a law which specifies how electoral votes in a presidential election are certified. The reforms specify that the role of Congress and the vice president is purely ministerial, which ensures that the voice of the American people is the sole factor in determining the winner of a presidential election.

The ECRA is expected to voted on as part of the omnibus spending package, though a separate vote could be held in the event that government funding negotiations are unresolved. Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have voiced support for the bill. Read more about the Electoral Count Act in this piece from our friends at Protect Democracy.

Bipartisan Immigration Reform - A recent addition to the wide range of lame duck activity in Congress includes a bipartisan immigration bill proposed by Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC). The bill carves out a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamers -- non-citizens brought to the United States as children, whose legal protections from deportation are in jeopardy.

The bill also includes a one-year extension of Title 42, which makes it easier for authorities to remove persons committing illegal border crossings, and provides up to $40 billion to fund border security and reduce the backlog of asylum claimants. Read more.

For Humanity Forward - We are continuing to advance efforts to reach a compromise on the Child Tax Credit, while ensuring our work on the Electoral Count Act is a success this December. In addition to that important work, we are also laying the foundation for our bipartisan campaign on Paid Family Leave.

There is much to be done -- both this year, and next year. We will continue to push for policies that improve the lives of millions of Americans, but we need your help to do it. Can you contribute $10 so that we can continue focusing on these issues as we prepare for a new Congress?    

As always, thank you for your support!

Connor Murphy
Digital Communications Director
Humanity Forward


[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]



If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .
Humanity Forward
122 C Street NW
Suite 360
Washington, DC 20001
United States