John,

After an historic (and chaotic) opening week of the 118th Congress, we finally have a Speaker of the House and a clearer understanding of the threat to human needs programs we’re facing with this new majority.

In order to get the votes to become Speaker, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) had to make numerous concessions that put the funding of vital programs such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and SNAP (formerly food stamps) in jeopardy. But that’s not all the bad news.

Two of the biggest concessions made were to cut annual appropriations back to FY2022 levels―which means a $130 billion cut that will hit critical programs for children, families, and vulnerable communities hard―and an agreement that any increase in the debt ceiling would be accompanied by similar cuts.

We cannot allow an extreme minority to undo all of the progress we made last year; in fact, to turn the clock back decades. Chip in $5 today to help us fight back against attacks on vulnerable communities!

All of this is terrible news for communities who need government services the most. And, since both parties hate making cuts to the defense budget, the only place left to cut is domestic spending. We won big last year with critical investments to early child education and child care, housing, heating assistance, and increased Medicaid funding. All of those gains are now at risk due to extremists in the House of Representatives who already held our government hostage for a week―and are now signaling they’re willing to do so again.

We’re not giving up. We know that funding for human needs programs is not only the moral thing to do, it’s the popular thing to do. Voters across the political spectrum support programs like the expanded Child Tax Credit, Head Start, and housing assistance programs. We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure their voices are heard in the People’s House.

Donate $5 today to fight back against drastic cuts to critical human needs funding.

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Thank you for all you do to defend vulnerable communities,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs