Seek Racial Justice

A Call to Life, Racial Justice, Healing, and Transformation

Bread for the World denounces the recent killings of George Floyd and generations of Africans and their descendants in the U.S. and around the globe who have been devastated by structural racism and inequity.

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Washington Update: Week of January 29

January 30, 2018
Washington Update

Budget & Appropriations

  • President Donald J. Trump is set to deliver his first State of the Union address to Congress Tuesday, Jan. 30 — at the same time lawmakers continue to hammer out a compromise on a fiscal year 2018 spending bill and a resolution for Dreamers.
  • Negotiations on the fiscal year 2018 budget caps for defense and non-defense discretionary programs continue. Democrats are demanding some level of parity between increases in defense and non-defense spending. Republicans, for the most part, want increases in defense spending and nominal increases in non-defense spending.
  • The current spending bill, which Congress passed on Jan. 22 to reopen the government, expires on Feb. 8.

Immigration

  • The Trump administration has released its immigration framework. In return for supporting a pathway to citizenship for as many as 1.8 million Dreamers, the administration is demanding a reduction in family immigration visas, increases in border and ICE agents, reforms to asylum laws, and a $25 billion trust fund to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
  • Democrats, and some Republicans, have rejected the framework and continue to push for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and border security with no broad changes to legal immigration.
  • Bread for the World opposes the president’s immigration framework. We continue to reject partisan policies that seek to separate families, take away protections from asylum seekers, and increase detention of Central American migrants seeking refuge from food-insecurity and violence.

Farm Bill

  • Last week, the Trump administration released a four-page document highlighting its 2018 legislative priorities for the farm bill. Among the priorities include additional work requirements for people receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program.
  • No specific recommendations were outlined in the document. However, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has said the administration supports stricter work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents who receive SNAP benefits.

Act Now!

Call (800-826-3688) and urge your members of Congress to cosponsor and pass the Uniting and Securing America (USA) Act of 2018 (H.R. 4796) now!

Bread for the world supports the bipartisan USA Act because, like the Dream Act, it provides Dreamers with a pathway to citizenship. The bill also addresses the push factors of migration from Central America.

Tools
from our Resource Library

For Education

  • Election Resources

    One of the best times to raise the issues of hunger and poverty is during election campaigns. Engage candidates in your state/district on hunger and poverty using our elections resources.

  • U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets

    These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C. 

  • Conflict and Fragility Are Hunger Issues

    Conflict is a main driver of the recent increase in hunger around the world and of forced migration. Hunger also contributes to conflict.

More Education Tools

For Faith

  • The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue

    “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.

    The Bible on...

  • Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty

    A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.

    Dear Members of Congress,

    As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...

  • In Times Like These … A Pan-African Christian Devotional for Public Policy Engagement

    This devotional guide invites deepened relationship with and among Pan-Af­rican people and elected leaders in the mission to end hunger and poverty.

More Faith Tools

For Advocacy

More Advocacy Tools