Washington Update: Week of October 30
Budget & Appropriations (2017 Offering of Letters)
- Last week, the House narrowly passed the Senate’s budget resolution. The vote was 216-212. The 2018 budget now paves the way for tax reform that will negatively impact low-income households.
- Both the House and the Senate are now working on the appropriations process. We will continue to monitor the spending bills as they become public.
- On Wednesday, Nov. 1, the House Ways and Means Committee will release its long-awaited tax-overhaul proposal. The House must guide the proposal through committee and the full House by Thanksgiving in order to deliver a tax reform bill to President Trump by the end of 2017.
- The legislation is expected to cut the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent and provide across-the-board rate cuts for individuals -- except, perhaps, for those earners at the very top.
- We are very concerned about the legislation including any efforts to require earned income tax credit (EITC) filers to submit mandatory income verification before receiving the credit. This would result in extremely long delays in issuing EITC refunds to low-income individuals and families. Any delay of the credit will result in increased poverty.
- In addition, we have heard that the proposed legislation might require a Social Security Number for those tax filers claiming the child tax credit (CTC). Under existing law, immigrants who file their taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number are eligible to claim the CTC on behalf of qualifying children. Current proposals (in stand-alone legislation, the president's budget proposal, and the House-passed budget resolution) include an elimination of the CTC for mixed-status and immigrant families.
- Any change in eligibility for child tax credits will harm children, specifically 5.1 million children with at least one undocumented parent in the home.
Act Now!
Bread for the World is partnering with the Interfaith Immigration Coalition for the #Faith4Dream week! #Faith4Dream, Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, is a dedicated week of faith-based advocacy to ensure Congress passes legislation that provides “Dreamers” with a pathway to citizenship.
Tell your representative and senators to support and pass the Dream Act of 2017 (S.1615/H.R. 3440). Advocating for the Dream Act of 2017 is putting the faithful call to love our neighbors into action.
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.
Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Better Nutrition Protects Lives
With the coronavirus now spreading in low-resource contexts and new waves of infection expected in the coming year, better nutrition for vulnerable people is more important than ever.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.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...
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.