Washington Update: Week of October 9
Budget & Appropriations (2017 Offering of Letters)
- Last Thursday, Oct. 5, the House passed its fiscal year 2018 budget resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 71, by a vote of 219 to 206. Eighteen Republicans and all Democrats voted against the resolution. The budget focus now turns to the Senate, which is out on recess this week due to the Columbus Day holiday.
- The Senate Budget Committee marked up and passed its fiscal year 2018 budget resolution last Thursday, Oct. 5. It passed 12-11 along party lines. This budget resolution includes budget reconciliation instructions that would trigger tax reform and a proposed $1.5 trillion in tax cuts.
- A full Senate vote is expected next week when Senators return from recess. Once the Senate passes its resolution, the House and Senate are expected to work together in the final week of October to sort out their differences.
- Despite these steps forward in the budget process, several obstacles remain for Congress in achieving the tax cuts and possible cuts in mandatory spending currently proposed in the budget resolutions.
- Republicans still disagree on the size of proposed tax cuts, whether those cuts should add to the federal deficit, and which tax breaks should or shouldn’t be eliminated.
- The House budget resolution also included $200 billion in cuts to mandatory spending in 2018, while the Senate did not. Conservatives in the House had sought deeper mandatory spending cuts in the House budget resolution and could do so again.
Immigration
- On Sunday night, the White House delivered a letter to House and Senate leadership outlining the administration’s “immigration principles and policies.” The list includes not only limits on immigration generally, but also enables mass deportations and envisions bypassing necessary procedures that protect children and asylum seekers.
- The Democrats have already rejected these principles and many on the Hill view them as a non-starter. Bread for the World will continue to support welcoming immigrants, legislation that protects human rights, and a reasonable pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers."
Act Now!
Last week, the House passed a budget resolution that proposes deep cuts to domestic and international programs that serve people experiencing hunger and poverty. The Senate is expected to vote on a budget resolution next week.
Email your senators today. Urge your senators to reject budget cuts that increase hunger.
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