News

Congress continues its summer recess this month, so we’re also enjoying the break from the heat of making legislation. But while Congress is cooling off for a bit, the presidential race is running at a fever pitch. We know it’s going to heat up even more this fall, so we’ve turned some of our attention to that business.

In this special summer issue of Washington Update, we are bringing you updates on these two items: what Bread is gearing up for this fall as we move toward the general election in November, and what we can expect Congress to do when it returns in September.

Bread’s involvement in the election

• Bread’s I Vote to End Hunger campaign officially launched this month. We are urging Bread activists to raise the issues of hunger and poverty during this election season and to vote for candidates who will prioritize hunger.
• You can get on board this campaign by attending an election webinar. Bread has launched a series webinars that are now in progress. There are still opportunities to join them:
  I Vote to End Hunger Webinar for Local Congregations and Faith Leaders TODAY at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., or 8:00 p.m. EDT
  Additional webinars for African-American and Latino church leaders
• See what specific actions you can take, and find resources to help you. Stay tuned for more information on social media resources and how you can help elevate hunger and poverty during the presidential debates in September and October.

Congressional/Legislative Update

• Congress continues to be on recess and will return to Washington after Labor Day.
• Congress has a lot of work ahead of it in September, especially related to issues of hunger and poverty. You’ll be hearing from us especially about:
  Budget: Congress has until the end of September to pass spending bills to keep the government running. These bills will include funding for critical anti-hunger programs like WIC and international development-assistance programs focused on poverty.
  Reauthorization of child nutrition legislation: The House and Senate have yet to pass a child nutrition bill that connects more hungry children with nutritious meals.
  Mass incarceration/criminal justice reform: The House is expected to consider criminal justice legislation next month, including the Sentencing Reform Act, which we have been advocating for this year.