Action Alert: Tell Congress to Support Full Funding For Economic Justice
Proposed spending cuts would be detrimental for women and children, rural families, students, and those seeking affordable housing.
Our United Methodist tradition affirms a vision of abundant living where all God’s children have access to sufficient resources to thrive. In our pursuit of seeking justice for the poor, we must support such policies as “…meaningful employment opportunities, decent housing, and radical revisions of welfare programs.” (2016 Book of Discipline, Social Principles ¶163)
As the United States Congress seeks to pass spending bills for the 2024 fiscal year, we must urge the House and Senate to not only avoid a government shutdown but fund bills that prioritize grace over greed.
Despite the budget levels set in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, the House has drafted spending bills that would:
- Cut the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program by $800 million and slash the cash value voucher; which provides funding for fruit and vegetable purchases for the 5 million women and children enrolled
- Cut funding for direct housing loans by 30%, meaning nearly 2,800 rural families across the country would not be able to get a loan to afford a house
- Cut funding by $1.2 billion, which would eliminate funding for Federal Work Study – a work-based assistance program to 660,000 students nationwide
- Eliminate the Yes, In My Backyard program which was newly funded in 2023 at $85 million to support land use reform to expand affordable housing
We must advocate that Congress chooses the grace of ensuring all have access to nutrition, affordable housing, and work-study over the greed of making cuts to critical resources.
Use the form below to contact your member of Congress today and advocate for full funding of much needed social safety programming.
