MCC Action Alert: Tell Your Senators to Oppose HR 1 and Pass a Responsible Budget!

February 23, 2011

Action: Tell your Senators that the federal budget can and should decrease the deficit while reducing poverty and supporting peaceful action!  

Background: Early Saturday February 19, the House of Representatives passed a resolution (H.R. 1) cutting federal spending to $61 billion below 2010 funding levels.

Although it is clear that the national deficit needs to be addressed, this strategy is flawed because it ignores the economic value of reducing poverty worldwide.

For example, the bill: 

• cuts the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program by $747 million, a program which provides nutrition counseling and food to pregnant and new mothers and young children,
• reduces funds for housing for the elderly by 66 percent, housing for individuals with disabilities by 70 percent and the public housing capital fund by 40 percent, at time when experts predict an historic increase in the number of families most susceptible to becoming homelessness,
• cuts several key programs that fight AIDS, malaria and hunger overseas by 40 percent,
• eliminates a fund to allow the U.S. government to respond quickly to crisis situations overseas.

The house bill made some cuts to defense spending, resulting in a 3 percent decrease from the President's request.  However, total funding for defense would still be $8 billion more than last year's levels, an unconscionable increase given the sharp cuts to other vital programs.

Faith Reflection: As Mennonites, we have an historical witness to government in calling for funds to reflect a desire for peace rather than injustice.  If H.R. 1 passes through the Senate as is, not only will an unprecedented amount of funding be spent on 'security', funding to meet the basic needs of marginalized communities worldwide will be severely cut.

Action: Tell your Senators that the federal budget can and should decrease the deficit while reducing poverty and supporting peaceful action!  

*For more information on what a responsible budget could prioritize, follow these articles from the Washington Office on military spending and human needs.

This action alert was prepared by Christina Warner, Legislative Assistant for Domestic Affairs.