321ACTION: February 24, 2025
The House was in recess last week, while the Senate remained in session to confirm Administration nominees and pass its budget resolution. The budget resolution is the first step in the reconciliation process that circumvents the Senate filibuster on issues related to revenue and spending and is typically used when the same party controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress to enact spending and revenue changes.
The Senate’s budget resolution would mandate an additional $342-$515 billion to be spent on defense, fossil fuels, and deportations without offsetting these costs, thereby increasing federal spending. It is the first bill in a two-bill Senate approach that would use the second bill to cut programs such as Medicaid and SNAP to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations and possibly pay for the increased spending in the first bill. The Senate is selling its bill as a backup plan to achieve President Trump’s election promises on deportations, defense and fossil fuels if the House’s reconciliation strategy fails. JWI thanks Senators Shaheen, Durbin, Hirono, and Heinrich for introducing amendments to highlight the importance of funding to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, none of which amendments were adopted.
Meanwhile, as the House prepares to consider its budget resolution, which bundles defense, fossil fuels, immigration, and tax cuts into one bill, the path to passage appears to be becoming increasingly complicated. Due to the extremely thin House margin, the Speaker must balance calls from the far-right Freedom Caucus to significantly cut federal spending with calls from moderate Republicans not to cut Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, or social security benefits for their constituents.
And don’t forget — the federal government has been operating under continuing resolution (CR) keeping it funded at FY24 levels, which expires on March 14. Appropriators seem to be making very little progress on even agreeing to new topline spending levels, so a government shutdown may be on the horizon, they might kick the can down the road with another short-term CR, or they may adopt a year-long CR.
DOGE continues to lay off civil servants by the thousands, falsely claiming poor performance by workers while actually laying off everyone in their probationary period, regardless of their individual performance. This includes individuals who took the “deferred resignation program,” staff central to responding to the bird flu and staff responsible for overseeing the security of the U.S.’s nuclear arsenal.
Ready to make a difference?
Here are three ways to get started:
3. Protect Consumers from Unfair Financial Practices
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which protects Americans from unfair financial practices, is in danger of being shut down. Take a moment to ask your Members of Congress to ensure this important organization continues its work.
Tell Congress to Support the CFPB
2. Expand the Monthly Child Tax Credit
There’s a proposal to expand the child tax credit, which would greatly help more than 19 million children whose parents currently cannot access the full amount because their incomes are too low. Ask your Members of Congress to support it.
Expand the Monthly Child Tax Credit
1. Protect Medicaid
A lifesaving program for 80 million Americans, including many women and children, is under threat. We need to protect the most vulnerable Americans from losing vital coverage and access to medical care.
Bonus Item: Rethinking Purim Guide
Our recently updated "Rethinking Purim: A Modern Commentary on Relationships" uses the Purim megillah, along with midrash and modern commentary to start conversations about healthy relationships.
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