Date post: | 12-Nov-2014 |
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News & Politics |
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What Was Washington Thinking?
Congress, Sequestration, and Budget Standoffs
March 13, 201312:00 pm EST
• Debt Limit raised
• Budget Control Act in effect – for 10 years
• Sequester established
Aug. 2, 2011
• Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction "super committee“ failed
• Sequester mandated
Nov. 2011
Sequester set for Jan. 4,
2013
Jan. 2012
Budget Control Act is in effect
for FY2012 Budget
(caps on spending in
discretionary programs)
Oct. 1, 2011
Members try to design
alternatives to sequester
Jan. 2012 –
Dec.31.12
• Congress Fails to establish a budget
• Congress passes a Continuing Resolution to fund the government until March 4, 2013
Sept. 30, 2012
Sequester postponed until March
4, 2013
Jan.1, 2013
Sequester takes effect, across the
board cuts in most areas
Mar. 4, 2013
• House and Senate release budget resolutions
March, 2013
• Continuing Resolution for FY 2013 runs out
Mar. 27,2013
• The Debt Limit is reached, again
Spring /summer
2013???????
Budget Control Act Set CapsFY 2013 - 2021
Sequestration – Reduces the Size of the Spending Pie
But, Some People Exaggerate It
Continuing Resolution and Budgets Proposals - FY2014
– Control Spending in All These Areas, and More.
The House Budget Will Likely Be Much the Same as the Last Two – but Worse
The Budget Covers Both Spending and Income
We Purchased on a Credit Card, Now Pay the Bill – Debt Limit!
So What?
Effects of Sequestration
• 600,000 women, children and infants kicked off WIC
• 4 million fewer meals on wheels
• 70,000 children denied Head Start
• 1.2 million students dropped from K-12 education
Courtesy of the Coalition on Human Needs
Effects of Sequestration
• 75,000 workers with disabilities cut from vocational rehabilitation services
• 33,000 students denied work-study aid
• 30,000 children denied affordable child care
Courtesy of the Coalition on Human Needs
Effects of Sequestration
• Up to 125,000 families lose rental housing vouchers
• 100,000 formerly homeless people lose housing
Courtesy of the Coalition on Human Needs
Your State’s Specific Information
http://www.chn.org/background/save-state-fact-sheets/
Share your story!
http://halfinten.org/stories/submit/
Chairman Ryan’s Proposed FY ‘14 Budget:Preliminary Analysis
• Believe about 2/3 of cuts are to low-income programs.
• Drastically cuts SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid and prevents them from responding to periods of high need.
• Would leave 40-50 million more low- and moderate-income people uninsured.
• Cuts the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
• Cuts funding for non-defense appropriated programs 3 times as deep as under sequestration.
Chairwoman Murray’s Proposed FY ‘14 Budget:What we expect
• Balances spending cuts with revenue increases
• Protects SNAP (food stamps)
• Protects Medicaid
• Makes the current Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit benefits permanent
• Cuts defense spending by $240 billion
• Includes funding for infrastructure and job training
• Cuts funding for appropriated programs?
What’s the take-away?
• Get noisy about the harmful effects of sequestration
• Message: Push for Congress to replace sequestration with a balanced plan that protects poor and vulnerable populations
View from the Hill
Darrel Thompson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Majority Leader Reid
Speak Out and Take Action!
Right now, commit to do one of the following:
• Schedule a visit with your members of Congress (recess March 23 – April 7)
• Write Letters to your member of Congress
• Call your members of Congress
• Write a letter to the editor
• Hold an event and invite local media
• Share on social media
14%
19%
20%
46%
50%
53%
72%
69%
70%
51%
1%
1%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Form e-mails
Form postalletters
Phone Calls
Individualized e-mails
Individual postalletters
Lobby visits -constituents
A Lot of Influence Some Influence
Source: Congressional Management Foundation, 2011
Key components of a letter to Congress
• Make it personal. What motivates you to write?
• Make ‘the ask’ clear. “I want you replace sequestration with a balanced plan that protects our most vulnerable.”
• Include your return address on the letter and envelope
What will it take to win ?
• Strong grassroots action!• Compelling stories• Team-work• Hope and faith
Let Us Know What You’re Doing!
• If you meet with your congressional office• If you hold an event• If you write a letter to the editor
Let us know! That way we can follow up with the office. And
you could be featured on our next webinar.
Shantha: [email protected] Marge: [email protected]
Amelia: [email protected]: [email protected]