The Debt Deal What’s Next? How to Make Your Voice Heard. Robin Stephenson Matt Newell-Ching

Matt Newell-Ching Robin Stephenson

The Budget Debate “Everything we have achieved for poor and hungry people in the last 35 years is under severe threat of budget cuts – nutrition programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, (WIC) and SNAP (formerly food stamps), as well as poverty focused development assistance.” - Rev. David Beckmann, President Bread for the World

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen? “It’s all hands on deck this time around; not just me. We are inviting you to join together in prayer and fasting to form a spiritual circle of protection around those who would be most hurt by the cuts.” Ambassador Tony Hall

Circle of Protection 1.The nation needs to substantially reduce future deficits, but not at the expense of hungry and poor people. 2.Funding focused on reducing poverty should not be cut. It should be made as effective as possible, but not cut. 3.We urge our leaders to protect and improve poverty-focused development and humanitarian assistance to promote a better, safer world. 4.National Leaders must review and consider tax revenues, military spending, and entitlements in the search for ways to share sacrifice and cut deficits. 5.A fundamental task is to create jobs and spur economic growth. Decent jobs at decent wages are the best path out of poverty, and restoring growth is a powerful way to reduce deficits. 6.The budget debate has a central moral dimension. Christians are asking how we protect “the least of these.” “What would Jesus cut?” “How do we share sacrifice?” 7.As believers, we turn to God with prayer and fasting, to ask for guidance as our nation makes decisions about our priorities as people. 8.God continues to shower our nation and the world with blessings. As Christians, we are rooted in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Our task is to share these blessings with love and justice and with a special priority for those who are poor.

Creating Political Will

The State of the Union Nearly one in six people in the United States lives below the poverty line. With more than 46 million people living in poverty, this is the highest number on record. 22 percent of children live in poverty, and more than one-quarter of children under 5 live in poverty percent of households in the United States struggle to put food on the table; 21.6 percent of children in the United States live in these families. Recent job fair in Atlanta (CNN)

The State of our World 1.5 billion people around the world live in extreme poverty, on less than $1.25 a day. Nearly 1 billion people suffer from chronic hunger worldwide. Globally, 24,000 children die every day from poverty, hunger, and preventable diseases. That is one child every 3.6 seconds. Currently, a child dies every six seconds in the Horn of Africa due to famine, war, or drought Child in refugee camp in Kenya. Rick McNary, Catholic Charities

The three major federal deficit-reduction packages of the last two decades — those in 1990, 1993, and 1997 — actually reduced poverty and inequality, even as they shrank deficits substantially, by shielding core low-income assistance programs as well as through such measures as expanding the EITC.

Budget Control Act of 2011 What happens in Congress and the Super Committee between now and December 23 will determine how effectively we can end hunger and poverty at home and abroad in the next decade.

Glossary Discretionary Spending: Congress must appropriate the funds to pay for the program each year. These programs include International Food Aid, Poverty Focused Development Assistance, WIC, job-training programs, Head Start and Hunger Free Communities, LIHEAP. Mandatory Spending (Entitlements): Spending levels are determined each year by the number of eligible people for each program. These programs include SNAP, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, EITC, Child Tax Credit. Sequestration: Automatic cuts every year for 9 years after FY2013. Cuts would be 50/50 for defense and non defense. Means tested entitlements will be exempt (SNAP, EITC, Child Tax Credit, Medicaid, TANF). Cuts: Defense 55 B per year (military) + non defense 55B year (17B in non-exempt mandatory + 38 B in discretionary).

Security Cap for FY 2012: $684 billion, or $4 billion less than FY 2011 Non-Security Cap for FY 2012: $359 billion, or $3 billion less than FY 2011 International Affairs Department of Defense Homeland Security Veteran’s Affairs National Nuclear Security Administration WIC Head Start Low-income Housing Nutrition Programs for the Elderly Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program Child Welfare Services Food Safety Department of Education Department of Transportation Others Discretionary

Budget Control Act of 2011 Phase 1 CAPS Budget Process Phase 2 Super Committee $1.2 Trillion/10 years Phase 3/A Vote / Law Congress Phase 3/BSEQUESTRATION October 1, 2011: Sept 21 Markup Discretionary Security/non Everything! Deal No Deal Yea Nay November 23, 2011, authorizing committees suggestions by October 14 Nay December 23, 2011 After 2013/ elections Automatic 50/50

Track 1 Priority FY2012: Poverty Focused Development Assistance needs protected. Senate has begun appropriations but needs to make sure to appropriate programs within capped amounts per BCA. PFDA is considered security and will need to compete with defense. It’s our first priority because it happens first. Our National security is enhanced through investments in Poverty-focused development assistance – not just through military spending. By protecting the most vulnerable, we provide people with a choice and reduce the likelihood of conflict. Currently less than 1 percent of the federal budget goes to poverty focused development assistance. We cannot balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable people in the United States and abroad.

Track 2 Priority We cannot balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable people in the United States and abroad. Federal anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs stimulate economic growth. Low –income families are more likely to spend their benefits quickly and in their local communities. Nearly 14 million people are unemployed, nearly one in four children is at risk of hunger. With so many families in our country struggling to put food on the table, now would be a terrible time to cut these programs. Super Committee: Since everything is on the table, including raising revenues. They could restructure SNAP or make further cuts to important discretionary programs like WIC, Head Start, and housing assistance.

Super Democrats Sen. Max Baucus (MT) Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA) Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC) Sen. John Kerry (MA) Sen. Patty Murray (WA), co-chair Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD) Super Republicans Rep. David Camp (MI) Rep. Jeb Hensarling (TX), co chair Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ) Sen. Rob Portman (OH) Sen. Pat Toomey (PA) Rep. Fred Upton (MI) The Super Committee

1.Advocacy: Letter, LTE, visit MoC, sign on letters, press conference, ACTION ALERTS! 2.Recess Lobby Visits: House, Oct 17-21, Senate: Oct Join 4.Educate and stay informed: Bread’s Offering of Letters 2012 – Expanding the Circle of Protection 6.Outreach to new audiences. 7.Social Media #circleofprotection 8.Stories – find them, tell them. 9.Prayer. What can YOU do?

The Circle of Protection All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats... They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ -Matthew 25:32-45

Robin Stephenson Organizer Matt Newell-Ching Organizer