Proposed budget cuts would be devastating, but it’s not too late
See below for a re-cap of the #StopTheCuts tweetchat and learn more about what must (and can!) be done. Then take action!
There are deep, devastating cuts to critical programs that help children and families proposed in both the Senate and House budget resolutions that were recently passed. CHN, the Children’s Defense Fund, and advocates across the nation recently participated in a tweetchat to discuss how the proposed cuts would affect all Americans, especially our nation’s most vulnerable.
Below are the important questions we asked about these budget plans and details on what can be done to #StopTheCuts.
The most critical message we must keep spreading is it is not too late for positive change. We need your help telling Congress real people will be harmed if they proceed with these choices. We must take action and make sure we are heard loud and clear.
In addition to signing our #StopTheCuts petition by April 15, please email and call Congress to urge them to vote against a budget that harms children, families, and our communities.
Read on to learn more about the budget proposals on the table and what is at stake next week after the Easter/Passover recess.
1. In March, the House & Senate passed budget proposals for FY2016. What impact would these budgets have?
A1: House & Senate budget plans would INCREASE poverty & inequality. #StopTheCuts http://t.co/WrhxrD0Nd2
— Coalition on Human Needs (@CoalitionHN) April 9, 2015
A1: Working, low-income families would pay more taxes! #EITC #CTC expansions would be allowed to expire. #StopTheCuts
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
A1: Both budgets assume tax cuts for the wealthy, slash human needs programs, and repeal the Affordable Care Act. #StopTheCuts
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
A1: In real dollars, federal funding for #earlylearning #ECE is the same as it was 10 years ago. Let’s #StoptheCuts!
— ZERO TO THREE (@ZEROTOTHREE) April 9, 2015
A1: Proposed block granting of #SNAP would make affording food harder for low-income households: http://t.co/zxoKaTNhEu #StoptheCuts
— Center on Budget (@CenterOnBudget) April 9, 2015
A1: House & Senate budgets move children & the country backward & must be soundly rejected. #StopTheCuts Learn more: http://t.co/Xqd2JxFd1N
— ChildrensDefenseFund (@ChildDefender) April 9, 2015
A1: The cuts in the House & Senate budget would cut #SNAP, WIC, and other vital social safety net programs. #StopTheCuts
— Food Research & Action Center (@fractweets) April 9, 2015
A1: The budget plans cut Pell Grants, making college less accessible for low-& modest-income students: http://t.co/iqoElAh2sa #StoptheCuts
— Center on Budget (@CenterOnBudget) April 9, 2015
Our kids are being shortchanged. They are 20% of Americans, but just 8% of fed spending. Tell Congress #StopTheCuts: http://t.co/gy0e0T3QGU
— First Focus on Children (@First_Focus) April 9, 2015
A1: House budget cuts non-defense discretionary funding in various areas- read our blog from @margebvm #StopTheCuts http://t.co/wmrX7GGNuz
— NETWORK (@NETWORKLobby) April 9, 2015
2. What do we know about government programs that help families and children? How does it make a difference?
A2: Without federal safety net programs child poverty would have been 68 percent higher in 2013. #StopTheCuts http://t.co/Xqd2JxFd1N
— ChildrensDefenseFund (@ChildDefender) April 9, 2015
A2.6: 1.4 million #veteran and armed-forces families with children receive the #EITC or #ChildTaxCredit. #StoptheCuts #milkids #milfamilies
— MomsRising (@MomsRising) April 9, 2015
A2.4 Moms like @lorrainecladish have used #SNAP when times got tough & food became unaffordable. http://t.co/Pd8c9olGf6 #StopTheCuts
— MomsRising (@MomsRising) April 9, 2015
A2: EITC and Child Tax Credit lifted 9.4 million people – including 5 million children – out of poverty in 2013. #StopTheCuts
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
A2: Gov. programs help feed families, improve food security and boost nutrition. Learn more here: http://t.co/Un1U9lRBd3 #StopTheCuts
— Food Research & Action Center (@fractweets) April 9, 2015
.@ZEROTOTHREE YES! #SNAP is so critically important. Should not be on the chopping block! #StopTheCuts
— ChildrensDefenseFund (@ChildDefender) April 9, 2015
3. When it is budget cutting time, they always start with the easiest targets. What are they and why?
A3: Easiest targets are those already marginalized – cuts are to nutrition assistance, Medicaid & Medicare, housing vouchers #StopTheCuts
— NETWORK (@NETWORKLobby) April 9, 2015
A3: Children, low-income Americans & other vulnerable pops. don’t have big money, a lot of powerful lobbyists #StopTheCuts
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
A3: PLUS Children can’t vote, and many low-income people don’t. Barriers to voting disproportionately affect poor #StopTheCuts
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
A3: We cant continue to balance the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable. #StopTheCuts
— Food Research & Action Center (@fractweets) April 9, 2015
A3: Kids & low-income pple are the easiest targets+the least likely to fight back bc of no resources to do so #StopTheCuts
— Coalition on Human Needs (@CoalitionHN) April 9, 2015
Senate & House budget proposals are immoral. #StopTheCuts to babies, children and families. pic.twitter.com/YGcQbqAts0
— ChildrensDefenseFund (@ChildDefender) April 9, 2015
Learn how the Congressional budgets target children for cuts: http://t.co/5Zl12TThti #DontCutKids #StopTheCuts
— First Focus on Children (@First_Focus) April 9, 2015
4. If the budget proposals in each chamber already passed, what can be done? Is it too late?
A4: We're only at step 2! Legislators must still pass bills. Tell them to #StopTheCuts! https://t.co/5dOFldNYB9 pic.twitter.com/IW5lxrV4cA
— National Priorities (@natpriorities) April 9, 2015
A4: It's not too late to raise your voice! Congress now is working on appropriations bills #StopTheCuts
— NETWORK (@NETWORKLobby) April 9, 2015
A4: If constituents insist we need housing, health care,educ we can get rid of mindless spending limits #StopTheCuts http://t.co/cM2zxJwz1H
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
A4: It's not too late! Make your voice heard! Sign our petition to protect #SNAP & #StopTheCuts: http://t.co/C8F7tyR1we
— Food Research & Action Center (@fractweets) April 9, 2015
A4.4: U can call your members of #Congress TODAY & say what YOU think should be priority in the #budget. http://t.co/kfRqXpyI1P #StoptheCuts
— MomsRising (@MomsRising) April 9, 2015
A4: It’s never too late to #Rally4Babies and #StoptheCuts! Contact your Members of Congress! http://t.co/onH0jKY35M
— ZERO TO THREE (@ZEROTOTHREE) April 9, 2015
We can't afford to cut funding for kids in need. Speak up to #StopTheCuts: http://t.co/9Q9Rooo3xu pic.twitter.com/uXTdNuLVM8
— RESULTS (@RESULTS_Tweets) April 9, 2015
Enough is enough. It’s time to #StopTheCuts –it’s not too late for positive change! pic.twitter.com/5vddp4NHGN
— Debbie Weinstein (@debbieweinstein) April 9, 2015
.@halldjh @USProgressives YES Budgets would crush proven, needed services. but it's not too late to #StopTheCuts!
— Coalition on Human Needs (@CoalitionHN) April 9, 2015
We need to keep telling lawmakers next week that America needs a budget with less waste and more investments. Make sure to sign the petition by April 15 and keep sharing why a fair budget matters to you with #StopTheCuts.
Special thanks to our tweetchat and tweetstorm partners:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Children’s Leadership Council
Children’s Defense Fund
First Focus
FRAC
MomsRising
MoveOn.org
National Priorities Project
NETWORK Lobby
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