Policy & Advocacy
Background on Social Safety Net, February 2019
Background on The Importance of the Social Safety Net, February 2019
As of this writing, the Federal Government is in its longest shutdown in decades. Disagreement in Congress and with the administration over funding for the border wall and how to finalize the remaining spending bills leaves many important federal programs without funding and many federal workers without pay. Additionally, in the coming months it is expected that for fiscal year 2020, budget caps are expected to compel the new Congress to seek significant cuts of approximately $36 billion to non-defense discretionary spending. There will be pressure to reduce funding for programs that serve the “least of these” at home and around the world impacting nutrition and affordable housing programs, among others. The U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops strongly supports funding for domestic and international assistance for poverty-reducing programs as well as policies designed to address climate change. Congress and the administration must put aside partisanship and work for bipartisan solutions to avoid severe and unnecessary cuts to domestic and international programs that assist poor and vulnerable people, as well as support policies to combat climate change. Funding for these important programs both help people who continue to struggle to make ends meet and promote good stewardship of creation, truly serving the common good of all.
Overall Message
- Preserve and strengthen the social safety net: maintain funding for anti‑poverty programs, nutrition, affordable housing, and environmental protections.
- Frame these investments as moral obligations that protect human dignity, help those in need, and promote stewardship of creation.
Hunger and Nutrition
- Emphasizes the need to fully fund Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and related appropriations.
- Notes nearly 15 million Americans face food insecurity and many depend on SNAP, TEFAP, WIC, and other food‑assistance programs as essential lifelines.
Affordable Housing
- Declares an affordable housing crisis: rising rents, shrinking supply of low‑cost units, and only one in four eligible households receiving assistance.
- Calls to robustly fund HUD and USDA housing programs including HOME, CDBG, Rural Rental Housing, tenant and project‑based rental assistance, Public Housing, Section 202, Section 811, VASH, and McKinney‑Vento.
- Argues program budgets must increase to match rising costs and growing need.
Environmental Stewardship and Climate Policy
- Urges protection of national standards that reduce toxins and carbon pollution to safeguard health—especially for children, the elderly, the poor, and vulnerable communities.
- Criticizes recent rollbacks of environmental protections and funding shortfalls for agencies like EPA and DOI.
- Supports bipartisan carbon‑pricing legislation, specifically H.R. 763 (Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019), with revenues returned to taxpayers to limit economic harm to low‑income families.
USCCB recommendations to Congress
- Preserve funding for vital nutrition programs.
- Safeguard and expand funding for low‑income housing.
- Restore and provide essential appropriations for EPA and DOI.
- Pass H.R. 763 to price carbon while minimizing impacts on communities and families.