National Call-in to Congress for a “Faithful Budget” – Oct. 4 & 5
In the face of the nation’s fiscal and employment crises, Congress needs to hear your voice: a moral voice of reason, calling for love of neighbor. Twelve legislators, known as the “Super Committee,” have been given immense power over U.S. federal budget decisions that will impact many years to come. Social safety net programs such as WIC, SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, along with foreign aid assistance and environmental protections are all in danger of drastic cuts. [To learn more about proclaiming a prophetic vision for a “Faithful Budget,” see www.DomesticHumanNeeds.org]
Join thousands of people of faith from across the country for a national Faithful Budget Congressional Call-in scheduled for October 4 & 5. Call your Senator(s) and/or Representative and ask for a “Faithful Budget” that preserves the dignity and protects the well-being of God’s most vulnerable people here in the U.S. and around the world. See call-in details and the Congressional leaders that you should reach out to below. Please forward this email to friends, family, and your faith community!
Call in number: 1-888-784-0527
(Note: This number will take you to the Capitol Switchboard. You will have to ask an operator to connect you to your Senator’s or Representative’s office.)
Sample script for your phone call to Congress:
“Can I please be connected with (name of Senator / Representative- see list below)
office?” (This may take a moment.)
Once you are connected with that office: “Hi, I’d like to leave a message about the federal budget.”
Once you reach the staffer or a voice mail, say something like:
“Hi my name is_______ and I am from _____ (city, state). As a person of faith, I am concerned that the federal budget negotiations are putting the most vulnerable peoples’ dignity and livelihood in peril. I believe in a ‘Faithful Federal Budget’ where programs that provide jobs, health care, nutrition assistance, shelter, education, foreign assistance and care for God’s creation are protected. I ask that you ensure options such as closing corporate tax loopholes and other revenue-raising opportunities remain on the negotiating table.”
Who to Ask for, by State:
AK -Senator Mark Begich (Senate Budget Committee member)
AL -Senator Jeff Sessions (Senate Budget Committee, Ranking member)
AR – Call your district representative or your senators.
AZ -Senator Jon Kyl (Member of “Super Committee;” also Senate minority whip)
CA -Rep. Xavier Becerra (Member of Super Committee); Rep. Nancy Pelosi (House Minority Leader); Rep. Kevin McCarthy (House Majority Whip), Rep. John Campbell (House Budget Committee & Appropriations designee); Representatives Ken Calvert, Tom McClintock, Mike Honda, and Karen Bass (House Budget Committee members)
CT – Call your district representative or your senators.
DE -Senator Chris Coons (Senate Budget Committee)
FL -Senator Bill Nelson (Senate Budget Committee Member) ; Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Cathy Castor (House budget committee)
GA -Rep. Tom Price and Rob Woodall (House Budget Committee)
HI -Senator Daniel K. Inouye (President Pro Tempore)
IA – Senator Charles Grassley (Senate Budget Committee)
ID -Senator Mike Crapo (Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Mike Simpson (House Budget Committee & Appropriations designee)
IL -Senator Dick Durbin (Senate Majority Whip)
IN -Rep. Marlin Stutzman& Todd Young (House Budget committee); Todd Rokita (House Budget Committee)
KS -Rep. Tim Huelskamp (House Budget Committee)
KY -Senator Mitch McConnell (Senate Minority Leader); John Yarmuth (House Budget Committee)
LA – Call your district representative or your senators.
MA – Senator John Kerry (Member of Super Committee)
MD – Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Member of Super Committee); Senator Ben Cardin (Senate Budget Committee Member); Rep. Steny Hoyer (House Minority Whip)
ME – Call your district representative or your senators.
MI – Rep. Dave Camp or Rep. Fred Upton (Both are members of the Super Committee.); Senator Debbie Stabenow (Senate Budget Committee Member); Rep. Justice Amash (House Budget Committee)
MN -Rep. Betty McCollum (House Budget committee)
MO -Rep. Todd Akin (House Budget committee)
MS – Call your district representative or your senators.
MT -Senator Max Baucus (Member of Super Committee)
NC -Rep. Keith Schuler (House Budget Committee)
ND -Senator Kent Conrad (Senate Budget Committee Chairman)
NE – Call your district representative or your senators.
NH -Senator Kelly Ayotte (Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Frank Guinta (House Budget Committee)
NJ – Rep. Scott Garrett (Vice Chair, House Budget Committee); Rep. Bill Pascrell (House Budget Committee)
NM – Call your district representative or your senators.
NV -Senator Harry Reid (Senate Majority Leader)
NY – Rep. Paul Tonko (House Budget Committee)
OH – Senator Rob Portman (Member of Super Committee, also on Senate Budget Committee); Rep. John Boehner (Speaker of the House); Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Tim Ryan (House Budget Committee)
OK -Rep. Tom Cole (House Budget Committee and Appropriations designee); Rep. James Lankford (House Budget Committee)
OR -Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Earl Blumenaur (House Budget Committee)
PA -Senator Pat Toomey (Member of Super Committee, also on Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Allyson Schwartz (House Budget Committee)
RI – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Senate Budget Committee)
SC- Representative James Clyburn (Member of Super Committee); Senator Lindsay Graham (Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Mick Mulvaney (House Budget committee)
SD -Senator John Thune (Senate Budget Committee)
TN -Rep. Diane Black (House Budget Committee; Ways & Means designee)
TX – Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Co-Chair of the Super Committee); Senator Jon Cornyn (Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Bill Flores (House Budget Committee); Rep. Lloyd Doggett (House Budget Committee)
UT – Rep. Jason Chaffetz (House Budget Committee)
VA -Senator Jim Warner (Senate Budget Committee), Rep. Eric Cantor (House Majority Leader)
VT -Senator Bernard Sanders (Senate Budget Committee)
WA -Rep. Patty Murray (Co-Chair of the Super Committee)
WI -Senator Ron Johnson (Senate Budget Committee); Rep. Paul Ryan (Chair, House Budget Committee); Reps. Reid Ribble and Gwen Moore (House Budget Committee)
WV – Call your district representative or your senators.
WY -Senator Mike Enzi (Senate Budget Committee)CO – Call your district representative or your senators.
Bring A Friend! We encourage groups from churches, denominations and regional councils of churches to charter buses and bring large groups to this important faith-in-action event.
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice … to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? … Then your light shall break forth like the dawn!” Isaiah 58