Update

People usually think of Quakers sitting silently in worship. While this is a common aspect of Friends’ religious practices, our community also has a commitment to living our faith in action.  

President Donald Trump may invoke the Insurrection Act, a centuries-old law which would enable him to use the military for his mass disappearances and to suppress protest in a huge abuse of presidential power. 

What’s happening in Gaza?

Since March 2, 2025, the Israeli government has blocked almost all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, driving more than 2 million people into a deepening famine. This comes after over 600 days of bombing, forced displacement, and nearly two decades of blockade.

In recent months, President Trump has brought a renewed urgency to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.  

In April, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) cut millions in grants to be consistent with the administration’s agenda to slash executive programs and spending. Ultimately, cutting these grants will cause greater risks to the public, more danger to law enforcement, and more gun deaths across the nation.

What is reconciliation and why does it matter?

The 119th Congress’ reconciliation package — a spending vehicle that bypasses the filibuster in the Senate — proposes slashing federal healthcare, food assistance, and clean energy investments in order to separate immigrant families and extend tax cuts for the wealthy.

The Trump administration has announced plans to request $1.01 trillion for Pentagon spending for fiscal year 2026. That includes more than two thirds of the $150 billion from the reconciliation bill currently being considered by Congress, coupled with the $893 billion requested in President Donald Trump’s “skinny budget.”  

During his first administration, President Trump rarely spoke about nuclear weapons, claiming he deliberately avoided the topic due to the gravity of the issue.

Faith communities around the country have used IRA tax credits to install clean energy projects or increase their building’s energy efficiency. Notably, the IRA allows for certain tax-exempt entities like houses of worship to receive rebates, or “direct pay,” for clean energy investments.” This provision has allowed Meetings in our own Quaker network to save money and redirect these resources to serve their communities, both materially and spiritually.

Last Friday, February 21 Senate Republicans passed a $340 billion budget framework, allocating substantial funds to military spending and border security, despite unanimous Democratic opposition. This framework includes up to $150 billion for the Pentagon and $175 billion to fund President Trump’s agenda for mass immigration detention and deportation over four years.