How has the 119th Congress impacted our advocacy?
Every single issue on our legislative agenda is on fire. This is unique. In previous sessions of Congress only one or two issues would rise to the top and we could focus our resources on them.
Our community has embraced this challenge. We are seeing an outpouring of energy from our advocates. There is an unprecedented growth in constituents lobbying their members of Congress.
The second session of the 119th Congress starts in January 2026. We will persist by strategically working behind the scenes while our advocates organize and lobby their members of Congress.
Now that Congress has re-opened, what bills need to pass before the end of this session?
The appropriations bills for FY26, which began October 1, will have to pass. Congress has until January 30. We’re advocating for these bills to include safeguards so that the administration cannot easily withhold, rescind, or move funds appropriated by Congress.
Congressional appropriators must make it clear that what Congress passes into law must be spent how Congress mandated.
It does not do us any good if Congress comes to a bipartisan agreement and then the administration unilaterally impounds funds or moves a partisan recissions package.
At the same time, we are working to make sure that no one comes in and plucks the AUMF repeal out or trade it out of the NDAA.
If Congress passes the NDAA with the AUMF repeal provision, this will be a major legislative victory for the FCNL community and other partners who have been advocating for its repeal in the last 20 years. We pray that it will be passed. We must end endless wars.
[Note: This provision was passed and signed into law on December 18, 2025.]
How has the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA or PL 119-21) affected FCNL’s priorities for the 119th Congress?
We lobbied hard against this bill, and we are grateful for our community’s tireless work in opposing it. We are on the defensive for many of our legislative priorities.
But the bill could have been worse. There are some cuts scheduled for later. This gives us time to push back and potentially mitigate or delay them.
Some of the biggest cuts will be to SNAP. States will have to take on more of the administrative costs, and, for the first time in history, cover some of the cost of the benefits. We saw during the government shutdown what happens when SNAP benefits are cut—churches and private charities can’t fill the gap. This previews coming SNAP cuts. We should use this experience to lobby our members of Congress.
We need to continue to educate people about OBBBA because many still do not understand the harms in it and what they can do now.
What success have we had so far in the 119th Congress?
Despite our disappointment and opposition to the OBBBA, it does contain a vital extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). This overdue victory will provide recognition and compensation to tens of thousands of people who were exposed to radiation from U.S. nuclear weapons program and uranium mining.
We have also seen progress in establishing a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools. It passed out of its Senate committee, and the bill is closer than ever to becoming law!
Another big success has been the progress of the repeal of the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)—which permitted the Iraq war. This was included in the 2026 NDAA, the major military policy bill. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Todd Young (IN), a former marine, and Tim Kaine (VA) who made repealing the Iraq AUMF among their top priorities, along with Representatives Gregory Meeks (NY-5) and Chip Roy (TX-21).
Although the final vote hasn’t happened as we are going to press, we’re excited about finally closing the door on one of our nation’s forever wars.
How are you changing so FCNL’s strategic advocacy remains relevant?
We are evolving our advocacy to build local power so advocates can better influence their members of Congress. We are training our grassroots leaders to be organizers and create coalitions to bring in more partners.
We have also started new programs, like campus chapters at colleges. They pick the issues they work on from our legislative priorities as we continue to build our pipeline of advocates.
Given the flood of concerning news on so many of our priorities, we have to be intentional about who we ask to take action when. We can’t call on our entire network all the time for everything.
Although protecting democracy is not a legislative priority, what is FCNL doing to fight growing authoritarianism?
Our friends at the Horizons Project depict authoritarianism as an upside-down triangle that is held up by different institutions. One of those pillars is Congress.
We are pressuring members of Congress not to be complicit with the administration’s overreach. We are best positioned to affect Congress, focusing on Congress’ role in the constitutional system of checks and balances.
We need to show members of Congress that their constituents do not back militarized immigration raids, dismantling foreign aid, or unconstitutional boat strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean oceans. We also provide members of Congress with cover for pushing back against executive overreach. We need to build broader and stronger coalitions to be successful.
We show Congress the power and integrity of their constituents.
Any thoughts on the final session of the 119th Congress?
Our advocates and their communities have had to deal with a lot this year. Yet, we made it through.
Thank you for all your hard work. Our community responded with strong advocacy, and we are seeing cracks in the wall of congressional complicity.
One of our advocacy principles is always to look at the long game. We will have midterm elections next year. We need to grow and equip our advocates. We must continue to work with unlikely partners and further build partnerships with those who are harmed by today’s injustice.
We are encouraged by our community’s increased levels of activism. There is a lot of work to do, and so we must continue to innovate in a difficult environment to build on our work for peace and justice.
