The historic groundswell of civic engagement we saw this week in the midterm elections was a hopeful affirmation: We as ordinary people have power to make change in our government.
We are inspired by the record turnout and the resilience of our democracy despite the serious threats it faced ahead of these elections.
We are grateful to everyone who played their part in supporting our democratic system: every voter, volunteer, poll chaplain, and election official who ensured widely safe, free, and fair elections across the country.
There is so much to celebrate. Young people voted in near-record numbers, embracing hope over despair. In states like Mississippi, Black voters sent a clear message that after the attacks we’ve seen on voting rights, they would not be silenced.
We celebrate the growing diversity of the incoming Congress, reflecting the beautiful diversity of our communities. The first openly gay man, the first Native American woman, and the first Muslim were elected to the Senate, among many other inspiring “firsts” and gains for historically marginalized communities in Congress.
All across the country, voters rejected hatred and bigotry and showed up to the polls with love, not fear.
These elections also represented a historic rebuke to the war on Iran and ICE cruelty, with voters sending a crystal-clear message that they want our government to put our urgent needs over endless wars and violence against our neighbors.
As we continue to celebrate this hopeful moment for our democracy, we want to ensure that this outpouring of civic engagement doesn’t stop here.
This week, the “Thee Quaker” podcast took a deep dive into FCNL’s work behind the scenes on Capitol Hill, examining how we can use our voices to help make real change toward peace and justice.
As Thee Quaker host Zack Jackson put it, “voting was never meant to be the end of the story.”
Elsewhere
The 119th Congress faced a startling rebuke in the midterms, but they still have over a month left in session and lots of work to do. FCNL experts explained our priorities in three upcoming bills that may move before this Congress ends: the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an appropriations package, and the Farm Bill.
On top of those three pieces of legislation, a hunger crisis is looming and Congress needs to solve it before the new year.
NDAA: Not Another Penny for the Iran War!
This year, the annual military authorization bill has been much more controversial than usual, in large part due to the illegal and immoral war that the U.S. launched on Iran. The bill usually sails through Congress in a bipartisan manner, but it has stalled this year due to a wave of opposition.
FCNL lobbyists have a series of recommendations to Congress as it negotiates this bill, including removing a provision which would greatly increase military cooperation with Israel. But the core of our demand is to use this bill — or any other vehicle that moves in the coming weeks — to make sure there is no more funding for war on Iran.
Appropriations: Funding for Key Programs on the Line
Appropriations is the process by which Congress decides funding levels for federal programs. It reflects our values – do we want over a trillion dollars going to weapons and war or do we want to spend money building peace and providing for the vulnerable?
FCNL lobbyists published a detailed series of recommendations for Congress as it works through this difficult legislative package. Our country should spend money on true public safety with violence interrupters, health care, and foreign assistance, rather than a bloated Pentagon budget.
Farm Bill: Urgent Action Needed to Save SNAP
Every five years, Congress passes a major agriculture and food policy bill, the Farm Bill. It is due for renewal, having expired in the beginning of October. This is one way that Congress could address a looming crisis with the coming SNAP cost shift, which would put a huge burden on states starting in the new year. Since states cannot pay for that level of food assistance, millions of people would lose desperately needed help.
