| NCC Reiterates Opposition to Debt Ceiling Legislation |
| On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed legislation to raise the debt ceiling. The Limits, Savings, Growth Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811), introduced by House Republicans, passed in a 217-215 vote, largely along party lines. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the legislation would place a spending cap on discretionary funding over a 10-year period and reduce the budget deficit by $4.8 million. Cuts to discretionary funding under H.R. 2811 include billions of dollars in federal student loan debt relief, veterans’ healthcare, rural assistance programs, and tax incentives for clean energy and energy efficiency. The bill also imposes stricter work requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries. The amended bill moves the effective dates for these provisions up by one year, making the work requirements enforceable in 2024 and 2025. NCC reiterates strong opposition to the Limits, Savings, Growth Act of 2023, which places politics over people, leaving the most vulnerable in our nation without access to basic human needs, including clean air, economic opportunity, and food security. |
| Senate Fails to Advance Equal Rights Amendment |
| This week, the Senate failed to advance S.J. Res. 4, a joint resolution that removes the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment imposed on the states in 1972. Congress extended the deadline in 1982. Since then, several states have ratified or rescinded their ratifications of the amendment. In a Statement of Administrative Policy, President Joe Biden issued the Administration’s strong support for S.J. Res. 4. “Gender equality is not only a moral issue: the full participation of women and girls across all aspects of our society is essential to our economic prosperity, our security, and the health of our democracy,” he said. NCC views S.J. Res. 4 as a fundamental step toward gender equality in our nation. We continue to support efforts that recognize the “Imago Dei” in every human being, regardless of gender. |
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