FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 11, 2025
WASHINGTON—House Republicans, under the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, passed two bills yesterday, H.Con.Res. 14, the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2025, and H.R. 22, the SAVE Act. These will have “devastating consequences for families, communities, and our democracy,” said the leader of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice on April 11.
Joan F. Neal, NETWORK Interim Executive Director, said:
“Yesterday’s actions on the Budget Resolution and the SAVE Act prioritize the interests of the ultra-wealthy at the expense of everyone else and undermine the sacred right to vote for all Americans. Instead of working on behalf of people struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof overhead, the Budget Resolution bill will enable the wealthy and corporations to secure over $7 trillion of tax benefits. These will be funded by billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food programs, housing supports, and more, that keep people alive and healthy. This action takes a wrecking ball to the social safety net that helps everyone in this country, mocks the values of our faith, and will have devastating consequences for families, communities, and our democracy!”
She added, “The SAVE Act betrays a fundamental commitment to the people of this country, guaranteed by the Constitution and our democracy. Unseen since the Jim Crow era, the bill’s draconian purpose is to disenfranchise and silence the voice of American citizens by making it harder for them to vote and hold politicians accountable. More than 21 million U.S. citizens lack the documents required by this bill. It also eliminates forms of voter registration that millions of voters rely on, such as registering by mail, online, and through voter registration drives, and requires active military personnel to return home just to register to vote. Additionally, it violates the safety of election workers. We call on all Members of the Senate to reject this deeply flawed proposal and to work vigorously to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement and the Freedom to Vote Acts for free and fair elections.”
Founded by Catholic Sisters in 1972, NETWORK is an inclusive, national, Catholic advocacy organization open to all who share our values, working for justice and equity for everyone. For 53 years, NETWORK has educated, organized, and lobbied for federal policies that serve the common good and honor the dignity of all people.
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