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Lauren W. Reliford This week, members of Congress continued debating what to include in the federal budget, a decision that could have a major impact on our country for the next 10 years. Traditionally, this is a fraught process that involves rounds of negotiations — and often, under-the-wire stopgaps to prevent government shutdowns — to determine what our country prioritizes and how to pay for it. This year, that budget could offer historic support to U.S. families. Here at Sojourners, we've long argued that budgets — including our federal budgets — are moral documents. As Christians, we see this as a principle deeply rooted in scripture, including Luke's gospel, which explains that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors (Luke 10:27). In that same passage, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, a story about how our love for God and neighbor will be tested when our neighbors need us the most. Our elected officials are being tested now with an opportunity to help families and communities while also supporting child health and development through all stages of life. [...] For example, we already know that increasing access to programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the recently expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) demonstrably reduce the risk of poverty and its impacts on health and well-being. These commonsense supports provide the vital resources necessary for families to care for their children. In fact, there is evidence that permanent expansion of the CTC could reduce the number of children living in poverty by over 40 percent. This is akin to Social Security for our children. Congress must make the full tax credit value available to the poorest and most vulnerable households by ensuring its full refundability and expansion. Why wouldn't people of faith fight to ensure supports such as these are included in the budget?
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From the Magazine The Antidote to Individualism (by Adam Russell Taylor) A southern-African philosophy po |
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