Next week the United States Senate will be voting on a bill titled "The Big, Beautiful, Bill" that includes major funding cuts for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP") to help fund tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. This bill is President Trump's top priority and has already passed in the House of Representatives. It is possible the Senate will ultimately decide to pass the bill without making any changes so that it does not need to go back the House for another vote.

However, it is more likely that hardline conservatives will attempt to deepen the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Utah's senior senator, Mike Lee, has sponsored a bill that would cut federal funding for SNAP in half. That makes him a likely sponsor for amendments to make deeper cuts to federal funding for SNAP and Medicaid than the ones contained in the house bill. It is very important that Utah's other senator, John Curtis, oppose these kinds of destructive amendments-- even if they are sponsored by the senior senator from his home state.

Last week I sent out an action alert asking people to help circulate the following action step in congregations and community meetings. This week we have been handing out this half sheet flier with the same message in Crossroads Urban Center's two food pantries and out our thrift store. If you know people who would be concerned about people losing access to basic healthcare and nutrition assistance please share it with them. If you would like to pick to pick up copies at Crossroads Urban Center let me know.

Any cuts to healthcare and nutrition assistance programs in a final version of this bill are very likely to remain in place for at least a decade. Thank you so much for any help you can provide in sharing this message. You can contact Curtis directly through this page on his website: www.curtis.senate.gov/share-your-opinion/

Together, we can make a difference.

Bill Tibbitts, Director

FACE Hunger and Homelessness