Along an almost-party line vote—every Democrat present and a single Republican voted no—the House adopted instructions for the Republican budget resolution, the first step in the reconciliation process that leads to more tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by everyone else. Urge members of Congress to oppose it with an email, phone call, or both.

The bill itself remains to be written and writing it could take many months. But the instructions lock the framework into place: $1.7 trillion in spending cuts, $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, and a $2.8 trillion increase in the deficit—and that’s a vast understatement, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

Over the long term, it is counterproductive to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations by slashing investments in our students—America’s future leaders and workforce. Nevertheless, we expect a push to:

• Weaken public education with a $100 billion tax credit voucher scheme
• Make higher education less affordable and accessible—less financial aid for students and bigger taxes on student loan debt, scholarships, and fellowships
• Cut Medicaid/CHIP by as much as $880 billion—the 38 million children covered by the program comprise nearly half of total enrollment
• Slash child nutrition programs, school meals, and other food aid
• Ramp up immigration enforcement and raids that are already traumatizing students and educators

On Monday, a final vote on Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education is expected. She cleared procedural votes on the Senate floor in party-line votes last week.

Tell Congress what you think!

In solidarity,