RESULTS Weekly Update July 15, 2025
Quote of the Week
“[The budget reconciliation bill] disproportionately benefits the wealthiest, while many working families will see their benefits reduced. Americans striving to escape poverty will find it harder to do so. I am grateful to the lawmakers who listened to their constituents and voted no.”
– RESULTS Fort Worth advocate Craig Roshaven in a July 13 letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
(Is this newsletter too long; didn’t read (TL;DR) the whole thing? Scroll to the bottom for the most important points or the “TL;DR”)
Action Matters!
How has your summer been? We hope you’re finding moments of recreation and relaxation. We’re also hoping you and your fellow advocates are digging into our Action Matters campaign. We’re shining a weekly spotlight on ways to forward our U.S. and global poverty priorities. Use these ideas as motivation. And invite others to take action as well. No one needs to sit on the sidelines. Action matters!
Tell the Senate to reject the rescissions bill
The Senate begins voting today on whether to “rescind” $8.3 billion in foreign aid (voting will likely take a few days). These funds support critical global health and anti-poverty programs that serve millions around the world. These life-saving initiatives are already under strain. Cutting this aid would deepen an ongoing health crisis. It would also paralyze Congress into deeper partisan gridlock.
RESULTS Fellows were on Capitol Hill today, urging lawmakers to protect critical anti-poverty funding. Keep their message going. Call your senators and urge them to reject the rescissions bill. Dial (202) 224-3121 and leave this message:
“Hello, my name is ____________ and I’m a constituent from ______________. I’m calling to urge Senator ____________ to reject President Trump’s rescission request. I strongly believe in the importance of U.S. support for global health and poverty programs. Cutting these funds now would not only damage our nation’s credibility but also endanger countless lives. Please tell Senator __________ to vote NO on the rescissions bill.”
There is also good news to report on the global poverty front. We learned yesterday that the House has proposed an increase in funding for humanitarian foreign aid for FY2026. This includes money for tuberculosis treatment, the Global Fund, PEPFAR, Gavi, global education and more (we should know more details later this week). For the House to propose an increase in foreign aid funding sends a clear message that these programs are a priority. This is a testament to your persistent advocacy for global health and education initiatives. More action will surely be needed (the proposal also has bad provisions), but after weeks of bad news, this is a welcomed reprieve.
RESULTS Explainer: What is a rescission?
A rescission is a budget process in Congress whereby funds that have been allocated but are unspent can be rescinded, i.e. canceled. It is a procedural mechanism created by the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. A rescission request can be passed with a simple majority in both chambers; it cannot be filibustered in the Senate. The President makes the rescission request to Congress, which then has 45 days to approve it. If approved, the unspent funds get retuned to the U.S. Treasury. If rejected (or not approved within 45 days), the money is released and spent as originally intended by Congress.
Write to fight back — this is an important moment for accountability
As the fallout from H.R. 1 — the congressional reconciliation bill — continues, we must spotlight both its impact and where lawmakers stood. Though the most damaging provisions, like deep cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, aren’t yet in effect, the consequences are already here. Rural health centers are closing, states are scrambling to fill budget gaps, and people are afraid of what’s coming.
These stories matter. Lawmakers must feel not just the financial cost of their vote, but the human one. Many who backed this bill are hoping you’ll “move on.” But that’s not their call — it’s ours. We must keep the spotlight on the harm they’ve caused and support those who stood against it by urging them to keep fighting.
Your media advocacy right now is essential. If you want a politician’s attention, call them out publicly. Whether you’re thanking or holding them accountable, your voice will be heard. Submit a letter to the editor and name names — make clear what this vote means for your community.
Also, harness your collective power by attending out “Write to Fight Back” webinar next Tuesday, July 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Join advocates from around the country to help flood local media with a clear message: anti-poverty programs are lifelines. Cutting them is unacceptable. Whether you’re media pro, brand new to media advocacy, or somewhere in between, we want you there. Register today!
Grassroots Board Election Results
We are pleased to announce that you, our volunteers, have re-elected Lynne Patalano of RESULTS Riverside/San Bernadino, CA to a second term as a Grassroots Director. Lynne has decades of experience with and passion for RESULTS advocacy and also serves as a volunteer Regional Coordinator. And we offer our heartfelt thanks to our other candidates, Eric Hayler of RESULTS South Carolina and Tia Simmons of RESULTS Southern WV, for their strong candidacies. Their commitment to RESULTS and what it takes to support volunteers to reach their potential was evident. The participation of powerful advocates like Eric and Tia is essential to the future of our organization.
TL;DR (too long; didn’t read): Dial (202) 224-3121 to ask the Senate to reject the rescissions bill; register for the “Write to Fight Back” July 22 media push kick-off; and celebrate a successful Grassroots Board election.
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