RESULTS Weekly Update September 16, 2025

Quote of the Week

“Everything overall is more expensive … There’s no wiggle room anymore.” 

– RESULTS Expert on Poverty Kali Daugherty of Wisconsin in a September 11 CBS News story on the economy 

(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”) 

Tell Congress to pass a budget

Congress is just two weeks from the deadline to pass a budget. Negotiations between Democrats and Republicans are going back and forth on what to do to avoid yet another government shutdown. Republicans want a “clean” continuing resolution (a “CR” that continues funding as is) through mid-November to give appropriators more time to finish the FY26 budget. Democrats will agree to this if Republicans agree to make changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to prevent many Americans from losing health coverage. Democratic votes will be needed to pass a CR in the Senate (and likely the House too).  

For RESULTS, we want Congress to do their job. Pass a budget that provides people the tools to lift themselves from poverty, and whose funding will not be illegally impounded or rescinded. Send your representatives and senators that clear message: 

• Pass a FY26 budget that prioritizes ending poverty. For both our domestic and our global priorities.  

• • Protect our global appropriations priorities. The House has spoken on solid funding for global health needs, and the Senate must now do the same.  

• • Champion the Global Fund in advance of this fall’s replenishment. Consult our guide for ways Congress can step up in support. 

• • Ensure that Housing Choice Vouchers and WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) are funded at levels that match current need.  

• Oppose any new cuts to programs. Oppose program cuts, rescissions, impoundments, and year-long CRs are all tools to stifle and restrict life-saving support for those impacted by poverty. They must stop. 

Finally, ask members to co-sponsor the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025. This bill repeals SNAP cuts in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). We are looking to have strong support behind it when it is introduced. Also, show your local support for the bill by adding your local RESULTS group to this sign-on letter.   

See our Action and Allies page and our Action Center for resources, templates, and action-taking guides for group gatherings. And please reach out to RESULTS staff if you need help. 

Join the “600 Voices” Media Campaign!

With so much happening right now, it is easy for the issues we care about to get lost in the noise. One of RESULTS’ strong suits has always been media. Next to your expertise in grassroots lobbying, generating local media has been a staple of your advocacy for decades. In the last nine years, you have gotten over 5,000 media pieces published! This media has helped secure funding to treat diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. It has helped expand Medicaid. It has helped millions more claim the Child Tax Credit. And in a very challenging time for democracy, it has shown that citizen voices are critical in protecting our basic freedoms. 

Despite your amazing media success over the years, 2020 was the last year we generated more than 600 media pieces. We’ve come close a few times, but 600 has remained elusive. Let’s change that this year. Today, we are launching our “600 Voices” media campaign to help us reach 600 published media pieces by the end of the year. Right now, we’re at 350. I know we can get the other 250 by December 31. 

So, let’s flood the zone with media pushing politicians in Washington to get to work. Urge them to support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Urge them to repeal harmful cuts to Medicaid and SNAP from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA). Urge them to do a better job standing up for democracy. Our Action Center has templates ready for you to submit your next letter today.  

If you need help getting started on or finishing up your latest letter to the editor or op-ed, please join our monthly Media Office Hour tomorrow, September 17, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET. Join any time that hour to ask your questions. Join via Zoom at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID: 936 6800 5494. 

Items of note

Experts on Poverty on Capitol Hill. The RESULTS Experts on Poverty are in Washington, D.C., today to lobby members of Congress on protecting core anti-poverty programs. This cohort of powerful advocates informs our work through their lived experience and skilled sharing and leadership. We’re cheering them on as they take their expertise to Congress in person today. Show solidarity with their work by taking the actions above. 

Register for October Policy Forum. RESULTS will hold a U.S. Poverty Policy Forum on Thursday, October 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET. On this webinar, we’ll share insight into RESULTS’ U.S. poverty campaign priorities for the remainder of 2025. Learn how we are preparing for final FY26 budget negotiations, with a focus on ensuring that housing and nutrition programs are protected and funded. Register today! 

TL;DR (too long; didn’t read): Tell Congress to pass a budget utilizing our Action and Allies page resources, join our “600 Voices” media campaign, support our Experts on Poverty in D.C. today by taking action, and register for the October U.S. Poverty Policy Forum.   

Quick Links: Action Center, Events Calendar, National Webinar recordings