Religious leaders arrested praying outside the Capitol, demanding “moral” budgets, as the Senate considers megaville
“Voting – Lama” begins in the Senate for Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The Senate is expected to vote for dozens of amendments to President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – About 25 faith leaders and religious believers block streets outside the Capitol to pray, carrying barrels covered in statistics on the number of people who lose Medicaid and snaps in each state, if the current budget bill is signed to law..
Minutes later, Capitol police arrested them all and ended what was a protest of 250 people.
Within the Capitol, the Senate prepared to vote for a cleaning bill that would cut taxes, cut Medicaid, cut benefits, and expand border security.
The protesters chanted, “You will not kill us, and our people. Without a fight.” They took turns crowded, turned into shady patches, placing mini bottles of water and mandarin oranges with a heat of almost 90 degrees.
Most were the perfect best religious leaders representing Catholics, Anglicans, Unity Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Jews, Muslims and Christian churches. Other protesters included small children, people in wheelchairs, and people with signs explaining why Medicaid was needed.
Bishop William J. Barber, II, told USA Today before the protest that religious leaders are obligated to raise “serious moral opposition” to cut the bill.
“It’s moral work, it’s sacred work. If we don’t demonstrate and stand there, we’re doing less than we call,” Barber said. “We should be told to the public squares for the poor, for these poor people, we are meant to say to the country.
Rev. Cindy Coleman, 51, of Wilmington, Delaware, Presbyterian USA Church, said he considers the Congressional spending bill immoral. One in five people in her community relies on Medicaid, she said.
“This is exactly the wrong way to become a world-leading country. We need to lift ourselves from the bottom and everyone stands up, and this bill is meant to kill our neighbors,” Coleman said. “If this bill is passed, one in five of my neighbors is at risk of death, and that’s not an exaggeration. That’s not an exaggeration.”
What they are protesting
The car alternated next to a bunch of cas about what Medicaid and food stamp benefits suggestions were, and the car rangrudge.
Republicans say the cuts are needed because the program is getting too big and doesn’t need them and is being used by people who are full of waste, fraud and abuse.
Two estimates show that between 12 and 20 million people nationwide could lose Medicaid under the deep cuts in the health insurance program proposed by Senate Republicans. Medicaid offers health insurance to over 71 million low-income Americans, It includes 40% of children and 60% of nursing home residents.
The bill also includes new requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as Snap or Food Stamps, which provides food aid to around 42 million Americans, shifting more costs to the state.
Lisa Hayes, 67, of Fairfax, Virginia, hugged some of the signs she read to our kids! With others in her Unitarian Universalist Church.
“We believe in justice for everyone. We are here today to tell you this bill is not right. It hurts the people who work,” she said.
Moral Monday
The moral Monday protest began in 2013 by barbers in North Carolina and spread to other states as an effort by religious leaders of all faiths to push back legislative efforts to reduce social safety nets.
Rabbi David Sheny of Rockville, Maryland said:
The group will then meet in Washington on August 4th and September 8th to protest outside the Supreme Court.
Barber said he would be ready for the long term if the bill passes.
“The very people they’ve been crazy today will be the power to vote tomorrow,” he said.
