Joins nearly 3,000 organizations in support of nondefense discretionary programs
Monarch Housing and others from the nondefense discretionary (NDD) community delivered a letter to Congress on July 12th, urging leaders to avert sequestration by adopting a “balanced approach to deficit reduction that does not include further cuts to NDD programs.” Joining Monarch Housing in this effort are nearly 3,000 national, state, and local organizations from all fifty states representing the ending homelessness, supportive housing, health, education, public safety communities, among others. Despite our diverse interests, we share a common purpose of protecting from further cuts the core government functions that make up NDD spending.
Click here to view the full list.
Because the government provides NDD programs for the benefit of all Americans, every organization should become involved in this education campaign. They support economic growth, strengthen safety and security, and enrich the lives of every American in every state and community across the nation. In 2011, NDD spending represented less than one-fifth of the federal budget and 4.3 percent of our country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Under strict discretionary caps in the bipartisan Budget Control Act (BCA), by 2021 NDD spending will decline to just 2.8 percent of GDP, the lowest level in at least 50 years. If sequestration is allowed to take effect, cuts to NDD programs will be even deeper.
Sequestration will be especially devastating to housing and supportive services for homeless and for persons with disabilities.
This two-minute video helps to explain sequestration.
“NDD programs are not the reason for our growing debt, and yet they are always the first place lawmakers look for cuts,” said Richard W. Brown, Monarch’s CEO.
“Our goal is protect the homeless and persons with disabilities from further cuts by educating policymakers about NDD and its small and shrinking share of the economy. It is our hope that Congress will avoid sequestration by adopting a balanced approach to deficit reduction. These programs are a small and shrinking share of our federal budget and economy. NDD programs have already been cut to levels not seen since at least the 1960s. When you do the math even eliminating all NDD programs would still not balance the budget.”
Click here to read our prior post on this issue.
