What is at stake in the electoral process? For Lutherans, our response is not exclusively individualistic.

FOUNDATIONS OF OUR CONSIDERATION

The electoral process is one way in the United States that we steward our life together as a nation, care for our neighbor and promote the common good. The topic may get additional attention during an election cycle, but the foundations of its consideration are shaped by a Lutheran understanding of God’s intent to work through human activity to order and provide earthly justice and enough for all. These foundations are expressed in Bible studies and sermon reflections and lived experiences.

“This church teaches that civic engagement is a vital aspect of discipleship for baptized Christians. We have a responsibility not only to fulfill our private roles and functions in life, and to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2), but also to be civically engaged. We do so to act against destructive consequences but also for fair and compassionate governance.” – From the ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy” (p. 13)

Government is conveyed as God’s gift in the social message because “it is intended to do what churches, families, individuals, and businesses cannot do on their own: protect and coordinate the well-being of individuals, communities, and creation” (p. 2). Elections are a moment when faithful civic engagement becomes especially visible as the nation grapples with decisions that will have generational impact for years to come. Elections provide a structured way for people to help shape policies, elect candidates of choice, enact accountability for the well-being of all and ensure that every voice, especially voices from the margins, are heard.

BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND EQUITY

Voter suppression is real. Voting in our nation was first enshrined only for educated white men who owned property. It took more than a century for access to the ballot to meaningfully expand to people of color, women, people with disabilities, people who are low-income, and American Indians and Alaska Natives. From a history of voter suppression in the Jim Crow era to the current climate of restrictive voter laws, many people, particularly people of color, face barriers to their right to vote. “The political health of our nation still suffers from the stain of antidemocratic exclusion. Efforts to restrict access to voting should be condemned and resisted,” notes the social message (p. 9). The need to advocate for just access to the vote continues.

The ELCA social policy resolution “Voting Rights to All Citizens” affirms that “members, congregations, and synods of this church be encouraged to ‘promote public life worthy of the name’ by speaking out as an advocate and engaging in local efforts such as voter registration and supporting legislation to guarantee the right to vote to all citizens.” Many congregations and leaders answer this nonpartisan call through holding registration drives and Get Out The Vote campaigns, among other ways.

DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, for example, has had historical value and current relevance in preventing discrimination, improving outcomes for disadvantaged groups, recognizing and addressing historical injustices as they relate to advancing voting rights and fair representation in the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais on Apr. 29, 2026, that the creation of a second majority-Black district in the state of Louisiana was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The historic decision ultimately weakens key provisions of the Voting Rights Act that have historically protected minority demographics by the banning of discriminatory voting practices on the basis of race and the providing of accountability on the outcomes of congressional maps.

“Wider implications of the decision include weakened effectiveness of equal protection challenges and the use of disparate impact analysis as legal tools for accountability on issues related to access in employment, housing and education policy. ELCA individual members, and the ministries and organizations serving those impacted, will begin to see impacts this year, in states racing against primary filing deadlines and widespread longer-term changes to federal policy and election administration in anticipation of the 2028 presidential election,” said Antoine Cummins, ELCA Program Director for Civil Rights. “The faith community has played a pivotal role in the multi-generational struggle to realize the vision of a more equitable multi-racial democracy -and will continue to do so.”

NONPARTISAN WITNESS

A prayer that God’s creative power may be present in our witness concludes the ELCA social statement Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All (p. 71). This prayer includes the petition:

“May we, as your people, join all others of goodwill in the work of government as gift, aspiration, and responsibility to serve the common good of ‘we the people.’”

We are thankful for public servants, election officials, the judiciary and all who strive towards this common goal.

In and out of an election cycle, the ELCA will continue to advance a nonpartisan public witness which encourages participation in the electoral process and advocates for just and equitable access to voting, shaped by our faith convictions. The ELCA does not endorse any particular candidate, party or form of government or strive for a Christian one. Yet in love there is much we can do.

Sign up for updates from the ELCA Advocacy team at elca.org/advocacy/signup, and monitor @socials and this blog for the latest ELCA resources to equip faithful civic engagement.

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: April 2026

HUNGER PROVISIONS IN THE HOUSE FARM BILL | SAVE AMERICA ACT | ADMINISTRATION REPEALS THE ENDANGERMENT FINDING | FEDERAL POLICY IMPACTS FOR BURMA | WAR WITH IRAN | DHS PARTIAL SHUTDOWN CONTINUES AS CONGRESS WEIGHS MORE FUNDING FOR ICE

HUNGER PROVISIONS IN THE HOUSE FARM BILL: The House Agriculture Committee Chairman has released new Farm Bill text (see the committee summary here). The proposed bill includes some positive bipartisan hunger provisions – including making SNAP online purchasing permanent. Additional positive bipartisan hunger provisions are expanding the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) to more seniors in rural areas, reauthorizing the GusNIP food program and more. However, the legislation does nothing to revert the newly imposed SNAP work requirements or the massive defunding of the whole SNAP nutrition program – which is set to start phasing in later this year.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Lutheran congregations across the country operate food pantries, partner with food banks and hunger relief networks and accompany rural communities whose livelihoods depend on stable agricultural policy – making the Farm Bill one of the most consequential pieces of legislation for our shared ministry. The Farm Bill, which authorizes the SNAP program and most nutrition policy, is one of the most germane vehicles to address some of the most severe cuts made to hunger programs made through a party-line budgetary measure (H.R. 1) passed outside of traditional authorization procedure. Despite some modest gains in the new House Farm Bill text, prioritizing farm policy at the cost of codifying large cuts to hunger programs risks rupturing a longtime bipartisan coalition that historically has operated well together.

What’s Next:

The House Agriculture committee is anticipated to mark up the legislation – but in a tight legislative calendar, it will be an ambitious effort to pass the bill on the floor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The ELCA Witness in Society office will be collaborating with interfaith partners to share top priorities and goals with lawmakers as the legislation advances.

• • Updating of the ELCA Farm Bill Engagement page on the ELCA Advocacy blog has resumed, including a link to the Action Alert opportunity, “Strengthen Hunger Provisions in Farm Bill.”

SAVE AMERICA ACT:  The SAVE America Act has passed in the House and awaits action in the Senate. Baseless voter fraud claims have ignited support for the SAVE America Act and related legislation, with a call to election integrity masking legislation that would make voting and voter registration more difficult. This would impact millions of American citizens ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. ELCA advocacy staff added to other voices nationwide to reject the restrictive legislation leading to reduced House support for the bill compared to 2025. Through the ELCA Action Center over 5,700 messages from the “Reject Voting Barriers and Oppose the SAVE Act | SAVE America Act” Action Alert were sent to members of Congress.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The SAVE America Act, if enacted, would add additional burdens on voters to provide eligibility – which non-partisan experts say would not make any noticeable change to election security. The adjustments would disproportionately impact rural, low-income and marginalized communities and members of Tribal Nations by making it harder to both prove eligibility and register to vote.

• • The ELCA strongly affirms voter participation as an exercise in citizenship and resists efforts to restrict access – especially for low-income communities which are often left out of the election process. The ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy” urges rejection of “antidemocratic exclusion” efforts to restrict voting, including “requiring voters to show identification without issuing identification to all eligible voters,” purging voter rolls, and more.

What’s Next:

The ELCA will continue urging Congress to reject voting barriers and oppose legislation similar to the SAVE Act. The ELCA federal policy team will collaborate with ELCA Racial Justice and Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities colleagues to support and resource their ministries and partners. The “Reject Voting Barriers and Oppose the SAVE Act | SAVE America Act” Action Alert is still live.

ADMINISTRATION REPEALS THE ENDANGERMENT FINDING: In 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed findings regarding greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, including what is known as the Endangerment Finding. Despite many advocacy efforts to bring forward concerns, repeal of the Endangerment Finding was announced by the EPA on Feb. 12, 2026. The Endangerment Finding is focused on the conclusion that current and projected concentrations of the certain greenhouse gases in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations. This finding served as the legal basis on which the federal government can regulate greenhouse gas emissions based on public health. In July 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a proposal to rescind that finding which led to the repeal.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA released an official statement in response to the announcement of the repeal. The statement outlines the social teaching basis for increased regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in opposition to any attempts to weaponize or distort scientific research. The ELCA gave testimony at an EPA public hearing in support of upholding the finding. The Rev. Kaari Reierson, ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility Program Director, delivered that testimony based upon ELCA social teaching, and several other ELCA ministers also testified. Public comments were also recorded in the Federal Register. Additionally, ELCA advocacy staff scheduled a meeting with the EPA Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to discuss these concerns.

What’s Next:

ELCA Advocacy staff will continue to monitor legal challenges as well as any legislative opportunities to ensure public health protections for current and future generations.

FEDERAL POLICY IMPACTS FOR BURMA: The House of Representatives has passed the Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act (BRAVE Burma Act), extending expiring authorities outlined in the BURMA Act of 2022. The BURMA Act of 2022 authorizes humanitarian assistance and civil society support, promotes democracy and human rights. The BURMA Act of 2022 also imposes targeted sanctions against individuals and entities who helped stage the Feb. 1, 2021, coup d’état and are responsible for the subsequent repression of fundamental freedoms, human rights abuses and use of indiscriminate violence towards civilians and other gross atrocities.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA accompanies and works with four companion churches in Myanmar: the Myanmar Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church in Myanmar, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Myanmar – Lutheran Bethlehem Church, and the Mara Evangelical Church. This partnership helps support those displaced by fighting with living supplies and shelter, and children and young adults with education. Witness in Society staff worked with advocacy partners to ensure passage of the BURMA Act of 2022.

What’s Next:

The BRAVE Burma Act (H.R. 3190) has been referred to the Senate for consideration. Witness in Society staff will continue to advocate for passage of this bill in the Senate.

WAR WITH IRAN: On Feb. 28, the United States and the State of Israel initiated hostilities with the Islamic Republic of Iran via an intensive bombing campaign of Iran’s civilian, theological and military infrastructure. This joint attack was initiated without Congressional authorization for the use of force (war powers act). Since Feb. 28, the U.S. military and the Israeli military have jointly conducted 2,000 airstrikes across the country. The resultant airstrikes have killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and around 40 top military and civilian leaders within the government.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA social teaching provides numerous opportunities to discuss the parameters under which a war may be necessary, and the considerations required through the discussion of the just/unjust war tradition. As explained through the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World, “We seek guidance from the principles of the ‘just/unjust war’ tradition. While permitting recourse to war in exceptional circumstances, these principles intend to limit such occasions by setting forth conditions that must be met to render military action justifiable. We begin with a strong presumption against all war; support for and participation in a war to restore peace is a tragic concession to a sinful world. Any decision for war must be a mournful one.” It is clear the American public has not been provided the necessary time or engagement to deliberate on the necessity of this war, and thus have Congress render a legal judgement on whether to authorize the use of force and a war.

What’s Next:

ELCA advocacy staff continue to visit Congressional offices to draw attention to the necessity of war powers resolutions as this use of force continues to pummel the region. It is important that members of Congress use their constitutional power to ensure that our government is engaging constructively in matters of war, peace and the common good.

DHS PARTIAL SHUTDOWN CONTINUES AS CONGRESS WEIGHS MORE FUNDING FOR ICE: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains partially shut down after legislators failed to reach a funding agreement after over two months of negotiations. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continue to work and receive pay throughout the shutdown Funding for ICE and CBP continued work comes from the more than $170 billion for immigration and border enforcement passed last July.

No immediate Homeland Security budget deal is in sight. In late March, the Senate reached a bipartisan deal to pass a DHS funding bill that carved out ICE and parts of CBP – overall a win for immigration advocates despite a remaining lack of clarity around ICE oversight and reforms. The House rejected this bill, and are instead working on a “Reconciliation 2.0 package” that would provide even more funding to ICE and CBP.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA has been raising the importance of meaningful accountability in outreach to legislators, noting how lack of accountability threatens our communities from Minneapolis to Chicago and in many communities where ICE has increased its presence. This negotiation period is a critical time to push for meaningful changes to be written into appropriations law.

What’s Next:

An ELCA Action Alert is available to transmit your message to law makers: “No ICE Funding Without Accountability.” We will continue to press legislators to reach an agreement that includes specific, measurable protections for immigrants and communities.

Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

By Dylan Le [About the author]

I came back from COP30, also known as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in November 2025, with one thought in my head: the world is on fire and we aren’t doing enough to stop it. According to Pew Research Center, “Overall, 69% of Americans say large business and corporations are doing too little to help reduce the effects of global climate change. Six-in-ten also say state elected officials are doing too little on climate.” Inaction from our political and economic leaders has fostered hopelessness, a feeling I constantly encounter while speaking at events.

Yet at the same time, these statistics present a contradiction. Why is it that an overwhelming majority of Americans agree on an issue like climate change, yet often feel powerless to address it? It is not true to say that Americans are politically disengaged—the recent spike in primary election turnout would say otherwise.

However, many Americans feel discombobulated by the complexities of our political system and are unaware of how to become politically involved beyond voting. To be an advocate that serves as “the light of the world” means serving as a beacon of hope and guidance for others.

In my time as an ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, I’ve found that the light we provide to others can not only inspire hope, but action. Darkness often comes from a lack of information, and in Texas where I work, the darkness that fosters apathy and hopelessness necessitates the same illuminating light.

While I look forward to spending the coming legislative session in Texas fighting for justice, my time during the interim has been spent giving classes, writing articles and researching policy. Those who I encounter during Sunday post-service Lunch N’ Learns and during vigils honoring victims of gun violence are passionate and caring citizens. We should not pretend that advocates alone are the antidote to injustice.

Advocacy at its core means equipping the people with the tools they need to inspire the change they desire. At Texas Impact, we say that we help people live out their faith in the public square, moving the faith community from charity to justice.

While my time at COP30 left me determined by the awareness that we needed to do more, as I walked through the wide and bustling conference halls in Belém, Brazil, sweaty, hot and tired, I felt a tremendous sense of hope. I was surrounded by indigenous protestors, advocates, diplomats and activists from all over the world, all working towards a common goal—justice.

FROM THE EDITOR: Hear from Lutherans who attended the COP30 climate conference in video of the “Voices of Faith in Climate Action: COP30 and Beyond” post-event webinar, posted to the ELCA Advocacy YouTube channel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dylan Le is serving his ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellowship as Public Policy Fellow with Texas Impact, an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office. Le holds a B.A. in Sociology and a certificate in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. As a son of a Vietnamese refugee and having specialized in Latin American Studies during his study abroad at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, his work as a Public Policy Fellow is driven by his passion to promote legislation that protects and supports Texas’ diverse communities.

Updated March 5, 2026

STATUS ON CAPITOL HILL | ACTION ALERTS | RESOURCES AND WEBINARS | OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE

The Farm Bill, which guides much of U.S. agriculture, rural and food policy, is currently being debated in Congress. The ELCA urges Congress to pass a 2026 Farm Bill that promotes priorities consistent with our advocacy during 2023-24 Farm Bill reauthorization discussions:

• food for hungry neighbors at home and abroad,
• healthy rural and farming communities,
• inclusion of people of all backgrounds,
• care of creation to feed future generations

In a world of abundance, we strive for an end to hunger and poverty, and towards a just world where all are fed. Additionally, we are to work with each other and the environment to meet needs without causing undue burdens elsewhere. The Farm Bill is one of the most influential pieces of legislation affecting farmers, hunger and conservation in the United States and around the world.

ELCA social statements call for policies that provide adequate nutrition for all and create livelihood opportunities that are genuinely sustainable. We urge lawmakers to pass a 2026 Farm Bill that reflects these faith-based values.

Status on Capitol Hill

Action Alerts

Future Farm Bill Action Alerts will be added to this page – but you can be notified directly by signing up for the ELCA Advocacy Network. New Action Alerts and monthly updates are sent to the network, which you sign up for📝here.

CURRENTLY ACTIVE:

Strengthen Hunger Provisions in Farm Bill [Posted 3/5/2026]
Urge a bold, efficient Farm Bill which supports both hungry families and vital rural communities.

Resources & Webinars

• VIDEO: “Farm Bill Conversation” with presenter Alex Parker, ELCA Advocacy Coordinator (Recorded 6/19/24). ELCA Region 1 Conversation about the 2024 Farm Bill.
• RESOURCE PAGE: “H.R. 1 and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): What Counties Should Know” (Oct. 31, 2025). From the National Association of Counties.

Our Collective Voice

By raising our collective voice, we can help enact a more just Farm Bill that leaves no one hungry. In your location and federally, let’s act boldly to end hunger and poverty in our time and ensuring healthy creation to feed future generations.

Here are some other ideas for making your voice heard.

• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper on the importance of anti-hunger and pro-farmer policies in the Farm Bill.
• Attend town halls or public events with your members of Congress to ask questions about their Farm Bill priorities.
• Pray for those experiencing hunger and for our elected officials to have wisdom and compassion.

WHAT IS A SIGN-ON LETTER  |  IMPACT OF SIGN-ONS  |  DECISION PROCESS  |  UPDATED LIST

Our advocacy takes many forms with long-term and immediate aims, and ELCA Witness in Society staff are active equipping members, building influential relationships with policy makers, networking strategically with other concerned partners, researching policy pieces and their impacts and inviting our ELCA Advocacy Network to action at impactful moments.

One timely way we can act as ELCA is to sign on with others to offer pointed comments to decision makers when developments demand.

WHAT IS A SIGN-ON LETTER

A “sign-on letter” is an advocacy tool that acts like a petition to members of Congress or other policy decision makers, often addressing an immediate issue or impending vote. Sign-on letters are drafted and circulated among organizations with similar policy goals to ask other organizations to join, showing support for a policy position or value by adding their name.

The Witness in Society team may recommend listing the ELCA as an organization on a sign-on letter. Some letters are tailored for individual sign-ons, usually by the head of an organization. In the ELCA, most individual sign-ons are done by the ELCA presiding bishop.

IMPACT OF SIGN-ONS

Sign-on letters are frequently used when swift and targeted action will have an impact on decision-makers. The aim is to provide education on an issue, articulate shared organizational values on a subject and urge the recipient to take a specific action or vote. Ecumenical and interfaith sign-on letters summarize broad consensus in the faith community. In addition to receipt by individual members of Congress or Executive Branch officials for example, they may be used in constituent meetings and shared as public statements as well.

DECISION PROCESS

The ELCA joins sign-on letters following careful analysis by the Witness in Society team, sometimes in consultation with other staff. The Senior Director for Witness in Society makes the final determination for a sign-on. Sign-on letters require a foundation in ELCA social teaching and relevance to ELCA public policy advocacy priorities. Sign-on letters are also evaluated for accuracy of facts and the tone of the statement, seeking language that will educate or persuade, avoiding hyper-partisan or inflammatory language. Witness in Society staff are strategic about the use of sign-on letters, asking if a joint letter is the right approach at this time; how the letter will be disseminated and used to create awareness among members of Congress, the Administration and throughout the ELCA; what the impact of not signing a letter might be; and discerning whether a standalone effort from the ELCA would have greater impact at the given point-in-time or may be preferable to state distinctly the ELCA’s position.

LAST UPDATE: 2/12/26

Our ministry of advocacy is a witness to God’s love for our neighbor, ourselves and for all creation. Here are recent statements made with ELCA support. Use the link in the date to read a public posting* of the sign-on letter in full.

2026

• Mar. 2 – “On behalf of the undersigned national faith-based organizations working to address food insecurity in the United States, we write to share our concerns about the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 or ‘Farm Bill’ as introduced… Although we welcome several provisions in the nutrition title that would enhance SNAP EBT card security, authorize online SNAP purchasing, and revive a local food purchasing assistance program, these policies would do little to address the catastrophic federal disinvestment in SNAP which jeopardizes the future of the program.” Letter to Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee.
• Feb. 24 – “We, the undersigned faith organizations representing diverse religious traditions across the United States, write to express our deep concern regarding the administration’s decision to withdraw from the [UNFCCC]… We call on Congress to act with courage and ensure that our nation remains engaged in addressing one of the most significant challenges of our time.” Letter to U.S. Senate.
• Feb. 10 – “As Congress negotiates any funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it must establish meaningful oversight to ensure community safety and accountability for the harmful and abusive immigration enforcement actions taking place across the country.” Letter to Members of Congress.
• Feb. 10 – “Our organizations affirm Congress’s oversight of ICE, CBP, and USCIS through this public hearing. We urge Congress to legislate and enforce guardrails to rein in ICE and CBP actions that make our communities less safe and indiscriminately target our neighbors.” Statement submitted to the record for the House Committee on Homeland Security hearing “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE, CBP, and USCIS.” [No public link]

• Feb. 9 –“As communities of faith, we write out of deep concern for the people of Cuba and out of a shared commitment to peace, compassion and the protection of human life. We are alarmed by the growing risk of escalation and by clear signals that regime change is being pursued as a goal of U.S. policy toward Cuba. In this moment, we reject any approach that seeks to impose political outcomes through coercion or treats human suffering as leverage.” Letter to the White House and Congress

• Jan. 19 – “As faith based and religious organizations committed to caring for God’s creation and honoring the dignity and well-being of all people, particularly the most vulnerable, we write in firm opposition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposal to weaken the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. In order to fulfill our moral duty to care for God’s creation, we must recognize the interplay between our environmental, social, and economic realities.” Comment submitted to the Federal Register by the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. [No public link for this Federal Register comment.]

• Jan. 29 – “We write to you as the Circle of Protection, a coalition of national church bodies and related ministries representing the diversity of Christianity in this country. …We support needed protections for people from ICE agents’ behavior, or guardrails in these appropriations bills. We call on Congress to assert more accountability in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill.” Circle of Protection letter to Congress [ELCA signer: Witness in Society Senior Director]

2025

• Dec. 16 – “We, the undersigned 104 civil society organizations, write to respectfully request the inclusion of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the President’s implementation of Gaza’s recovery.” Letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• Dec. 10 – “As religious organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of people of faith, we write in opposition to the series of proposed rules by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency to weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulations, published November 21, 2025. We believe every creature is a beloved part of God’s creation, endowed with worth and purpose. When a species is pushed towards extinction, a reflection of God’s glory is dimmed.” National Religious Partnership for the Environment faith public letter comment to Secretary of the Department of the Interior.
• Dec. 9 – “We, the undersigned 130 national, state, and local legal services; humanitarian, human, civil, economic development, labor rights, faith-based, and veteran organizations, write to address the administration’s actions in the days since the violent attack that occurred in Washington, D.C. on November 26. We grieve for the families impacted by this unimaginable tragedy and call for justice and accountability for the victims. While doing so, we also strongly urge you to immediately reverse course and fully restore our nation’s humanitarian and immigration programs, free from discriminatory or hateful policies and rhetoric.” Letter to President Trump.
• Nov. 25 – “On behalf of the undersigned national faith-based organizations working to reduce poverty and support those experiencing food insecurity, we write to share our concern about the announced termination of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Reports.” Letter to Secretary of Agriculture.
• Oct. 31 – “…Guided by our diverse faith traditions, we share moral outrage that the Trump administration intends to abandon those facing the world’s most severe humanitarian and displacement crises including in Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and elsewhere… We call on the administration to reaffirm America’s longstanding commitment to protecting people fleeing persecution by fully restoring the refugee program to reflect and align with humanitarian values.” Interfaith Immigration Coalition Press Release. [Accompanying comment included from ELCA Witness in Society Senior Director]
• Oct. 29 – “We write as the Circle of Protection, a coalition of national church bodies and related ministries representing the diversity of Christianity in this country… We call on Congress to negotiate an end to the government shutdown, and we strongly urge the administration to do everything in its power to ensure families receive full SNAP benefits in November. This includes immediately using SNAP’s contingency funding and USDA’s transfer authority.” Statement from Christian Leaders in the Circle of Protection.
• Oct. 20 – “As organizations committed to civil society and open civic space, we, the undersigned, are gravely concerned by the U.S. government’s (USG) decision to impose sanctions under Executive Order (EO) 14203 against three leading Palestinian human rights organizations – Al-Haq: Law in the Service of Man (Al-Haq), Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al-Mezan), and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) — for engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek investigations into war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.” Joint Statement.
• Sep. 16 – “We, the undersigned 78 national, state, and local organizations representing resettlement agencies, direct service providers, faith-based organizations, and human rights groups, write to urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that the administration upholds its moral and legal obligations to fully restore the congressionally established U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and to take immediate legislative and oversight actions to fully restore refugees’ access to basic healthcare, nutrition assistance, and social services, ensuring that newly arriving families have the opportunity to thrive. Letter to Congress.
• Sep. 12 – “Intensified Israeli military attacks on Gaza City and forced displacement orders for the entire city are leaving families with an impossible dilemma: flee and risk death on the road and in overcrowded displacement areas, or stay and face relentless bombardment in their shelters… Let our goods enter. Let us work. Stop this assault.” Humanitarian and civil society organizations letter.
• Sep. 10 – “On behalf of the Interreligious Working Group on domestic human needs (DHN) and partners, we are reaching out to share our support for inclusion of Senate Amendment 3503 in a manager’s package of amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, (S. 2296) or group of amendments for which roll call votes will be held… which helps military families, veterans, and other Americans access affordable housing.” Letter to Senate leadership.
• Aug. 26 – “Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joined twenty church based organizations in calling for Israel to halt its planned military offensive in Gaza City. With famine already declared in Gaza, further military operations will only cause further suffering and death for a civilian population without anywhere else to go.” Joint statement.
• Aug. 13 – “We, the undersigned organizations, write to express our grave concern regarding the preventable humanitarian catastrophe and mass starvation in the occupied Gaza Strip. We urge you to use all available tools, including the suspension of U.S. security assistance in compliance with section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act, in order to secure an immediate surge in humanitarian assistance and an end to the ongoing atrocities.” Letter to members of Congress.
• Aug. 13 – “On behalf of the undersigned organizations and our hundreds of thousands of members and supporters, we submit these comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on its Request for Comments on the repeal of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units, also known as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS). As faith based institutions, we are heartsick by the proposal to weaken the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for power plants.” Public comment submitted by National Religious Partnership for the Environment et al.
• June 26 – “We, the 45 undersigned national religious organization, express our deep concern and reaffirm the core moral imperatives of our faith traditions in light of H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill.” Letter to Senate Majority and Minority leaders.
• June 24 – “We urge Congress to exercise its constitutional responsibility by scrutinizing any military action against Iran and by supporting the Iran War Powers Resolutions (S.J.Res.59 and H.Con.Res.38), introduced by Senator Kaine and Representatives Khanna and Massie.” Letter to Congress with 19 national Christian denominations and organizations.
• June 23 – “As organizations representing a diverse range of faith traditions, we write to express our support for the bipartisan Religious Workforce Protection Act (RWPA)… Unless Congress acts, communities will increasingly be forced to part with the men and women who have faithfully served them for years, and religious exercise will be hindered in their absence.” Letter to Senate Majority and Minority Leaders.
• June 19 – “We, the Circle of Protection… urge members of Congress to oppose the rescissions bill and the Administration’s proposed cuts in international aid in FY2026 appropriations.” Letter to President Trump and members of Congress [signed by ELCA Senior Director, Witness in Society].
• June 18 – “We respectfully urge the Administration to reverse its decision, uphold previous U.S. commitments and reaffirm the Paris Agreement. We collectively affirm that Faiths Are Still In.” Statement from over 45 national, state, and local faith organizations.
• June 5 – “While the White House argues that these rescissions will make the United States safer, stronger and more prosperous, we, the undersigned 78 organizations, lament the proposal will achieve the opposite. We urge you to oppose the rescission of any foreign assistance funds related to urgent human needs, including food, medical and humanitarian aid, and to global stability and resilience, such as peacebuilding, poverty-focused development assistance, climate resilience and good governance.” Letter to Members of Congress led by Friends Committee on National Legislation.
• May 21 – “The interfaith community holds a shared belief affirming every person is made in God’s image and deserves to thrive, not just survive. Our sacred texts call us to love our neighbors and accompany the vulnerable. Our federal government should reflect these sacred ideals and support the common good. The House Budget Reconciliation bill fails to reflect love and compassion and instead harms those we are called by faith to serve. We urge each Member of the House to VOTE NO on this bill” [full text]. Letter to members of the Houses.
• May 19 – “We write as organizations variously focused on U.S. national security and foreign policy, human rights, the protection of civilians, peacebuilding, and humanitarian response… We urge you to proactively offer a principled vision for diplomatic negotiations towards an inclusive, just peace for Ukraine and stability for the region. Letter to members of Congress.
• May 2 – “We, the undersigned 21 non-profit and faith-based organizations, representing Americans in all fifty states, write to express our concern regarding the reported proposal to close several U.S. embassies in Africa, including in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, as well as the Republic of Congo, Eritrea, the Gambia, and Lesotho. In particular, embassies in Bangui, Central African Republic, and Juba, South Sudan are critical to implementing programs and diplomatic efforts that promote our national security and have widespread bipartisan support.” Coalition letter to Secretary of State.
• May 2 – “We, the undersigned organizations –a diverse coalition of religious organizations, children’s advocates, agriculture partners, maternal and public health organizations, and retail and industry stakeholders – urge Congress to build on this success with continued, bipartisan investment in WIC. We specifically urge appropriators to work with the Department of Agriculture to provide sufficient funding for the projected caseload and program costs at the time of bill passage, and to protect the scientific integrity of WIC’s food packages.” Letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders.
• April 10 – “We, the undersigned 85 local and national faith-based organizations, urge you to consider the constitutional rights and inherent dignity of all immigrants as you draft the budget reconciliation bill.” Letter to leadership of Senate and House Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Committees on the Judiciary.
• Mar 20 – “The undersigned institutional investors recognize the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform to ensure economic stability, workforce resilience, and sustainable growth. Sound and just immigration policy is not only a matter of human rights but also an economic imperative that strengthens our workforce, enhances innovation, and secures the competitiveness of U.S. businesses in the global economy… We call on Congress to reject piecemeal immigration-related orders and directives that only prolong uncertainty and create confusion and instead come together to enact comprehensive immigration reform that protects all stakeholders and fosters long-term economic growth.” Investor Statement through the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility to members of Congress.
• Mar 6 – “We, the over 1,800 national, state, and local organizations representing communities across the country, urge the House and Senate to reject proposals for any cuts or attempts to weaken SNAP and the child nutrition programs.” Letter to House & Senate leadership.
• Mar 3 – “We, the undersigned 124 civil society organizations, write to respectfully request your support for the restoration of United States funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through cosponsorship of the forthcoming ‘UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025.’” Letter to members of Congress.
• Feb 26 – “As faith leaders, we are deeply troubled at the impact this current debt crisis is having on the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable across the world… We must have a fair and functional global debt system. The Jubilee tradition calls for debts to be forgiven, land restored, and slaves freed. This Biblical practice embodied justice, mercy, and reconciliation, offering a renewed covenant with God and harmony within the community.” Letter to G20 finance leaders, signatories include Presiding Bishop Eaton.
• Feb 24 – “We, the undersigned organizations, members of the Alliance to End Hunger, urge you to protect, strengthen and fully fund federal food and nutrition programs in Fiscal Year 2025 and FY 2026 budget appropriations, reconciliation and continuing resolutions. U.S. domestic food assistance programs are critical to keeping people strong and secure in all corners of our nation – in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Federal nutrition programs support farmers and jobs all along the food chain and brace up local economies.” Letter to House and Senate leadership.
• Feb 14 – “We implore you to use your position to immediately restore foreign aid programs, reopen critical refugee resettlement programs, and fully reinstate USAID.” Letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• Feb 12 – “On behalf of the millions of Americans represented by our faith, humanitarian, health, education, foreign policy, development, human rights, business, labor, peace, women’s advocacy, science, and environmental organizations, we strongly urge you to oppose efforts to shut down U.S. foreign assistance, including the critical work of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).” Coalition letter to House and Senate.
• Feb 12 – “As members and partners of the Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance, a network of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist organizations working in solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable people, we write to you to express our grave concerns over the sudden order to stop lifesaving foreign assistance work around the globe and the dismantling of USAID.” Letter to House & Senate leadership.

2024

• Dec. 20 – “We, the undersigned faith-based organizations, write to urge you to use the weeks remaining in your administration to commute all federal death sentences and prevent the likelihood that the incoming administration will resume executions.” Letter to President Biden.
• Dec. 2 – “As a network of faith-based organizations who care deeply for the most vulnerable, whom we believe are made in God’s image, we know the path forward to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. We hear from faith-based organizations and institutions across the globe that PEPFAR saves lives and they are grateful to the United States. A clean, five-year reauthorization of this life-saving program signals to the world that no matter the challenges – the U.S. is still leading and committed to saving lives and ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat.” Letter to Chairman/Ranking Member of Senate and House committees on foreign affairs.
• Nov. 20 – “On behalf of the undersigned members of the Alliance to End Hunger, we respectfully request that you provide sufficient funding for critical programs that save lives, protect livelihoods, and build resiliency and self-sufficiency as you conference the FY25 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration bill.” Letter to leadership of House & Senate Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration.
• Nov. 20 – “On behalf of the undersigned members of the Alliance to End Hunger, we respectfully request that you provide sufficient funding for critical programs that save lives, protect livelihoods, and build resiliency and self-sufficiency as you conference the FY25 State, Foreign Operations bill.” Leadership of House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs and the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
• Oct. 22 – “We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to cosponsor and vote in favor of the four joint resolutions of disapproval introduced by Senators Sanders, Welch, and Merkley regarding several specific major arms sales to the government of Israel.” Letter U.S. senators.
• Oct. 18 – “We write as U.S. Christian faith leaders deeply concerned by the continuing injustice, suppression of rights, and disregard for international law that has endured for decades in Israel/Palestine.” Churches for Middle East Peace letter to Trump and Harris campaigns.
• Aug. 21 – “The undersigned 103 state, national, and local faith-based organizations, write to call on your administration to urgently address backlogs in work permit processing and continue efforts to enhance, expand, and extend access to work authorization for immigrants and asylum seekers alike.” Coalition letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas, Domestic Policy Council Director Tanden, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Jaddou.
• July 31 – “We represent a diverse coalition of church bodies and related organizations that include 100 million people. We are writing together as a demonstration of the breadth of support in the Christian community for the Child Tax Credit expansion that will come to the Senate floor this week.” Circle of Protection letter to members of the U.S. Senate.
• July 26 – “We the undersigned human rights, civil rights, and social justice organizations call on you to implement an immediate arms embargo on the Israeli government in order to save lives.” Letter to President Biden and members of Congress.
• July 23 – “As global Christian leaders committed to peace and justice and the recognition of the image of God in all humanity, we abhor the ongoing violence that has now continued for more than nine months between Hamas and the Israeli military… Against this catastrophic backdrop, we have called before and call again now, with heartfelt insistence, for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, for the return of hostages, and the release of Palestinian prisoners held without due process. Churches for Middle East Peace letter to President Biden.
• July 22 – “We, the 64 undersigned organizations, urge you to safeguard and invest in critical funding for peacebuilding, human rights, humanitarian aid, migration, international climate finance, poverty-focused development assistance and related accounts in the Fiscal Year 2025 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPs) appropriations bill. Letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on SFOPs Chair Coons and Ranking Member Graham.
• July 9 – “We, the 1,422 national, state, and local organizations representing communities across the country, urge the House and Senate to develop a Farm Bill that ensures that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is protected and strengthened and that benefit adequacy, equitable access, and program administration remain core tenets of the program.” Letter to members of Congress.
• June 27 – “We write to you today on behalf of 26 faith-based organizations with heavy hearts, compelled by the harrowing tales of suffering and devastation unfolding in Sudan at this very moment… in the hope of inspiring decisive action to alleviate their suffering.” Letter to President Biden.
• June 18 – “We write to you as the Circle of Protection, leaders of diverse church bodies and Christian organizations… We hope this Congress will still be able to pass three important pending bills, with priority attention to their impact among people struggling with hunger and poverty… Regarding the Farm Bill… Regarding FY2025 appropriations… expansion of the Child Tax Credit…” Circle of Protection letter to President Biden and members of Congress.
• Jun. 10 – “As you determine priorities for the Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Act, as members of the Alliance to End Hunger, we respectfully urge you to provide robust funding for global nutrition and food security programming. Specifically, $2 billion for Food for Peace Title II, $265 million for McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition, and $500 million for agricultural research.” Letter to House Appropriations Committee Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking Member.
• May 22 – “On behalf of the organizations listed below, we ask that you fund global HIV/AIDS programs in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 no less than $6.79 billion for Global Health Programs at the Department of State, including $5.14 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), $1.65 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as ensure that the programs are governed by policies that expand access to health care, uphold human rights, and help to put the world on track to end AIDS by 2030.” Coalition letter to House & Senate Committees for Appropriations leadership.
• May 9 – “We write to express our deep concern regarding the plight of the Cuban people. The combined effects of failed U.S. foreign policies and Cuban economic policies have created dire humanitarian conditions on the island. It is crucial for your administration to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and expedite the processing of assistance from humanitarian organizations.”. Letter to President Biden.
• May 6 – “On behalf of the 134 undersigned civil liberties, human rights, community, faith, and privacy organizations, we respectfully request that the United States Senate Committee on Finance refrain from advancing consideration of H.R. 6408, and its companion bill S. 4136, introduced by Senators John Cornyn and Angus King. This proposed legislation would unconstitutionally harm all Americans’ free speech and due process rights by creating new executive authorities that could be abused by any presidential administration seeking to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations arbitrarily.” Letter to Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.
• Apr. 29 – “We, the undersigned 103 immigrant, refugee, human rights and humanitarian organizations, write to express our alarm and deep disappointment following Congress’s decision to reinforce and codify the Biden Administration’s suspension of U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the principal aid provider for millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and in the surrounding region. Suspending funding during a humanitarian catastrophe, widespread starvation and looming famine is a moral and strategic failure that abandons nearly two million displaced Palestinians during a period of extreme need. We call on Congress to urgently introduce and pass legislation and for the President to support reinstating funding to UNRWA.” Coalition letter to President Biden, Speaker Johnson, and Majority Leader Schumer.
• Apr. 16 – “As members of the Alliance to End Hunger, the undersigned organizations urge you to pass supplemental appropriations for humanitarian assistance included in the security supplemental bill passed by the Senate with broad bipartisan support in February. Specifically, the final package should include the Senate-approved $9.15 billion for critically needed humanitarian, food security and resilience programs.” Letter to House and Senate leaders.
• Mar. 26 – “We, as global Christian leaders, stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Palestine and around the world and say the killing must stop, and the violence must be brought to an end. We ask world leaders to exercise strong moral courage to bring an immediate end to the violence and to open a pathway toward peace and an end to the conflict. We call for a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire where all combatants lay down their weapons and Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners held without the due process of law are released.” Churches for Middle East Peace letter to President Biden and his team.
• Mar. 26 – “Haitian Bridge Alliance and the undersigned 481 immigration, human rights, faith-based, and civil rights organizations write to request an extension and redesignation of the Republic of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and a moratorium on deportations to the Republic of Haiti.” – Letter to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and Secretary Mayorkas.
• Mar. 13 – “The undersigned organizations advocate for the human rights of immigrant communities and for a fair, functioning and humane immigration system. We urge Members of Congress to ensure that the FY2024 spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security does not increase funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention beyond FY2023’s already high levels.” Statement to Congressional leadership.
• Mar. 12 – The Yes In God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act, legislation to support faith-based organizations and colleges wanting to build and preserve affordable housing on their land and reduce barriers to the development of this housing, was endorsed by a group of faith groups and coalitions including the ELCA when it was introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH). Endorsement.
• Feb. 29 – “The undersigned 194 organizations-–which include medical, academic, human rights, immigration, civil rights, and faith groups—write today with an urgent call to action: DHS must end the practice of solitary confinement in all immigration detention centers.” Letter to President Biden, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Deputy Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• Feb. 14 – “We are non-governmental organizations supporting the protection of civilians in the conflict in the Occupied Gaza Strip and writing to urge you to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).” Letter to President Biden.
• Feb. 7 – “We, the 662 undersigned faith leaders and 155 faith-based organizations and congregations, write to express our profound concern and opposition to measures proposed in the ‘Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024’ that will further restrict access to asylum, arbitrarily close the border, and turn away families and individuals seeking safety and refuge in the United States.” Letter to Members of Congress. 
• Jan. 11 – “We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to cosponsor and vote in favor of S.Res.504, Senator Bernie Sanders’ resolution under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. § 2304) requiring a report on Israel’s human rights practices and U.S. military aid to Israel. After months of devastation in Gaza, there is urgent need for a meaningful debate on U.S. support for Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including the extent to which U.S. military aid may be supporting violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.” Letter to senators.
• Jan. 11 – “We are writing as the Circle of Protection, a coalition of churches and ministries with a combined membership of 100 million people. This letter is about pending issues that are especially important to people in poverty.” Circle of Protection letter to President Biden and Members of Congress naming priorities in FY2024 appropriations including WIC nutrition assistance, international humanitarian assistance, and the Child Tax Credit.

2023

• Dec. 21 – “With the winter getting colder, as religious denominations, faith-based service providers, and members of the Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs (DHN), we are compelled to reach out to urge you and your colleagues in Congress to provide the highest funding levels possible for affordable housing and homeless assistance programs in the fiscal year (FY) 24 federal budget to address the present homelessness crisis.” Letter to members of Congress. [Read this interfaith letter from domestichumanneeds.com, direct link not shared here.]
• Dec. 12 – “As 235 religious leaders and 143 national, state, and local faith-based organizations representing many faith traditions, we write to express deep concern over reports that your administration is considering agreeing to harsh and permanent asylum restrictions amid unrelated spending discussions.” Letter to President Biden and Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas.
• Nov. 29 – “…Instead, we call on governments worldwide to do everything possible to secure a bilateral ceasefire, one that will stop all violence from Hamas and Israel, allow for the safe release of civilian hostages held in Gaza, and give immediate and adequate access to desperately needed humanitarian aid to be delivered, including through crossings to Israel. Without an agreed upon end to violence from all parties – there is no path forward.” Churches for Middle East Peace Letter to President Biden.
• Nov. 17 – “On behalf of the undersigned… we strongly encourage the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend the interview waiver authorities set to expire on December 31, 2023. These authorities allow consular officers to waive in-person interviews for certain, low-risk nonimmigrant visa applicants and have resulted in significantly decreased wait times for nearly all visa applicants.” Letter to Secretary Blinken and Secretary Mayorkas.
• Nov. 13 – “We, the undersigned humanitarian, national security, human rights, faith-based, civilian protection, and grassroots organizations, write to express our alarm regarding the possible transfer of 155mm artillery shells to support Israel’s ground operations in the Gaza Strip. We urge you to refrain from granting the government of Israel access to the U.S.-origin 155mm munitions currently stockpiled there.” Letter to Secretary of Defense.
• Nov. 9 – “As religious leaders we write to request action that enables Puerto Rico, our home, to promptly, fully and permanently support nutrition assistance benefits for all its people in need. Please include Puerto Rico in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” Letter to members of Congress, endorses include Bishop Eaton.
• Oct. 16 – “We, the undersigned organizations, write to express our urgent concern regarding dire and escalating violence in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory, which continues to result in significant human suffering and loss of civilian life.” Open call for ceasefire.
• Oct. 12 – “…As Church-based denominations and organizations with deep ties to the Holy Land, we mourn with our Israeli and Palestinian siblings as they grieve the loss of loved ones and remain fearful of continued violence… At this critical time, it is incumbent upon Congress to act in ways that will help de-escalate the violence and stop further loss of life.” Letter to members of Congress.
• Sept. 26 – “As 53 faith organizations, representing people of faith across religious traditions and denominations… we urge Members of Congress to fund the government and to work in a bipartisan manner to pass a Continuing Resolution without harmful provisions.” Letter to members of Congress.
• Sept. 25 – “…the more than 600 undersigned national, state, and local organizations representing maternal and child health organizations, family support advocates, and research partners respectfully urge Congress to include sufficient resources in a short-term Continuing Resolution to ensure that WIC can continue providing all eligible women, infants, and children who seek to participate with the full, science-based nutrition benefit. We also call on Congress to fully fund WIC for fiscal year 2024 to sustain current benefits
• Sept. 12 – “On behalf of members of the Alliance to End Hunger, a coalition of humanitarian and development organizations, corporations, faith-based institutions, and others, we support the Administration’s supplemental request for international assistance that includes humanitarian, food security and resilience needs globally. As Congress develops its supplemental appropriations bill, we urge you to include this funding.” Letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committees leaders.
• Sept. 11 – “As leaders of Christian communions and agencies in the United States… Ahead of your upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, we urgently appeal to you to address the escalating violence, incitement, and hate crimes against Palestinian Christians under the new Israeli government.” Letter to President Biden.
• Sept. 6 – “This letter is about poverty-important decisions that Congress and the President will be considering in FY2024 appropriations, the Farm Bill, and possible tax legislation.” Circle of Protection letter to President Biden and members of Congress.
• Sept. 6 – “We, the undersigned 23 civil society organizations, are writing to respectfully request the immediate obligation of the funds provided by Congress in the FY2023 State, Foreign Operations appropriations bill for food assistance to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, distributed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Letter to Secretary of State.
• July 18 – “Over a year ago, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while reporting on the Israeli military’s invasion of a refugee camp in Jenin in the occupied West Bank… We, the undersigned organizations, call on Congress and the Biden administration to support Representative Andre Carson’s Justice for Shireen Act to require necessary reporting to Congress by the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in an effort to learn all the unanswered questions leading up to, during and after the fatal shot that killed Ms. Abu Akleh.” Letter to members of Congress.
• July 12 – “We, the undersigned 25 civil society organizations, are writing to respectfully request your assistance in releasing the funds provided in the FY23 State, Foreign Operations appropriations bill for food assistance to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, distributed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).” Letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member.
• June 1 – “We are writing to ask you to use your voice and influence as a public official to speak out publicly against a surge in legislative, regulatory, and legal threats seeking to undermine the practice of ESG investing.” Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility letter to members of Congress.
• May 18 – “On behalf of the 30 undersigned faith organizations representing people of faith across religious traditions and denominations, we write today to urge you to protect critical anti-poverty programs – food, healthcare, income supports, and housing – that help the most vulnerable to thrive in final negotiations related to the debt ceiling crisis.” Letter to the President and Speaker of the House.
• April 24 – “More than 50 organizations… committed to gender justice submit this comment in support of strengthening the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Proposed Rule on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing… We commend HUD for advancing this important regulation, which is a critical tool for creating more equitable and inclusive communities in which all residents, including women and LGBTQI+ people, have access to the resources and opportunities they need to live with dignity and flourish.” Public comment submitted to HUD.
• April 11 – “On behalf of the 22 undersigned faith organizations representing people of faith across religious traditions and denominations, we write today to urge you to protect critical anti-poverty programs – food, healthcare, and housing – that help the most vulnerable to thrive in the upcoming negotiations related to the budget.” Letter to Speaker McCarthy, Minority Leader Jeffries, Majority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader McConnell.
• April 3 – “As you determine priorities for the upcoming Farm Bill, we strongly urge you to further support and promote nutrition in International Food Aid Programs. Promoting both food and nutrition security is critical to ensuring populations around the globe can access the foods and nutrients needed to maintain health as well as prevent and treat malnutrition.” Letter to House and Senate Committees on Agriculture.
• March 31 – “The undersigned 39 national organizations urge you to support robust funding to meet the affordable housing needs of older adults.” Letter to Chairs and Ranking Members.
• March 29 – “As a multifaith group of 20 organizations committed to saving lives and advancing the dignity of vulnerable and marginalized people around the world, we urge your support for strong U.S. investments in international humanitarian, poverty-focused development assistance, and peacebuilding programs.” Letter to House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
• March 28 – “As people of faith who recognize and uplift the inherent dignity of all individuals and the simple right to breathe without risk of harm, we urge the EPA to issue stricter standards and help correct environmental injustices, promote public health, and protect God’s Creation.” Coalition Letter to E.P.A. Administrator with Comments on Proposed Soot Standard.
• March 23 – “We, the 130 undersigned faith organizations, write to you to express our grave concern regarding the reports of your administration considering reinstating family detention, an immoral and inhumane practice that was discontinued by your administration at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in 2021.” Letter to President Biden.
• March 15 – “Our nation must do more to address hunger and SNAP has a key part to play. The 2023 Farm Bill presents opportunities to make further progress. We ask you to work to strengthen SNAP and protect the program from cuts or other harmful changes.” Joint Statement in support of SNAP.
• March 13 – “As national religious denominations and faith-based organizations in the United States with ties to Cuban religious communities and the Cuban people… We urge you to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and seek a path toward normalization in our nation’s relationship with the Cuban people and government.” Letter to President Biden.
• March 13 – “From our church communions and partners, we are hearing unprecedented concern about the deteriorating human rights situation and rise in violence in both the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. U.S. military funding to Israel in part sustains this violence, making the U.S. government complicit in ongoing abuses. As U.S churches and church-based organizations, we call for change to end this U.S. complicity and ask that the U.S. government hold Israel accountable for its abuses including by cutting military aid.” Letter to President Biden and Members of Congress.
• February 27 – “…We pray that members of Congress and the administration will work together to keep our government creditworthy without cutting poverty-focused programs.” Letter to President Biden and the 118th Congress, organized by Circle of Protection
• February 17 – National Faith Organizations urge the United States to lift sanctions on Syria and expedite humanitarian assistance to facilitate earthquake response. Faith letter to Biden administration and members of Congress.
• February 1 – “…We ask that you temporarily halt security assistance from the United States to Peru as a strong message of support for the basic human rights of Peruvian citizens.” Faith Letter to President Biden.
• February 1 – ““The NGO Committee on Migration and the undersigned endorsers call on world leaders to accelerate their efforts to end child labor by 2025.” A Call to Action by world leaders appeal organized by the NGO Committee on Migration.
• February 1 – “We, the 1,921 undersigned organizations, write to urge the Biden administration to use the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget request to call for robust funding for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs that help low-income households and communities thrive.” Letter to President Biden and Secretary Fudge organized with the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding.
• January 23 – “As 165 faith-based organizations and congregations across traditions, we write with grave concern about the forthcoming Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that will set in motion an asylum ban in the form of a rule that bars people from asylum if they enter without inspection or do not seek protection in countries of transit.” Letter to President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken.
• January 9 – “We, the 94 undersigned civil society organizations, are writing ahead of the North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS) to urge your administrations to center human rights, humanitarian protection, and access to asylum for individuals fleeing persecution in your discussions regarding regional migration.” Letter to the President of the United States, the President of Mexico, and the Prime Minister of Canada.”

2022

• November 28, 2022 – “The Respect for Marriage Act is a simple way to provide legal stability for all married couples and their families. Within our communities, we approach matters of marriage, family, and identity differently. This bill recognizes this diversity of belief while ensuring that same-sex and interracial couples are treated with equal respect by federal and state governments.” Letter to Senators Baldwin and Collins.
• November 22, 2022 – “We are writing to urge you to expand the Child Tax Credit, especially for the
  poorest families during the Lame Duck Session.” Letter to president and members of Congress through Circle of Protection.
• November 16, 2022 – “On behalf of the 45 undersigned faith-based organizations, we join together in support for the Respect for Marriage Act (S. 4556).” Letter to senators.
• November 15, 2022 – ““As faith leaders with a deep concern for the Holy Land, we call on our government to lead a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.” Letter to Secretary of State signed by ELCA presiding bishop.
• September 27, 2022 – “As U.S.-based groups concerned with public health at home and abroad, we write to ask you to deliver urgently needed health funding for COVID-19 and the Monkeypox Virus (MPXV) response to protect domestic and global health.” Letter to Congressional Appropriators.
• September 23, 2022 – “We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to urge you to take immediate action to activate disaster recovery efforts in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona.” Letter to Administrator Criswell and Secretary Fudge.
• September 21, 2022 – “On the one-year anniversary of the restart and expansion of the Central American Minors (CAM) Refugee and Parole Program, the undersigned immigrant and refugee rights organizations write to request that your administration immediately strengthen the program so that it can deliver on its promise as a pathway to safety and family reunification.” Letter to President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken.
• September 16, 2022 – “As 111 religious leaders and 59 national, state, and local faith-based organizations across traditions, we urge you to support and pass the Afghan Adjustment Act (S.4787 / H.R.8685) as part of the upcoming FY 2023 Continuing Resolution.” Letter to Members of Congress.
• September 15, 2022 – “The undersigned organizations urge your administration to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala.” Letter to President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken.”
• August 22, 2022 – Ending border officials’ religious-freedom violations and their practice of trashing migrants’ personal belongings. Letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary.
• August 1, 2022 – Righting the wrongs of family separation. Letter to House and Senate leaders.
• July 28, 2022 – Federal Financial Aid Access in FY 2022 Reconciliation for DACA, TPS, and DED Holders. Letter to Senate and House leaders from 96 groups.
• July 20, 2022 – “We are writing now with a very specific purpose—to urge that the budget reconciliation package include funding to close the Medicaid coverage gap and extend life-saving medical care to the two million Americans who are currently unprotected because their state did not expand Medicaid as provided under the Affordable Care Act.” Circle of Protection letter to senators.
• July 7, 2022 – “As the undersigned religious denominations, faith-based service providers, and houses of worship from across the country, we ask you to proactively support the Housing First model as a proven strategy to address homelessness and housing insecurity in our communities.” Letter to members of Congress.
• July 7, 2022 – “As Christian faith organizations with a deep concern for the Holy Land, we urge you allow floor consideration and support passage of Representative Andre Carson’s amendment to the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
• July 1, 2022 – “On Monday, the nation witnessed a tragedy as at least 53 individuals were found dead in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, with reportedly 16 more individuals sent to local hospitals… We believe the surviving victims are at imminent risk of deportation or expulsion under Title 42 and want to ensure that your office is aware of this risk and takes action to prevent it from occurring.” Letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas organized through American Immigration Council.
• June 29, 2022 – “As representatives of faith-based denominations and organizations, many of whom have a long history of relationships with Cuban faith partners…. We hope these initial positive steps will help increase support for the Cuban people and allow Cuban Americans to assist their families on the island.” Letter to President Biden.
• June 23, 2022 – “As people of faith, we are called to seek peace and imagine a world free from war and the threats of nuclear weapons. Today, we are calling on President Biden to move one step closer to that vision through a mutual return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by the United States and Iran.” Faith leader statement.
• June 17, 2022 – “As the undersigned members of the Washington Interfaith Staff Community, our religious organizations would like to express support for a letter… that [supports] creating a federal reparations commission through an executive order by Sunday, June 19, the Juneteenth holiday.” Letter to PresidentBiden.
• June 14, 2022 – “The undersigned 21 organizations from the Washington Interreligious Staff Community (WISC) Health Care Working Group write to urge you to advance a budget reconciliation package that prioritizes health care for vulnerable communities.” Letter to Senators.
• May 18, 2022 – “Today we, bishops of the [ELCA], write you as lead congressional appropriators, to call your attention to the dire cash flow situation faced by the Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) in East Jerusalem. A.” Letter to congressional foreign affairs chairmen.
• May 9, 2022 – “The undersigned… write to express our deep concern with the text introduced in the TRIPS Council on May 3, 2022 that has been put forward as an alternative to the proposed waiver of World Trade Organization (WTO) intellectual property (IP) barriers for COVID-19 medical tools. We urge the U.S. and other WTO Member States to reject this text and negotiate a true TRIPS waiver instead.” Letter to U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai.
• May 6, 2022 – “We call on Congress to appropriate $5 billion in emergency resources to address food insecurity and humanitarian crises exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine…” Letter to congressional appropriations chairmen and Leadership.

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By Laura Muther [About the author]

My familiarity with this devotional’s biblical passage and its connection to advocacy began in college, as Matthew 5:13-16 was our theme for the Spirit-led social justice student organization that I helped lead, the Social Action Leadership Team (SALT). Being a part of SALT helped me to find where the light of truth was leading me and allowed me to start shining that light through running the World Relief Campaign. It helped me to find a community of advocacy-minded friends where I developed the skills I carry with me today.

For me, the light of Christ led me to become an ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow. In my work as a fellow, I am preparing to help other California Lutherans advocate in the halls of power at their state legislators’ offices. As advocates, we do God’s work when we play a role in shining the light of truth upon the wrongs and injustices in our state, nation and global community. Although it is one of the things the Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California does, shining our light can be done in more ways than just a Lutheran Lobby Day at our state capitol.

Sometimes the flame of justice burning within us may not look like a light. It may look like a whistle blowing to alert neighbors of the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in their streets. It can look like bringing groceries to immigrant and migrant neighbors. It can look like attending a vigil to honor immigrant communities. When two or three are gathered in community to advocate on behalf of their neighbor, Christ is there.

This world so often feels full of darkness; may God help us find a way to turn on the light of truth in the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Muther is the Hunger Advocacy fellow for the Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California. Muther is an alumna of Valparaiso University, where she served as Chair of the Social Action Leadership Team (SALT), after serving as donor relations co-leader and faith and reflections coordinator. Following her time at Valparaiso University, Muther served a year with the Episcopal Service Corps in Seattle as a Vendor Program Intern with Real Change news, working with members of Seattle’s unhoused and low-income population. She is from the St. Louis area and enjoys photography and hiking.

Following are updates shared from submissions from ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices (SPPOs) this quarter (formerly shared monthly). Full list and map of SPPOs available.

KANSAS | PENNSYLVANIA | VIRGINIA | WISCONSIN

Kansas Interfaith Action

Rabbi Moti Rieber, Executive Director

These last few months have been a whirlwind of advocacy, community building, and rapid response at Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA). Following a much-needed holiday recharge, our team hit the ground running as the 2026 legislative session began, a session that has already proven to be as grueling as anticipated.

We rang in the new year by launching our legislative platform centered on a singular truth – human needs are human rights – and announcing a rally with the same theme. This vision came to life in January when over 650 Kansans and over a dozen coalition partners gathered at the State Capitol for our “Human Needs are Human Rights” rally, sending a powerful message that demanded human-centered policy and reminded elected leaders that every person is made in the image of God. In addition to this rally, KIFA has joined partners under the dome this legislative session for LGBTQ+ Equality Day, Anti-Hunger Action Day, and Latino Lobby Day to stand in solidarity with our neighbors.

Since the very start of this legislative session, we’ve been in high gear, mobilizing our KIFA base and navigating a legislative session defined by procedural chicanery and fast-tracked legislation. Critical priorities include mobilizing against SB 244, an anti-trans bill that threatens the safety and rights of the trans and broader LGBTQ+ communities. It would require gender markers on state IDs to match a person’s sex assigned at birth and require them to use the bathroom that matches that marker. We are now calling on our base to urge lawmakers to sustain the governor’s veto, which is widely and imminently expected. Both chambers passed it via “emergency action.” Read the “Kansas Interfaith Action Condemns Legislators’ Attacks on Gender Freedom and Broken Legislative Process” statement here, which includes a strong renouncement from Rabbi Moti Rieber, KIFA Executive Director.

We are also fighting SB 254 and HB 2448/HCR 5021, which collectively aim to strip benefits from immigrants and create unnecessary barriers to voting. Regarding the former, instead of receiving a hearing in a House committee, leadership decided to bypass the hearing process (like they did with SB 244, the anti-trans bill) and pass it via “emergency action” on the house floor. That being said, an amendment was passed stripping out the in-state tuition portion, so it doesn’t match the Senate bill. This means a joint Senate-House conference committee will be called to iron out the differences between the bills. Regarding the latter, HB 2448 requires that citizenship status be listed on Kansas state issued IDs, such as a driver’s license, regardless of legal immigration status. HCR 5021 rewrites the Kansas Constitution to require these state issued IDs or a passport in order to vote, restricting our right to vote to only those who can overcome certain barriers. While these bills have been introduced separately, together they lay out a deliberate plan to deny our freedom to vote while also putting our immigrant neighbors at risk.

On a non-legislative note, KIFA has also launched “We the People,” a virtual series on faith and public life, with the ELCA Central States Synod! We also completed a major overhaul of our website. Visit kansasinterfaithaction.org to check it out. We’re committed to helping Kansans put their faith into action, offline and online.

Contributing writer: Sagi Rudnick, KIFA Program & Advocacy Associate 

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Director

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) staff kicked off 2026 by equipping youth and their leaders in the Lower Susquehanna Synod for hunger advocacy at Winterfest Youth Gathering. More than 200 youth and leaders at the synod’s annual winter retreat heard from recent LAMPa racial justice fellow Anna Oslikova about the transformative power of advocacy and then took first steps themselves — writing postcards to policymakers after packing more than 30,000 meals for hungry neighbors.

Oslikova, who completed an Isaiah 58:12 racial justice fellowship in 2025, shared her experience getting to know immigrant farmworkers in her region. “The lasting impact for me was the fact that advocacy takes courage, and stepping out of my comfort zone inspired me in ways like showing me my capabilities that I never thought I would have been able to have,” said Oslikova.

To mark MLK Day and equip disciples to pursue justice all year long, LAMPa partnered with United Lutheran Seminary and Gettysburg College to host “Prophets, Saints and Kings: Resisting Christian Nationalism and Building Beloved Community with King and Bonhoeffer.” Recordings of the event are available here.

LAMPa also unveiled a six-week curriculum (perfect for Lent) on the new ELCA social statement, Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All. Download the curriculum from here.

As we pray for the church in Minnesota and communities standing up for immigrant neighbors across our country, LAMPa has been working within the PA Immigration Coalition and supporting synods and congregations speaking up for state and local welcoming policies while developing rapid response networks across the Commonwealth.

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook, Executive Director

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) kicked off the 2026 General Assembly Legislative Session on January 14th with renewed momentum for change. This year, our priority bills address critical issues affecting Virginia communities: maternal health reform, higher education access for incarcerated individuals, affordable housing expansion and increased support for working families, including paid sick days.

As these bills move through the legislature, we’re encouraged by the bipartisan support many of our initiatives have garnered which is a hopeful sign in these politically divided times.

Beyond legislative advocacy, we mobilized faith leaders across Virginia to voice concerns about a proposed Department of Homeland Security purchase of a warehouse in Hanover County. Through coordinated efforts and unified advocacy, we successfully prevented this purchase from moving forward. This was a powerful demonstration of the power of organized faith communities to protect their neighborhoods.

On January 21st, we hosted our annual Day for All People lobby day in Richmond, Virginia. This signature event brought together over 425 participants who engaged directly with legislators and attended educational workshops focused on our policy priorities. The day’s programming featured a powerful panel discussion on the importance of intergenerational advocacy in the pursuit of justice, highlighting how voices across age groups strengthen our collective impact.

The strong turnout and enthusiastic participation demonstrate the deep commitment Virginians have to building a more just and equitable commonwealth. As the legislative session progresses, we remain dedicated to advancing policies that reflect our shared values of dignity, fairness, and opportunity for all.

Lutheran Office of Public Policy in Wisconsin

Kacy Kostiuk, Director

The Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) continues to engage faithfully in public witness, policy advocacy, and outreach across the state.

Letter to Elected Officials

Recently, LOPPW sent the letter, “To Elected Officials Entrusted with Public Leadership in Wisconsin,” which expressed deep concern about the violence and fear in Minnesota following U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deployment and the ripple effects in Wisconsin communities. The letter called on public officials to speak clearly against violence, reject rhetoric that dehumanizes, promote transparency and accountability and work across political lines to build trust and ensure safety.

Legislative Advocacy

LOPPW has been engaged on a range of policy priorities with the Wisconsin Legislature this year. Advocacy efforts include collaboration with faith-based and secular partners to:

• Advocate for state funding to address federal changes to SNAP/FoodShare.
• Support groundwater protection measures.
• Oppose deregulation of potentially predatory lending practices.
• Oppose legislation that would criminalize homelessness.

LOPPW has also supported legislation to prevent human trafficking and support survivors, create a task force addressing missing and murdered African American women and girls, and enable DACA recipients to access professional licensure in fields such as nursing and teaching.

Outreach

LOPPW has been connecting with ELCA congregations and members across Wisconsin, including at the synod-sponsored Winter Theological Event in northwestern Wisconsin, “Together in Mission” in the greater Milwaukee area, and the LEAD Conference in southcentral Wisconsin.

LOPPW launched a newly designed website and has developed several new outreach materials, including this “Faith in Action” What Can You Do? flyer.

Spring outreach will continue with updated electronic resources and in-person visits during Lent and beyond, as LOPPW prepares for engagement ahead of the 2026 elections. We are also supporting an emerging inter-congregational collaboration effort related to advocacy. Stay tuned for more about this and opportunities to connect with others!

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: January 2026

In our January 2026 issue, find Action Alert, Resource and opportunity updates. Look for a resumption of Policy Notes in our next issue which are expanded in the ELCA Advocacy Blog.

• Read the current Advocacy Connections here.

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Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

After a record-setting 43 days of shutdown, the federal government resumed operations with a bill signed by President Trump on the evening of Nov. 13, 2025, which funds most federal agencies through Jan. 30, 2026. A message was sent to U.S. House and Senate representatives expressing gratitude for the reopening. This message, which follows, also noted prayer in our ELCA communities for our elected leaders and public servants and encouraged “lawmakers at all levels of government to prioritize consistent and good governance in the future.”

November 14, 2025

Gratitude for Reopening of Government

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gives thanks for the resolution of the government shutdown and the restoration of essential services to families across this nation. With the government open, we ask our elected leaders to now work together to ensure all are able to afford healthcare in this country. We pray for all who were affected during this period of uncertainty and disruption as well as for all those who face the deadly consequences of unaffordable healthcare.

The Bible emphasizes a consistent ethic of care for people who are poor in over 2000 verses. As Christians, we hold in our hearts profound concern for people experiencing poverty and we are called to act in civic life for the benefit of our neighbors. Many of our congregations work in parallel and in partnership with the government to implement federal nutrition programs such as SNAP, WIC, and child nutrition — services that face disruption, delays, or uncertainty during shutdowns. Over the past few weeks, many ELCA World Hunger ministries and countless food pantries across this church have witnessed firsthand the shocking and overwhelming demand that arises when families lose access to these vital resources.

The impact of government shutdowns extends beyond immediate hunger relief. Farmers who depend on Department of Agriculture services, dedicated public servants, community organizations that rely on federal partnerships, and more, all experience the ripple effects of governmental dysfunction. The ELCA’s social message on “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy” reminds us that government exists to serve the common good and protect human dignity and that public service is a noble vocation. While we recognize that people of faith may disagree on matters of policy, we share a responsibility to ensure that governance itself functions effectively. Shutdowns undermine the trust essential to democratic institutions and harm the most vulnerable among us.

We urge our elected leaders to:

• • Prioritize good governance and return to a bipartisan appropriations process focused on the common good;
  • Advance and pass legislation as soon as possible to address surges in healthcare premium costs;
  • Protect and fund programs that serve people experiencing poverty, hunger, and illness in all upcoming budget negotiations;
  • Seek common ground through civil dialogue that honors the dignity of all people and creation;
  • Remember that behind every program and service are real people whose lives and livelihoods depend on stable, functional government.

As Christians, whose baptismal call is to “strive for justice and peace in all the earth” we work together for the common good and commit ourselves to continued advocacy for just policies and accountability in public life. We will continue to accompany people affected by hunger and economic insecurity. We encourage congregations to engage and partner with their elected representatives to ensure no one goes hungry.

We pray for our elected leaders and all public servants as they enter the next period of budget discernment and encourage lawmakers at all levels of government to prioritize consistent and good governance in the future.

The Rev. Amy Reumann
Senior Director, Witness in Society
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The U.S. government could run out of funding on Oct. 1, 2025, if Congress does not pass new legislation to fund its operations. A government shutdown would occur at midnight on Sep. 30, the end of the 2025 fiscal year, if no agreement is reached. On Sep. 24 the ELCA advocacy staff advanced the following message to members of Congress and The White House Faith Office.

September 24, 2025

ELCA Urges Immediate Return to Negotiating Table

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a denomination of 2.7 million members who span the ideological and partisan spectrum, strongly urges the members of Congress and President Trump to return to the negotiating table now and work in a bipartisan manner to fund the government.

Actions by this country’s elected officials jeopardize good government and the well-being of all that good governance facilitates. These actions include:

• • recurring government shutdown fights,
  • continual deepening of our nation’s unsustainably high debt, and
  • replacing normal bipartisan appropriations with unilateral reconciliation or rescissions.

This church understands government as a gift from God intended to promote the common good. This gift is a vital piece of God’s provision for the world God so loves (John 3:16) and especially for the hungry, sick, and poor with whom Christ identifies himself (Mathew 25:40).

Our government must do better. Failure to negotiate with one another and with the president will lead to a government shutdown that will hurt all Americans and harm the most vulnerable members of society first and worst of all. Likewise, failure to address healthcare premiums will result in over twenty million Americans facing dramatic increases in their healthcare costs starting in January 2026. Neither of these outcomes is acceptable.

We are deeply concerned by the breakdown of bipartisan governance, and we strongly urge the leaders and members of both major parties to govern for all their constituents, not just their supporters.

The Rev. Amy Reumann
Senior Director, Witness in Society
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

TERMS: More about reconciliation is available from Congress.gov. The Bipartisan Policy Center offers a “Rescissions 101” with more information.