Last week I began to think about writing a post about the pain the Appropriation bill passed by the U. S. House of Representatives on May 22, 2025 will cause, if it becomes law.  I experienced an attack of deep sadness; I lost all energy to do anything for a day.   This post is about the challenge of learning about and feeling the pain in the world. How do we hold on to faith, believing that all will be well?

This Trump administration-initiated and supported bill, “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” is a mix of tax cuts, mostly for the wealthy, and spending cuts that hurt poor and working people. Also affected are those with disabilities. 

To finance the bill, the House passed a resolution requiring $880 billion of spending cuts over ten years, $88 billion or more per year. While cutting Medicaid is not mentioned, analysis by independent KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), reports that cutting Medicaid and making cuts in other large spending areas like education are the only ways to achieve  the goal of $880 billion in cuts. 

Think about the pain already caused by reducing the federal work force, and eliminating support for clean energy, the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In my local community, neighbors are increasingly unable to make their mortgage payments and community emergency funds are being expanded. This is only the beginning of the pain.

If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, this appropriations bill would reduce the role of the federal government in services and support to those in need. Simultaneously, it expands wealth for the already rich.  More detailed analysis of the bill, and its potential harm  can be found at PBS and the Center for American Progress, among others. 

A month or so ago every weekend seemed to bring larger and larger local protests of the new Trump administration and its cuts. This appropriations bill does not seem to have generated the same level of protest. As its nickname suggests, the Trump administration has loaded the bill with various goodies that are of interest to different constituencies. As a result, the complexity of the bill requires effort to focus the opposition to it.  Structural racism, anti-immigration and anti-refugee policies and the roll back of climate change initiatives proceed onward. 

5 Calls is a national organization dedicated to grass roots advocacy. Their approach makes calling your Congressional representative simple; they suggest focusing on 3 things: the gutting of Medicaid, the boosting of ICE funding, and the sale of public lands for fossil fuel production. A recent article offers additional specific recommendations for contacting your Senator. 

Is it inevitable that some form of this bill will pass? Sadly, it seems likely. Is it possible to reduce the pain it causes? For sure. It is simpler to organize a protest opposing the closing of USAID, the loss of your friend’s federal job, or the oppressive tactics of ICE. These efforts are what the legendary organizer Saul Alinsky called “specific, immediate and realizable”. A complex appropriations and tax bill is more difficult to oppose.

So, I need to believe that good will ultimately triumph and then ask myself: What is mine to do about this bill? Because it is so complex and life is busy enough, it’s easy to put off considering this question. My spiritual practices help me overcome this avoidance habit. Daily quiet time is my opportunity to affirm my faith in a force for LOVE that connects us and then to pray for guidance about concrete actions. 

Without faith and quiet time, I would likely sit this out and watch as our nation loses ground in its fight for its soul.  Writing this post helps me focus on this difficult question. My next action is to consider what 5 calls to make, and make them. And then do 5 more until the vote occurs on the Senate bill. How might you explore what’s yours to do about the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, or some other injustice that you feel called to address?