Wednesday, January 29, 2025
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST
Location: Online Via Livestream
As a new U.S. presidential administration and Congress begin their work, the nation faces critical choices on budget priorities and tax policies that will help or hurt “the least of these,” including poor kids and their families. Reports indicate major cuts to food assistance, Medicaid, and housing are being considered to help pay for tax cuts that would primarily benefit more affluent individuals and corporations. What are the moral dimensions and human consequences of these priorities?
On the other hand, there appears to be bipartisan interest in expanding and strengthening the Child Tax Credit, which provides essential help to families with children and could help lift poor kids and families out of poverty. Could this effort unite the pro-life community and the social justice community in the Catholic Church and nation to support vulnerable children, women, and families? How will the Child Tax Credit be structured? Will it include the poorest families? Can this become an area of cooperation and a priority that would advance the common good and demonstrate a priority for those who are poor?
This online dialogue will bring together leaders and experts to examine the threats and opportunities for assistance to the poorest families in America.
Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative and member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, will moderate the dialogue.
Recording
The dialogue will be livestreamed and posted online for later viewing.
Participants
Peggy Bailey
Peggy Bailey is the executive vice president for policy and program development and the vice president for housing and income security at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
John Carr
John Carr is the founder of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University and a founder of the Circle of Protection, a coalition of faith-based organizations that advocate for low-income families in U.S. budget and tax debates.
Sandra Jackson
Sandra Jackson is the president and CEO of House of Ruth and the 2020 recipient of the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award from Georgetown University.
Michael Strain
Michael Strain is the director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute.
Accessibility
All accommodation requests should be sent to cathsocialthought@georgetown.edu by January 24. A good-faith effort will be made to fulfill requests.