Ben Miksch, State and Federal Policy Associate

You might have been hopeful when you heard the news earlier this week that Congress finally came together to do something about sequestration...and then have that turn to disappointment when you found they only passed a bill to ease air traffic delays while leaving the other much more brutal cuts in place. This inspired me to share the Coalition on Human Needs Weekly Sequestration Impact Reports. Every week they've been compiling lists of news articles about how sequestration is hurting people across the country. The article lists news stories of real people being impacted by the cuts, like the this one:

Virginia: Elmer Gilbert Winn, Jr., age 59, received a rental voucher from Fairfax authorities, but before he was able to find an apartment, they rescinded it as a result of sequestration cuts. Winn, who uses an oxygen tank and has had a collapsed lung four times, now pays $400 rent to a friend to sleep in the kitchen, out of his $710 in Social Security disability and $35 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/food stamps. Before that, he was sleeping on the streets, something he is now too ill to do. But his friend has been hospitalized, and that means Winn may no longer be able to stay in his apartment.

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We continue to advocate that Congress address the entirety of sequestration, especially the parts are hurting our most vulnerable neighbors. In the meantime, you can read this week's latest Sequestration Impact Report here.

NPR also just produced an excellent story yesterday explaining how the federal sequester is reducing housing vouchers in every state, with some personal quotes from people who are homeless as a result. You can read/listen to it here: Sequester Puts Some Needing Housing Aid 'Back To Square One.

Just more reminders that sequestration is already resulting in more households being at risk of homelessness, which makes our budget fight in Olympia all the more important. If you haven't already, don't forget to take action now!