Press Release: Statement on the passage of H.R.1, Budget Reconciliation in the House – Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 3, 2025

Contact: Pablo DeJesús | info@uusj.org

This Will Reverberate for Decades, if Not Generations

The House committed profound injury to the average American

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pablo DeJesús, Executive Director of Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, issued the following statement upon passage of the H.R.1 One Big Beautiful Bill, reconciliation package, on a party line vote, which now goes to President Trump for signature.

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“The passage of the H.R.1 – One Big Beautiful Bill, the budget reconciliation package, represents a profound disappointment for Unitarian Universalists, starkly opposing our belief in generosity, compassion, and respect for the inherent worth of every person. Its consequences will reverberate for decades, if not generations, marking a significant moral failure that inflicts both systemic and personal harm.

We are particularly troubled by the disregard shown toward vulnerable populations, including immigrants and those of modest means. The emphasis on tax cuts for the wealthy and billionaires, alongside funding for mass detention, family separation, deportation, and increased military expenditures, comes at the expense of essential programs, educational opportunities, and clean energy initiatives—this is a grave moral failing. The immense debt placed on future generations is both unforgivable and hypocritical, reflecting an abhorrent favoritism toward large corporations and powerful special interests.

Budgets serve as moral documents, and the policy direction reflected in this plan directly contradicts our principles of equity and community care. It’s the essence of what the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival has termed “federal policy violence.”

In healthcare, this means unnecessary suffering and loss of life. Regarding nutrition, it translates to hunger for children and their families. In education, it poses significant challenges for youth striving to improve their productivity and prospects. Concerning immigration, it escalates an economically foolish enforcement regime that will further tear families apart. In terms of energy policy, it obstructs communities from making necessary transitions as dictated by scientific and climate realities. Militarily, it entrenches us in a cycle of overspending and a posture of endless, forever war.

In this season of heart-rending trials, we are reminded of our responsibility to advocate for social justice and actively challenge the erosion of our most cherished American values, as well as to defy the rise of authoritarian tendencies in our country. With steadfast faith in the power of collective action, community accountability, and inclusivity, we commit ourselves to embodying the core values of love, justice, interdependence, equity, transformation, pluralism, and generosity central to our Unitarian Universalist tradition.

Now is the time to raise our voices, take action, and be the moral champions, compassionate supporters, and courageous advocates our nation and world urgently need.

We are Unitarian Universalists. We side with love—always, love. And we will persist in this commitment, even in the face of this injustice and its aftermath.”

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Established in 1999, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice is a network of Unitarian Universalist individuals and congregations that lifts up the light of reason, the warmth of community, and the flame of hope to advance equitable national policies and actions aligned with UU values through witness, education, and advocacy. We envision a just, compassionate, and sustainable world community.

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