June 10: Hundreds of Clergy, Faith Leaders, Congregants to Gather at U.S. Capitol for Moral Budget Vigil

June 10, 2025

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Shannon Craig Straw, scstraw@westendstrategy.com, 202-674-5921

June 10: Hundreds of Clergy, Faith Leaders, Congregants to Gather at U.S. Capitol for Moral Budget Vigil

Following the vigil, participants will meet with senators on the Capitol steps to urge protection of Medicaid, SNAP and other vital programs

WASHINGTON – Hundreds of clergy, faith leaders and congregants representing millions of American Christians and people of faith across traditions and denominations will gather in Upper Senate Park near the U.S. Capitol Building at 10:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, June 10, to urge senators to protect Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs that most impact the lives of those Jesus called “the least of these.” Stripping support from the nation’s most vulnerable communities in order to cut taxes for the rich, is a moral tradeoff that organizers point out followers of Jesus must not accept.

Organized by the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice, Sojourners, Skinner Leadership Institute and the National African American Clergy Network, the clergy will hold a vigil and pray for a moral budget. The Moral Budget Vigil will feature a choir from Zion Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., as well as remarks from local and national clergy. Vigil speakers will include the Rev. Jim Wallis of Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice; the Rev. Adam Taylor of Sojourners; Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner of the National African American Clergy Network; Bishop Mariann Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington; Bishop Reginald Jackson of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev. Paul Raushenbush of Interfaith Alliance; the Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck of Faithful America; the Rev. Carlos L. Malave of the Latino Christian National Network; the Rev. Teresa Hord Owens of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); and the Rev. Starsky Wilson of Children’s Defense Fund.

Clergy and leaders in robes, collars and religious vestments will offer prayers, sing songs, read scripture and testify to the Gospel, providing a moral reckoning at this critical moment in history.

Following the Moral Budget Vigil, participants will process from the park to the Senate steps, where they are expected to be joined by senators. Some of the leaders will then head to Senate offices to discuss the critical need to protect programs that care for the sick and provide food for the hungry, focused on the nation’s most vulnerable families, children, and seniors.

Supporting partners include the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, American Friends Service Committee, Franciscan Action Network, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Pax Christi USA, Asian American Christian Collaborative, Latino Christian National Network, Fellowship Southwest, Zion Baptist Church, Passion2Plant Network, Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence, Interfaith Alliance, Creation Justice Ministries, Red Letter Christians, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Faithful America, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), United Women in Faith, Children's Defense Fund, National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice, Faith in Action, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Faith in Public Life, Chasing Justice, District of Columbia Baptist Convention, Southern Christian Coalition, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Ebenezer AME Church, Gamaliel, Faith in Democracy, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Reid Temple AME Church.

Media should RSVP to cfj@westendstrategy.com. In-person interview opportunities will be available. Visuals include clergy in robes, clerical collars, and religious garb in front of the U.S. Capitol Building.

WHAT: Vigil and Procession for a Moral Budget

WHO: Christian clergy and people of faith

WHEN: Tuesday, June 10 at 10:30 a.m. ET

Where:

Upper Senate Park

near the U.S. Capitol Building