For the past 50 years, inflation has surged by over 500%, outstripping wages and making it impossible for many parents to provide for their families without working multiple jobs. This economic strain—now compounded by record-shattering energy costs—forces an agonizing choice between survival and presence with one’s children, fueling a nationwide crisis in mental health, crime, and housing instability. While families across the nation face these impossible choices, federal spending priorities have become disconnected from the "General Welfare" mandated by the Constitution. In less than a year, Congress has funneled staggering amounts into enforcement agencies while domestic resources across the United States are in a state of collapse:

July 2025: The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) provided a historic $75 billion windfall to ICE.

May 1, 2026: This week, a new budget blueprint was approved to unlock an additional $70 billion for immigration and border enforcement.

National Evidence of Economic and Housing Failure: While billions are allocated to bureaucracy, the basic social contract is being broken in every corner of the country:

Record Gas Prices: As of today, May 1, 2026, gas prices have surged toward all-time highs. In Michigan, many stations in areas like Troy and Lansing have hit $4.99 per gallon, while the state average has jumped to $4.58. A typical driver is now spending roughly $2,375 annually on gas—over $660 more than last year.

Record Homelessness: Homelessness in the U.S. reached a record high of approximately 771,480 people in 2024, including nearly 150,000 children—a staggering 33% increase in underage homelessness.

Severe Poverty: As of early 2026, approximately 43.7 million people live in poverty. Child poverty has nearly tripled since 2021, surging to 13% as essential protections expired while prices continued to rise. Working families face a "survival gap" of up to $68,000 annually, with the true cost of living far exceeding federal poverty levels. Data indicates 42% of U.S. households, or 55 million families, fall into this gap, earning too much for aid but too little to cover basic expenses. These families fall below the ALICE threshold (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), meaning they earn more than the official poverty line but not enough to afford basic monthly bills.

Housing Cost Crisis: The gap between incomes and rent is at an all-time high. A record 8.53 million households now face "worst-case housing needs," spending more than half their income on rent.

Collapse of Essential Services (Iowa Example): Local authorities like the Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority (CIRHA) have announced they are currently unable to issue any new housing vouchers due to severe funding gaps. This lack of support led to the deployment of the National Guard in Iowa to conduct emergency food distribution when SNAP benefits were halted in late 2025.

Constitutional Grounding: We remind this Congress that its taxing and spending power under Article I, Section 8 is limited to the "General Welfare of the United States." Furthermore, the Preamble establishes that the government’s very purpose is to "promote the general Welfare." Under the 9th Amendment, the people retain fundamental rights to family stability and security that must not be denied or disparaged by arbitrary spending choices.

The Disparity in Leadership: Congress vs. The American HouseholdTo understand why our federal funding priorities are misplaced, we must look at the disconnect between those making the laws and the families living under them. While this petition calls for a redirect of funds toward housing and economic relief, the current reality of our representatives highlights a massive gap in lived experience:

Income Inequality: The average member of Congress earns a base salary of $174,000—nearly five times the federal poverty level. Meanwhile, the median income for a single mother in the U.S. is approximately $40,000, leaving millions to choose between rent and groceries.

Guaranteed Security vs. Basic Survival: Members of Congress receive 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave and a taxpayer-subsidized pension after just five years. In contrast, only 27% of private-sector workers have access to paid family leave, and most single parents have no guaranteed retirement security.

The Time Gap: In 2025, the House was scheduled to be in session for only 133 days. The average American worker clocks in for 260 days a year, often working multiple jobs just to stay afloat, with many receiving zero paid time off. 

The Request: We, the undersigned, demand that the United States Congress immediately redirect federal spending to prioritize the immediate needs of its citizens.

We call for: 

Immediate Reallocation of Recent Windfalls: Redirect unused billions from the 2025/2026 enforcement blueprints toward federal housing vouchers, SNAP stability, and emergency rental assistance.

Restore the Safety Net: Provide the necessary "catch-up" funding to organizations like CIRHA, Head Start, and WIC so they can restore services to the families they have been forced to fail.

Prioritization of the General Welfare: Cease the funneling of tax dollars into massive agency expansions until the basic housing, food, and energy needs of American citizens are met.

Update Social Safety Net Eligibility Requirements: Reevaluate aid limits to include ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households, addressing the gap between the Federal Poverty Level and the actual cost of living and adjusting thresholds to align with the ALICE Household Survival Budget to ensure working families, who often exceed outdated poverty metrics but cannot cover basic needs, receive necessary support.

Closing Statement: Desperation is a policy choice. We demand a budget that honors the spirit of the Constitution and puts the families of this nation first. We are not asking for special treatment; we are asking for a federal budget that reflects the urgency of the American struggle. If our leaders can guarantee their own financial and medical security, they must prioritize the same for the families they represent by redirecting bloated agency funding into direct housing support and economic relief.