"For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery."

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 26, 2016 

 "For freedom Christ set us free;
so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery."

Legislative advocacy from the USCCB and its partner agency

• As per the USCCB’s “partner organization,” Support the Conscience Protection Act  (HR 4828/S 2927)
• As per the USCCB, Support CWPIA (Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act; HR 1299/ S667)
• As per the USCCB, Support FADA (First Amendment Defense Act; HR2802/ S1598)
• As per the USCCB, Oppose “confiscation of Christian lands in Cremisan Valley”
• As per the USCCB, Oppose HR 4731

Click to Email Pa's Congressional Delegation, asking for Co-Sponsorship/Support of legislation backed by the USCCB and/or the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment.

• As per the National Organization for Marriage, "Support HR 5053 to Stop IRS Abuses."

Advocacy in Harrisburg on pro life and pro marriage/family legislation

• As per the Pa Catholic Conference, “Please respect the concerns of all parties involved in adoption proceedings and vote no on HB 162 in its current form.” 
  
• As per the Pa Catholic Conference, "Ask your legislator to include the language of House Bill 1623 in the Fiscal Code.”  
• As per the Pa Catholic Conference,    “I am quite concerned that HB 1510/ SB 974 will run afoul of religious freedom and expose even more… to discrimination. Please  oppose the bill in its current form.”  "Well-funded out of state special interest groups and powerful lobbyists continue to push, and the latest move is to split SB 974 into parts to force it through in a piecemeal basis.  There are three proposed parts to this new strategy - SB 1306, SB 1307 and SB1316....tell them to vote no on SB 1306, SB1307 and SB 1316" (PaFamily.org).
• As per the Pa Catholic Conference, “Please represent me by voting yes on House Bill 1948.” (SB 888)
• As per the Pa Catholic Conference, HB 1947 “would not apply to public schools or government agencies....a legislative remedy must protect all children, not simply penalize some institutions” (i.e., Vote NO on HB 1947).   
• As per Pa Pro Life Online News (6/1/16), "Representative Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks County) is circulating a co-sponsorship memo for a bill that would repeal Act 13 of 2013....Act 13 is the common sense law that ensures that no taxpayer funding of abortion will occur in the health insurance exchange created in Pennsylvania under Obamacare."      
• The Pa Pro Life Federation encourages us to OPPOSE HB 1336, as it would take away your right to vote for judges.

Click to Email Bucks County's representatives and senators in Harrisburg, as well as the governor, on pro life and pro marriage/family matters.

• As per Pa Pro Life, we should immediately contact these members of the PA Senate Judiciary Committee, to urge votes for HB 1948:
• Senator Stewart Greenleaf (R )—Chair-- sgreenleaf@pasen.gov  (717) 787-6599
• John Rafferty (R )—Vice-Chair-- jrafferty@pasen.gov  (717) 787-1398
• Joseph Scarnati (R )-- jscarnati@pasen.gov (717) 787-7084
• Richard Alloway (R )-- alloway@pasen.gov  (717) 787-4651
• John Eichelberger (R )-- jeichelberger@pasen.gov  (717) 787-5490
• John Gordner (R )-- jgordner@pasen.gov  (717) 787-8928
• Guy Reschenthaler (R )—(no email address available)  (717) 787-5839
• Randy Vulakovich (R )--  rvulakovich@pasen.gov  (717) 787-6538
• Gene Yaw (R )-- gyaw@pasen.gov  (717) 787-3280

Also, in the news....

• Fortnight for Freedom (USCCB)
  
• People of Life (USCCB, June 2016)  
• Free to Serve (USCCB, June 2016)
• Marriage Unique for a Reason (USCCB, June 2016)
• "one bishop who should know better even opined, and I quote: 'It is religion, including our own which targets…and often breeds contempt for gays, lesbians and transgendered people.'  Where in our faith, where in our teachings — I ask you — do we target and breed contempt for any group of people?" (Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher: Men for our season, 6/20/16)
• Friday Fax (C-Fam, 6/23/16)
• Call to Prayer (USCCB, 6/24/2016)
• National NFP Awareness Week:  July 24 - July 30 (USCCB) 
• Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Summit: Sept 29 - Oct 1 (National Center on Sexual Exploitation)