Federal Issues (4/5/17 update)

(cf., USCCB, USCCB's Catholics Confront Global Poverty, USCCB's Justice for Immigrants, USCCB's Marriage Unique for a Reason's March 2017 Newsletter, Pa Catholic Conference, Human Life Action, Human Life Action's 12/16/16 email)

There are current alerts to contact the White House:

• Contact the President and Vice President Today and Urge Them to Support Religious Liberty! (Urge President Trump to Sign Executive Order Respecting Religious Freedom)

• In Solidarity with Refugees (Tell your legislators to suspend the refugee executive order!) 

("In its last month in office, the Obama administration issued a regulation that prohibited states from taking Title X family planning funds from Planned Parenthood. It was Obama’s parting gift to the organization.  Then, in February 2017, the new House of Representatives voted to overturn that rule and give control of the money, and who gets it, back to the states. The recorded vote was 230 - 188 (Roll no. 99).  Last Thursday, the US Senate voted on the same bill.  In the morning, there was a procedural vote to allow the bill to be brought to the Senate floor. That vote was a tie, so Vice President Pence was called in to cast his vote in support of the measure. The recorded vote by yea-nay vote was 51 - 50. Record Vote Number: 100.  Later in the day, the bill was brought to the floor for an up-or-down vote. Once again, the vote was tied and Pence cast the deciding vote. The bill now goes to President Trump for his signature. The recorded vote by yea-nay vote was 51 - 50. Record Vote Number: 101.  We pray that this will simply be the first in a long line of votes removing taxpayer money from Planned Parenthood" (American Life League, 4/5/17).)

There are current alerts to contact our elected representatives in D.C.:

• No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion

• Urge Congress to Enact the Conscience Protection Act of 2017! (Urge Congress to Enact the Conscience Protection Act of 2017!)

• Urge Congress to Protect Human Dignity and Combat Human Trafficking!

• In Solidarity with Refugees (Tell your legislators to suspend the refugee executive order!; Please Support the BRIDGE ACT and DACA Youth)

• Urge Congress to Address Hunger and Climate Change Now! (Protect Foreign Assistance to Combat Climate Change)

• Urge Congress to press Israel to stop confiscation of Christian lands in Cremisan Valley
  ("Israelis should not have to live in fear of Hamas' indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilian areas. At the same time, Palestinians should not have to live in fear for their lives from air and ground attacks or to suffer the humiliations of occupation....In August 2015, Israel's Supreme Court granted approval for the building of a separation barrier through the pristine Cremisan Valley. The Cremisan Valley lies in the West Bank on the Palestinian side of the Green Line, adjacent to Beit Jala and Bethlehem.  The separation barrier through the Cremisan Valley will have devastating effects for the local community, confiscating Palestinian agricultural and recreational lands of over 50 Christian families.  This threatens the livelihoods of the remaining Christian community of Bethlehem....The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has long supported a two-state solution, secure and recognized Israel living in peace alongside a viable and independent Palestinian state.  USCCB asks you to urge Congress to press Israeli authorities to stop the work on the Separation Wall in the Cremisan Valley.")