Some Federal Issues of Particular Concern to Our Bishops
(cf., USCCB, USCCB's Catholics Confront Global Poverty, USCCB's Justice for Immigrants,
Pa Catholic Conference, Human Life Action)
Pa Catholic Conference, Human Life Action)
"The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding
for Abortion Act....Urge our Senators to support H.R. 7 to permanently protect our tax dollars from paying for or promoting elective abortions."
"Now is the time to contact Congress and advocate for the protection of life and freedom of conscience."
"We know it is important to say, 'thank you' when a member votes for life
as they often only hear criticism after a courageous vote. It is
equally important that those who did not vote with us be aware that we
are paying attention and that we expect better in the future."
On the USCCB web site, the reminder remains for us to
"Urge President Trump to Sign Executive Order Respecting Religious Freedom"
On the USCCB web site, the reminder remains for us to
"Urge President Trump to Sign Executive Order Respecting Religious Freedom"
"While the AHCA, laudably, restricts funding which flows to abortion
providers and prohibits federal funding for abortion or the purchase of
plans that cover abortion, it also makes changes that would result in
loss of affordable coverage for those on the margins....[While it acknowledges that we should] "Retain the AHCA's life protections for the unborn"...[it notes that Congress needs to] "Add conscience protections for those who
participate in the delivery or coverage of health care services and
against mandates like the contraception and sterilization regulatory
requirement from the DHS."
- "'That the American Health Care Act limits Medicaid funds to entities that don’t kill people is entirely appropriate, not to mention a step that’s long overdue,' said Father Frank Pavone, national president of Priests for Life. 'Sending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to an organization that dismembers 320,000 unborn babies a year adds up to a travesty of justice,' he added. 'The Senate should approve the defunding legislation as soon as possible and send it to the president’s desk. The scam of using public money to prop up abortion businesses needs to be terminated" (Catholic Herald, 5/6/17)
Say, Hasn't the Church Also Said a Few Things about Marriage/Family/Sexuality, Already?
"The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (CWPIA) protects the religious
liberties of child welfare service providers, including adoption and
foster care agencies. The Act would prohibit the federal government and
any state that receives certain federal funding from discriminating
against child welfare service providers on the basis that they decline
to provide a child welfare service that conflicts with their sincerely
held religious beliefs or moral convictions....The Inclusion Act has been introduced in both the
House (H.R. 1881) and the Senate (S. 811)."
Catholic Social Teaching/International Issues
"An estimated 58,000 Haitians are at risk of
having their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) terminated by the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). TPS allows these individuals to
temporarily remain in the United States and support themselves legally
while Haiti is being rebuilt. Haiti is still recovering from the
devastation of Hurricane Matthew, which struck in October 2016 and is
said to be the nation's largest humanitarian emergency since the 2010
earthquake. Additionally, Haiti is plagued with a severe cholera
epidemic and food shortages."
"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."
Please Support the BRIDGE ACT and DACA Youth
"The BRIDGE (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy) Act, S.128/H.R. 496, was...introduced in Congress as a bipartisan effort to sustain the temporary relief from deportation and employment eligibility offered to youth through the Department of Homeland Security's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Under the BRIDGE Act, young people who came to the United States as children would maintain their eligibility to work and live in the U.S. without the fear of deportation and family separation so long as they meet certain requirements, such as showing a commitment to education or honorable service in our military and having no history of serious crime."
"The BRIDGE (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy) Act, S.128/H.R. 496, was...introduced in Congress as a bipartisan effort to sustain the temporary relief from deportation and employment eligibility offered to youth through the Department of Homeland Security's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Under the BRIDGE Act, young people who came to the United States as children would maintain their eligibility to work and live in the U.S. without the fear of deportation and family separation so long as they meet certain requirements, such as showing a commitment to education or honorable service in our military and having no history of serious crime."
"As a concerned Catholic, I write to urge you to publicly support and consider co-sponsoring:
- H.R. 920, the 'Protecting Our Border Communities Act of 2017'/ S. 668;
- H.R. 921, the 'Community Trust Act of 2017' / S. 415; and
- H.R. 1503, the 'Statute of Liberty Values (SOLVE) Act 2.0 of 2017' / S. 608.
We can ensure safety for refugees, including those from Syria, as well as their host communities. As our noble efforts at assistance must not be hijacked, this blogger believes that communications MUST specifically state that contraceptives/abortifacients MUST be excluded from "assistance."
State Issues/Pa Catholic Conference
Prioritize Funding for Women's Primary Health Care
"Health care facilities that provide a wide range of women's services should have priority for receiving our limited federal and state tax dollars over those that offer limited services and focus on abortion....Please support Senate Bill 300."
Support Positive Reform for Sexual Abuse Statutes of Limitation
"The positive, prospective changes in SB 261 will hold more abusers accountable for their crimes and will require all organizations, public and private, to improve their vigilance for keeping the children in their care safe. The Senate determined that amendments to allow retroactive lawsuits to be filed would be unconstitutional in Pennsylvania. Regardless, it is definitely unfair to today's individual Catholics. Bankrupting my parish, Catholic school, or diocese today penalizes the wrong people for the crimes of the past."
Support a Better Life for Human Trafficking Victims
While the Pa Catholic Conference is supporting SB 554, the fact that Senator Daylin Leach is one of its prime sponsors suggests that there should be careful assessment of whether this legislation and its implications are truly consistent with Catholic teaching
Invest in Success: Expand EITC and OSTC Scholarships
End Brutal Dismemberment Abortions
"To the best of my knowledge, all the other pro-life organizations in Pa. also support running S.B.3 in the Pa. House instead of H.B.77. We wish to prevent another 'pride of authorship' stalemate in which the Senate will not run the pro-life House Bill and the House will not run the pro-life Senate Bill....Please contact the following Pa. House leaders and urge them to run S.B.3 in the House as soon as possible.
Speaker Mike Turzai
mturzai@pahousegop.com
717-772-9943
Majority Leader Dave Reed
dreed@pahousegop.com
717-705-7173
Health Committee Chairman Matt Baker
mbaker@pahousegop.com
717-772-5371" (Pro Life Coalition of Pa, 4/21/17)
Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Religious Liberty
"proposals like these expose even more Pennsylvanians to discrimination based solely on their religious beliefs. Simply put, this legislation is intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
State Issues / Pa Pro Life Federation
Let your state Senator know you don't want your right to vote for judges to be taken away (2/16/17)Oppose HB 111 (3/6/17)
"House Bill 643, sponsored by state Rep. Matthew Baker (R-Bradford, Potter, Tioga Counties), would ensure that there are no time limits for prosecuting infanticide. The measure would also expand the window of opportunity for prosecuting illegal late-term abortions to five years after the alleged crimes occurred. The legislation stems from recommendations made by the grand jury in abortionist Kermit Gosnell's 'House of Horrors' case....House Bill 643 is one additional legislative effort to ensure that the horrors of Gosnell are not repeated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" (3/13/17)
State Issues / Pro Life Coalition of Pa (4/21/17)
"PP's evils include the routine and extensive cover-up of sexual assaults against minors by failing to make legally required reports on the abortions that they commit on minors....our Legislative Director, Ted Meehan, has been attempting to persuade Pa. DOH Secretary Karen Murphy to take the proper corrective actions....A response from an assistant to Sec. Murphy indicated that DOH would not be taking any actions against PP. So, Ted has led an effort to persuade members of the Pa. General Assembly to request certain records from the DOH that would indicate the extent of the failure of PP (and other abortion committers) to make legally required reports regarding suspected sexual assaults against minors. Ted's efforts have resulted in a letter from Rep. Matt Baker to Secretary Murphy that requests these reports....Please ask your State House member to add his or her name to this letter....
"Our organization has scheduled another Stand Up For Life Rally on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 from 11:00 AM-12:00 noon in our State Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg."
Pa Family's "2017 Judicial Primary Guide" for 5/16/17
Additional Alerts
- Boycott Target and boycotts/actions from America Needs Fatima and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation
- The Pa Catholic Conference rhetorically asks " Should Doctors Be Neutral on Suicide?", asking us to urge the AMA to "Remain Opposed to Doctor Prescribed Suicide."
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