Action Alerts

Urge U.S. Representatives to Vote on Key Abortion and AIDS Prevention Amendments
ISSUE: The State/Foreign Operations appropriations bill, scheduled for debate this week by the full House, raises two issues of serious concern regarding the life and dignity of human persons.

Of great concern is language in Section 622 rescinding the Mexico City Policy, which prevents U.S. family planning assistance from being channeled through groups that perform and promote abortion as family planning. A central goal of family planning programs should be to reduce abortions.

The Mexico City Policy, promulgated by President Reagan, was first announced at the 1984 United Nations International Conference on Population in Mexico City and has continued in law since then except for an eight-year gap during the Clinton administration. The U.N. conference's policy was supported not only by the United States, the Holy See, and many developed nations such as France, Italy and Germany, but also by the great majority of developing nations. National delegations opposing the U.N. policy of 1984, such as Sweden and the People's Republic of China, did so because they favor abortion.

The second issue of concern is PEPFAR (The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which includes a 7% allocation for abstinence-before-marriage programs, one-third of HIV and AIDS prevention funds. The State/Foreign Operations appropriations bill deletes this funding even though there is a global shortage of funding available for this critical and effective method for preventing sexually transmitted HIV. An approach to sexually-transmitted HIV prevention that has sufficient funding for a behavior change strategy based on abstinence, partner reduction, and faithfulness education has yielded meaningful advances in stopping the spread of HIV. There is no evidence that an increase in the use of condoms alone, without abstinence and behavior change interventions, has reduced the rate of AIDS cases.

ACTION: Please contact your U.S. Representative and urge his/her vote for the Smith/Stupak amendment to uphold the Mexico City Policy and retention of PEPFAR funding in the State/Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

Call the Washington, DC switchboard at 202-224-3121 or your representative's local office in Florida. For complete contact information visit http://www.house.gov/.

To send an email to your Representative, click the link below.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://votervoice.net/target.aspx?id=fcc:16839206

HELP FIGHT GLOBAL POVERTY:  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO VOTE ON CRITICAL INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE BILL THIS WEEK

TAKE ACTION NOW!  Click here to contact your Representatives and urge them to support the following during consideration of the FY 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill:

WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT:  The House of Representatives is scheduled to consider the fiscal year 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill this week.  The bill includes critical funding for international assistance programs that provide lifesaving and life-changing services to the poorest people in our world such as emergency assistance, health, education, agriculture and small loan programs as well as treatment to people infected by HIV. 

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) welcome some new policy directions the House has included in the bill, including increased funding for those programs that address chronic poverty through long-term development and a shift towards greater humanitarian assistance for Colombia, a country wracked by war for more than forty years. 

However, CRS and the USCCB have serious concerns about reversing an important provision in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. government program that provides anti-retroviral therapy to people affected by HIV in poor countries.  Until recent Committee action made changes to PEPFAR, 7 percent of PEPFAR funding, or one third of all prevention funding available within PEPFAR, has been allocated for abstinence-until-marriage programs.  These programs have proven to be very effective in Africa to change behavior and ultimately save lives.  Click here for a copy of the letter USCCB and CRS sent to Representatives on this issue.  USCCB and CRS are urging support for an amendment introduced by Rep. Pitts (PA-16th) that would reverse the changes made to PEPFAR.

USCCB and CRS are also very concerned that the current version of the bill also rescinds an important provision known as the “Mexico City Protocol” that prevents U.S. family planning assistance to be channeled through groups that perform and promote abortions as family planning. 

WHY WE SHOULD GET INVOLVED:  Catholic social teaching is rooted in the fundamental dignity of every human life.  As Catholics, we are called to uphold human dignity and to be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters worldwide who are suffering because of war, disease, natural disaster and poverty.  In response to this call, CRS and the USCCB are promoting the Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty that seeks to address some of the root causes of global poverty, including aid, trade and debt.  Please visit our website to join our Campaign today: www.usccb.org/globalpoverty.

For further information contact:
Tina Rodousakis, CRS Legislative Network Specialist, 1-800-235-2772 x 7462; trodousa@crs.org or
Fr. Andrew Small, USCCB Policy Advisor, International Economic Development, (202) 541-3153; asmall@usccb.org 

Please help support farmworkers by joining a sign-on letter urging Congress to pass AgJOBS, the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act, S. 340/H.R. 371. Over 500 groups, including many of your organizations, signed onto an almost-identical letter in 2005 during the last Congress. We hope to exceed 500 sign-ons this year! The letter will include organizations and businesses in the broad coalition that supports AgJOBS. The United Farm Workers and the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform are leading this effort. More information about AgJOBS is available on our website at http://www.farmworkerjustice.org/Immigration_Labor/AgJOBS.htm.

If your organization is not listed, please take a minute to fill out the form at the following website:
http://www.farmworkerjustice.org/Immigration_Labor/TakeAction.htm

Update on Senate ESC Debate

ESC Vote Still Pending
The embryonic stem cell bills are not expected to be on the Senate floor during the week of March 26, but keep in mind that a vote could be brought up on short notice.

It remains critical that Senators be contacted as soon as possible. Do not delay action until you hear a debate has been scheduled. Senators supporting the pro-life position are receiving pressure from opponents now. Church leaders should call to confirm the position of Senators expected to vote pro-life. If you receive a statement expressing less than full support, please press forward the activation of pro-life constituents. See NCHLA’s most recent Action Alert at: nchla.org/actiondisplay.asp?ID=243.

Please contact NCHLA staff with any feedback you receive from your Senators’ offices. Thanks!

Proposed Agreement to Proceed
A unanimous consent agreement on how to proceed still has not been formally announced. Such an agreement is expected to provide for the consideration of two bills: one promoting ESC research in which human embryos are destroyed (an amended variant of S. 5) and the other supporting stem cell research in which human embryos are not destroyed. The time for debate is expected to be short: thirty minutes for each bill. No amendments would be allowed. Each bill would need 60 votes for passage.

S. 5 as introduced is identical to the House-passed H.R. 3. The amendment expected to be added to S. 5 will in no way change the language promoting research that requires the destruction of human embryos. The basic message to Senators remains the same: Please oppose S. 5.

The second bill (unnumbered) is being sponsored by Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA). Its proposed title is “Hope Offered through Principled and Ethical Stem Cell Research Act” or HOPE Act. HOPE promotes human pluripotent stem cell research “without the creation of human embryos for research purposes and without the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo or embryos other than those that are naturally dead.” It also authorizes a study on the best way to advance an amniotic and placental stem cell bank program.

Lame Duck Congress Punts FY 2007 Spending to Next Year
The House and Senate this week wrapped up work for the 109th Congress and passed on completing spending bills for FY 2007, which has been underway since October 1st. At the writing of this newsletter, Congress was working towards passing another Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep federal funds flowing to discretionary programs until February 15th, leaving funding decisions for the current fiscal year for the new Congress to deal with when it convenes in January.

The CR deals with all discretionary funding not covered by the Defense and Homeland Security spending bills – the only appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Congress was able to complete. Funding covered by the continuing resolution will likely fund programs at the lowest of the House-passed, Senate-passed or at the amount of FY 2006 levels. For more information, please contact Christin Driscoll, Senior Director for Policy Development and Advocacy at cdriscoll@catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Congress Makes Last Minute Push for Health Coverage
In the waning hours of the 109th Congress, leaders on the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee and U.S. Senate Finance Committee are making a last minute push to ensure health coverage for low-income families and vulnerable children. The Congressional Quarterly reported on December 7th that the House and Senate negotiators have reached a tentative agreement on a large package that includes provisions on tax, trade and health care. Members are hoping to clear this bill before the 109th Congress adjourns.
The health sections of the package reportedly include an extension of the Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) program through June 2007. TMA, which was set to expire this year on December 31, 2006, provides temporary Medicaid health coverage for up to 12 months for families moving off welfare and into work. The package also includes several technical corrections to the Medicaid changes that were included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (the budget bill Congress passed earlier this year). This includes clarification on the citizenship documentation requirement for children in the foster care system. Lawmakers did not address a key concern of Catholic Charities USA that would fix the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funding shortages so that 530,000 low-income children would not lose health coverage. While this provision was included in earlier negotiations, it was not included in the final package.

This week, Catholic Charities USA issued an action alert asking you to contact your Senators to support health coverage for vulnerable families. We greatly appreciate the many calls that were made in response to the alert. For more information, please contact Desmond Brown at dbrown@catholiccharitiesusa.org.  

National Housing Trust Fund Campaign to Focus on 110th Congress
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) announced this week that there is not enough time left in the lame duck session to pass the legislation to increase oversight of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which would dedicate a portion of their profits to create an Affordable Housing Fund. Within minutes of this news, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and its partners (including Catholic Charities USA) turned its attention toward introduction of the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund legislation in the next session. The National Housing Trust Fund would serve as a source of revenue for the production of new housing, and the preservation or rehabilitation of existing housing that is affordable for low income people. The ultimate goal of a National Housing Trust Fund would be to produce, rehabilitate, and preserve 1,500,000 units of housing over the next 10 years. For more information, please contact Ruth White, Director of Housing and Community Development Policy at rwhite@catholiccharitiesusa.org.  

FEMA Appeals Courts Ruling to Reimburse Victims of Katrina and Rita
On November 30th, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon ruled that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must immediately resume payments to victims of Katrina and Rita who were terminated from ongoing rental assistance. The Judge found that the agency's letters denying assistance to evacuees were "vague and uninformative" and often gave contradictory information. Lawyers for the evacuees had argued that the letters were so confusing that their clients were unable to appeal the denials or correct the problems that led to them. In his ruling, Judge Leon ordered the agency to resume paying rent for an estimated 11,000 households around the country, including 2,600 in Houston, and to pay these families three months of back rent.
On Tuesday, December 5, 2006, FEMA filed a motion to appeal the decision, but it is still under Court order to resume housing aid. ACORN's attorneys filed a motion in with Judge Richard J. Leon on Tuesday asking him to compel FEMA to comply with the ruling. For more information, please contact Ruth White, Director of Housing and Community Development Policy at rwhite@catholiccharitiesusa.org. 

Contact President Bush Regarding Issues Impacting Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Our colleagues at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Migration and Refugee Services are encouraging people to write letters to President Bush regarding anti-terrorism laws that prevent refugees and asylum seekers in need from entering the United States. To learn more and take action, please visit http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/materialsupport.html.

Decline in Federal Commitment to Affordable Housing is Root Cause of Homelessness According to a Recent Report - A new study from the Western Regional Advocacy Project concludes that a renewed and substantial federal commitment to the preservation and production of affordable housing in both urban and rural areas is essential to ending homelessness. Among other things, the report points out that “the federal government is spending money on housing, but not on developing and preserving affordable housing. Over the last 30 years, annual tax expenditures for homeowner subsidies have grown from less than $40 billion to over $120 billion per year. Every year since 1981, tax benefits for homeownership have been greater than HUD’s entire budget and have dwarfed direct expenditures for programs that benefit low-income renters.” Accordingly, the report calls for a re-examination of federal housing policy. The new report, Without Housing: Decades of Federal Housing Cutbacks, Massive Homelessness, and Policy Failures, can be found at http://www.wraphome.org. For more information, please contact Ruth White, Director of Housing and Community Development Policy at rwhite@catholiccharitiesusa.org.  

AARP Aging in Place Survey Reveals That Affordable Housing is of Great Concern to Older Americans
According to the report, "Aging, Migration, and Local Communities: The Views of 60+ Residents and Community Leaders," conducted by AARP Knowledge Management and released on October 27, 2006, found that only about nine percent, or 4.4 million people age 60 and over, were residentially mobile, moving beyond their county in the five years prior to the 2000 Census. In contrast, 9 in 10, or 41.5 million of Americans 60 and over, preferred to stay in the same home or county. When questioned about how local governments should set priorities over the next five years, a large percentage of those residents 60 and over focused on transportation and housing, including less traffic congestion, better transportation and better quality roads, and affordable housing needs. Despite other social, environmental and macroeconomic factors, the topic of affordable housing and transportation came up in many different ways as concerns and considerations among both the 60 and over population and community leaders.  Click here to read the report. For more information, please contact Ruth White, Director of Housing and Community Development Policy at rwhite@catholiccharitiesusa.org. 

Editor’s Note:  Washington Weekly will return in January when the new 110th Congress convenes. We wish you a joyous and healthy holiday season!

Washington Weekly is a publication of the Social Policy Department of Catholic Charities USA and is published regularly when Congress is in session.
Catholic Charities USA
1731 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org   For information about advocacy, please contact Christin Driscoll at (703) 236-6245 or cdriscoll@catholiccharitiesusa.org  

STOP AIDS: Keep the Promise
On December 1, the world commemorated World AIDS Day. The Catholic Church has been at the forefront in the global response to this devastating pandemic by providing care and treatment to people living with HIV, nurturing children orphaned by AIDS, and teaching abstinence and faithfulness to prevent the disease from spreading. The Catholic community in the United States has responded to the pandemic by supporting CRS through financial contributions and advocacy that helped enact the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003.

PEPFAR is a five-year $5 billion program proposed by President Bush and enacted by Congress that provides anti-retroviral therapy to people living with HIV in the hardest hit regions of the world especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to PEPFAR, CRS is helping to save more than 49,000 lives and provide hope to people affected by the disease.

Every year, the President must submit a new budget request for the government’s next fiscal year spending. The Congress ultimately decides how much money is appropriate for certain programs. For the next fiscal year 2008, we are urging President Bush to ensure that his proposed budget includes robust funding for international assistance programs that address HIV and AIDS especially in Africa.

TAKE ACTION NOW! Throughout December, contact President Bush and thank him for his important leadership to address the scourge of HIV and AIDS in the regions of the world most affected by the disease. Urge him to continue his support by ensuring robust fiscal year 2008 U.S. government spending for morally appropriate international assistance programs that prevent the spread of the disease and provide treatment to those affected. Click here to send President Bush a message today.

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO:

• Visit CRS' website to learn more about the Global HIV and AIDS pandemic and to download resources.
• Click here to learn more about the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ response to the global HIV and AIDS pandemic and other global health issues.

For more information, contact:
Tina Rodousakis, CRS Legislative Network Specialist, 1-800-235-2772 x 7462; trodousa@crs.org

2006 Mid Term Elections Analysis
Following the November 2006 Congressional elections, Democrats will hold the majority in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives in the 110th Congress. While a few House races have yet to be decided, Democrats currently have a 30-seat majority in the House, 231 to 201. In the Senate, Democrats enjoy a 2-seat majority 51 to 49.

Former House Minority Leader Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has been chosen to be the next Speaker of the House, with 13-term Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD) chosen as House Majority Leader. For the Republicans, current Speaker Dennis Hastert did not run for a House leadership position, and current House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has been chosen as House Minority Leader for the 110th Congress. The current number three Republican in the House, Congressman Roy Blunt (R-MO), has been selected as House Minority Whip.

In the Senate, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) was selected as the new Senate Majority Leader, and Richard Durbin (D-IL) was selected as Senate Majority Whip. With current Republican Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist’s (R-TN) retirement, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was selected as Minority Leader and Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) will be the number two Republican in the Senate as Minority Whip.

Most Committee assignments have not yet been filled, but in the Senate it is expected that the Agriculture Committee Chair and Ranking Member will be Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) respectively, Appropriations Committee Chair and Ranking Member will be Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) respectively, and Foreign Relations Committee Chair and Ranking Member will be Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN). In the House, it is expected that the Agriculture Committee Chair and Ranking Member will be Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) respectively, Appropriations Committee Chair and Ranking Member will be Congressman David Obey (D-WI) and Congressman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) respectively, and the Chair of the International Relations Committee is expected to be 13-term Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA). There are a number of senior Republicans that are expected to compete for the Ranking Member position.

While the November elections mean that Democrats now control both chambers of Congress, given the election of moderate Democrats as new Members and the defeat of a number of moderate Republicans in Congress, Democrats are likely to move to the center, while Republicans are likely to move further to the right, setting up a dynamic that may be challenging for legislative success. In general, most analysts expect a six to nine month window to be available for serious legislating before the environment is overtaken by 2008 presidential politics.

FY 2007 Appropriations Likely Not Resolved Until Next Year
Congress will likely not complete work on the outstanding FY 2007 Appropriations bills, including the appropriations bills that contain funding for international assistance and food aid programs, before the end of the current congressional session. Since the mid-term elections recess, Congress has passed two *Continuing Resolutions (CR) to provide stopgap funding, the latest of which expires December 8, 2006. Upon their return from the current recess on December 4, Congressional leaders are likely to pass another CR until February 15, 2007, delaying work on the FY2007 Appropriations bills until the 110th Congress. The CR funds government programs at last year's enacted levels. *A Continuing Resolution is a resolution passed by the United States Congress authorizing the last fiscal year's budget to remain in effect into the new year if a new budget resolution has not yet been agreed upon.

Learn More about the Appropriations Process
Last month, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent letters to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees urging their “approval of essential funding for humanitarian assistance and development activities.” To read the joint letters by CRS and USCCB on the FY 2007 Appropriations bills, visit USCCB's web site

Faith Leaders Call for Greater Investment in International Affairs Budget
Leaders from a number of diverse American faith-based organizations, including CRS President Ken Hackett, joined to urge President George W. Bush and Congressional leaders to make greater investments in the U.S. International Affairs Budget, a budget that funds U.S. humanitarian, development, and diplomatic programs and “fuels our commitment to address global poverty and to provide hope and opportunity to families and children throughout the world.”

In an open letter to policymakers, the faith leaders delivered a unified message in support of U.S. global development and diplomacy efforts. The leaders applauded the partnership of President Bush and the Congress over the past five years to increase funding for development and diplomatic programs, but said it was unfortunate that Congress is proposing to cut $2 billion from the President’s FY2007 request. “As a statement of American values, we believe Congress should do everything it can to meet the President’s request, and we urge the Administration to continue its commitment to increasing the U.S. International Affairs Budget as it prepares its FY2008 budget,” the leaders noted.

For a little more than one percent of the total U.S. Federal Budget, the International Affairs Budget funds critical programs that bolster national security, build economic prosperity and strengthen U.S. humanitarian values. Click here for a copy of the letter.

What you can do
Stay tuned to take action soon on the international affairs budget with a new CRS action alert urging Members to support strong funding for lifesaving programs worldwide.

Act Now to Support the People of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
S. 2125, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006 has passed the Senate and must now pass the House of Representatives. This bill includes critical provisions that would boost United States support for democracy and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country that has been devastated by war but recently completed its first democratic elections in decades.

With the end of the current Congressional session near, now is a critical time to ensure that S. 2125 is passed by the House of Representatives. Your Representative, as part of the House leadership, is critical to ensuring that S. 2125 is scheduled for swift passage by being placed on the suspension calendar.

TAKE ACTION
Urge Members, especially House leadership including Representatives Hastert (R-IL/14th), Boehner (R-OH/8th), Blunt (R-MO/7th), Pelosi (D-CA/8th), and Hoyer (D-MD/5th), to place S. 2125 on the suspension calendar for immediate action. Click here to send a message to your Representative today.

What Else You Can Do

• Click here to read a November 28 letter to the Editor, “Two Ways to Help Congo”, submitted by CRS President Ken Hackett. The letter appeared in the Washington Post in response to a November 19 Editorial, "Congo's Hope."
• CRS is promoting a new DVD produced by Caritas Internationalis, a global confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations. The DVD, DR Congo’s Life or Death Transition, was funded in part by CRS and seeks to raise awareness of the plight of the Congolese people and garner support for the country’s transition towards statehood and peace. For a free copy, please contact acutchem@crs.org or (410) 961-7264.
• Visit CRS’ Africa Campaign website and the Advocacy website for accompanying materials to the DVD, DR Congo’s Life or Death Transition, and organize a viewing in your community. Feel free to share these resources with others. Also visit this website to learn about CRS' work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Please also remember the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo in your prayers.

December 2006 Update From Poverty Campaign
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) are jointly implementing the Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty to advocate for U.S. policies that foster economic and social development for people living in poverty throughout the world, and to encourage Catholics to join in this effort.
The Campaign’s website has been updated with new materials for educational programs, prayer/worship, and advocacy. There is also an update on the Campaign activities related to aid, trade and debt, and resources for Advent.

Win Free Trips to Ghana, West Africa Thanks to Fair Trade!
From now until Valentine’s Day there is a fun and rewarding way for teachers and students to advocate for Fair Trade. The "Raise Money Right" contests can help schools and parishes raise money for special projects and bring Fair Trade learning into the classroom through Fair Trade chocolate. The contests also help students, teachers and youth ministers earn prizes such as free trips to Ghana—where the cocoa is grown--equipment from Fair Trade Sports, and a year's supply of Fair Trade chocolate food! All in solidarity with the Fair Trade farmers who grow the cocoa of Divine chocolate! The free trips will take place in the summer of 2007, in time to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. A week in this West African country will introduce students and educators to the real benefits of Fair Trade, the culture and history of Ghana, and the work of CRS. It will be an unforgettable global solidarity experience!
Students and teachers have a variety of contests to participate in, mixing important fundraising activities with fun learning activities, based on Catholic Social Teaching. And, everybody wins! All student registrants for the contest receive a "Divine" souvenir and the first 50 teachers receive a free copy of "Harvest of Hope" a photo-journal of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana! To register and learn all the rules and regulations, click here.

Events / Resources
Give the Gift of Hope this Holiday Season
The holiday season brings many opportunities to give gifts to our loved ones. Shopping responsibly through Fair Trade is a way to be generous and promote your values. “Work of Human Hands” is a program of CRS and A Greater Gift that provides you beautiful, unique products that were produced according to Fair Trade principles. With Work of Human Hands you give twice: to a loved one and to a disadvantaged producer. Plus, a portion of your purchase is directed to the Fair Trade Fund, which provides grants to help expand the Fair Trade system. Please order by December 15 to make sure your gifts arrive in time for Christmas. You can order on-line, via phone at 800-685-7572, or by attending a Work of Human Hands sale. The CRS Fair Trade website now features a way to locate upcoming sales and other interesting Fair Trade events. You can even post your community’s activities. To post activities holiday events or plans for 2007, please send an email to fairtrade@crs.org.

Save the Date for the 2007 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
The 2007 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering will be held on February 11-14, at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C. - The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is the annual coming together of social justice ministry leadership from national Catholic organizations and offices, dioceses, and parishes throughout the nation. The meeting includes inspiring prayer, celebrations, challenging speakers, and social ministry strategy sessions. In addition, participants receive detailed briefings on priority peace and justice issues especially as they affect the poor and vulnerable. Social mission leaders come together to carry a common Catholic message to Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill. Click here to register today.

Urge your Members to Improve Global HIV Legislation

TAKE ACTION NOW!  The House Foreign Affairs Committee will consider Chairman Lantos’ draft legislation to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) on Thursday, February 14th.  Your Member is on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and will make critical decisions regarding this lifesaving program.  Please visit the CRS Action Center now to contact your Members and urge them to:

1. Maintain the bipartisan consensus around the successful PEPFAR program that has saved millions of lives.

2. Remove provisions in Chairman Lantos’ draft bill that call for the integration and coordination of HIV prevention, care and treatment services with “reproductive health” and “family planning” services and that eliminate any designated funding for effective, evidence-based prevention programs focusing on abstinence and behavior change.

3. Retain provisions in Chairman Lantos’ draft bill that significantly increase funding for PEPFAR, strengthen anti-malaria and anti- tuberculosis programming, build up the healthcare workforce in affected countries and increase food and nutrition programs for affected populations.

Click here for a print copy of this action alert.

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO MY FAITH?  Our faith tradition as Catholics requires us to care for “the least of these” and to uphold the life and dignity of all people.  People affected by HIV or suffering from AIDS need and deserve our love and care just as Jesus called on us to care for those who are “hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison.”  Catholic social teaching instructs us to live in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world.  Pope John Paul II reminded us that we must commit ourselves to this common good: “That is to say the good of all and each individual, because we are all really responsible for all.” 

WHAT HAS PEPFAR ACHIEVED?  Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has saved over 100,000 lives because of PEPFAR.  Men and women who were on the brink of death are now leading normal lives, caring for their children and contributing to their communities because they are on antiretroviral therapy.  Orphaned children are being cared for, going to school and embracing a bright future.  Youth are being educated about risky behaviors and how abstinence-until-marriage and mutual fidelity within marriage is the most effective way to prevent HIV infections.  Visit the CRS website for more information about PEPFAR and its accomplishments.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH’S POSITION?  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and CRS are advocating for several important provisions to be included in the reauthorization of PEPFAR.  The House bill currently under consideration includes some of these provisions but eliminates others.  Read the USCCB/CRS letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Members  for more details.  USCCB/CRS urge Members to:

1. MAINTAIN funding for promotion of abstinence-until-marriage and behavior change programs as a key HIV prevention strategy as reflected in the original PEPFAR legislation.  Chairman Lantos’ draft bill eliminates this dedicated funding.  Based on CRS’ experience, without designated funding, proven programs that promote abstinence-until-marriage and mutual fidelity within marriage will be under-resourced and the high quality Church-based health structures and services will be sidelined in the battle against HIV. 

2. REJECT provisions that mandate or give preferential treatment in awarding PEPFAR funding to groups that perform family planning or reproductive health services.  Chairman Lantos’ draft includes these objectionable provisions.  USCCB and CRS are very concerned about efforts to redefine PEPFAR’s mission to require HIV prevention services to include family planning and reproductive health services.  If these services were mandated or given preferential treatment, then CRS and other religious groups would be unable to participate in PEPFAR.  Hundreds of thousands of patients served through our networks, especially in the poorest, most remote areas of the globe, would face interrupted or even cessation of life-saving therapy. 

3. RETAIN funding increases for PEPFAR and EXPAND funding for nutrition programs that benefit people affected by HIV.  The proposed House bill includes these provisions.   While PEPFAR currently provides some funding for therapeutic feeding, it is not available to all who need it because of insufficient funding.

For more information, contact: 
Tina Rodousakis, Grassroots Advocacy Manager, CRS, 410-951-7462, trodousa@crs.org
Gerry Flood, Counselor, International Justice and Peace, USCCB, 202-541-3167, gflood@usccb.org