Church Blog

Note: Washington Weekly will not be sent during the month of August, while the Congress is adjourned for their recess.
 
 
Congress Reaches Deal on Debt Ceiling
 
Months of rancorous debate ended on Sunday with a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling and avoid default. President Obama, Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner announced an agreement on a package of spending cuts and a so-called “super-commission” that is intended to help get the government’s debt problem under control.
 
According to the CBO study of the bill released Monday, the deal establishes caps on discretionary spending through 2021 and requires that the House and Senate vote on a joint resolution proposing a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. It also establishes a procedure to increase the nation’s current $14.3 trillion debt limit by $400 billion initially and procedures “that would allow the limit to be raised further in two additional steps, for a cumulative increase of between $2.1 trillion and $2.4 trillion,” the CBO said.
 
The bill was passed by the House of Representatives by a 269-161 vote, with 95 Democrats joining 174 Republicans in support of the deal. It was been passed in the Senate and signed by President Obama yesterday, leaving just enough time for the Treasury Department to raise the debt ceiling and avoid an unprecedented default. It is not known if, or how, this will affect the nation’s credit rating.
 
Now that Congress has passed a bill intended to get spending under control, members of the special commission will have to determine how to make the cuts to discretionary funding. It is imperative that we all work to educate members on the importance of programs that serve the poor and the vulnerable. Therefore a back home strategy will be critical when members are back in district offices for the Congressional recess.
 
Catholic Charities USA strategy includes hosting a conference call with member agencies as well as several ways for you to take action during the Congressional recess. We will be keeping you informed about that conference call once more details are scheduled, and hope that you will continue to engage in our advocacy work in this critical time!
 
For more information about the debt ceiling or CCUSA’s advocacy efforts, contact Patrick Brown, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, at pbrown@catholiccharitiesusa.org
 
 
Catholic Charities USA VP Writes Op-Ed on EFSP
 
Catholic Charities USA Sr. Vice President for Social Policy and Government Affairs Candy Hill signed an editorial with leaders of other national non-profit organizations calling on government leaders to preserve funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. The 2011 budget passed by Congress eliminates funding to programs in more than 500 counties and cities and significantly cuts funding for the program in 1,600 communities.
 
“The most recent recession and the years afterward have been far tougher on America's middle class than any other since the creation of this program, with more than 26 million Americans unemployed or underemployed and one-in-five children living below the poverty line,” the op-ed reads. “As Congress considers the 2012 budget and potential cuts in the debt ceiling debate, we urge our leaders to step up, as they have commendably done in years past, to support the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. Americans on the brink of poverty are already struggling to stay above water, and we have the opportunity and obligation to help them get back on firm financial ground before it is too late.”
 
Click on the following link to read the entire editorial: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/07/28/3042106/the-reality-of-cuts-to-anti-poverty.html#ixzz1TsUjqEr9
 
For more information on the EFSP, please contact Candy Hill, Senior VP, Social Policy and Government Affairs, at chill@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
 
 
 
Senate Committee Approves Ex-Offender Legislation
 
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2011 (S.1231), a bipartisan proposal that addresses barriers faced by those exiting the prison system, by a vote of 10 to 8. The bill, sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rob Portman (R-OH,) would provide resources to state and local governments, and community-based organizations to assist with reintegrating ex-offenders back into communities.
 
If passed, the bill would:
 
Extend the original grant program authorized under the Second Chance Act for five years
Provide incentives for inmates to participate in recidivism reduction programs
Require periodic audits of grantees
Enhance accountability measures for grantees by requiring periodic audits, Prohibiting funds from being held in offshore accounts, and transparency around compensation for nonprofit executives
To view a copy of the bill and the bill summary, please click http://judiciary.senate.gov/legislation/upload/ALB11493-Leahy-Substitute.pdf.
 
Now that bill has passed the judiciary committee, it will move to the full Senate for consideration. Second Chance Reauthorization legislation has yet to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Please look for updates in future editions of Washington Weekly.
 
For more information, please contact Lucreda Cobbs, Senior Director, Policy and Legislative Affairs at lcobbs@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
 
 
CCUSA Explores 21st Century Social Service Delivery System
 
On July 10-12, Catholic Charities USA hosted a Case Managers Summit with 24 Catholic Charities agency representatives from 11 local Catholic Charities agencies to get their ideas, input, suggestions and recommendations on building the 21st century social service delivery system. Last weekend, the Case Managers Summit was followed up with a summit during which CCUSA leadership met to evaluate the input from the Case Management Summit and asses and revise CCUSA’s legislative strategy in light of the current political climate.
 
Another goal for last week’s summit was to reassess and update the National Opportunity Community Renewal Act legislation, as well an assessment of a strategic direction and message framework to develop strategies for engaging partners, coalitions and constituencies to support the bill.
 
CCUSA believes that the principles contained in the bill – and influenced by the lessons learned from the Case Managers Summit – are an important contribution to the current discussions about spending, and could serve as a catalyst to help policymakers as they evaluate programs that impact people in poverty.
 
For more information, please contact Candy Hill, Senior VP, Social Policy and Government Affairs, at chill@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
 
 
Register Today for the First National Poverty Summit
 
Catholic Charities USA is honored to partner with its colleagues in hosting the first annual National Poverty Summit, held with the Annual Gathering in Fort Worth, Texas.  This 1 ½ day conference will provide attendees with opportunities to connect with the national movement to reduce poverty in America, hear from inspiring leaders, learn best practices from across the country in poverty reduction strategies, and recommit themselves to our ongoing work.  Register today!  (www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org/PovertySummit).
 
Partners include the American Human Development Institute, Bread for the World, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CFED, Coalition on Human Needs, Feeding America, National Alliance to End Homelessness, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
 
For more information, contact Kirsten Linge Schoenfeld, Director, Events and Convening at kschoenfeld@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
 
 
 
Fighting Poverty with Faith Mobilization
 
Catholic Charities USA invites you to join us for the 4th annual Fighting Poverty with Faith (FPWF) mobilization, “Working Together to End Hunger.” Scheduled for October 27 to November 6, FPWF is a weeklong mobilization that focuses on addressing the most basic needs of our brothers and sisters in poverty. This mobilization utilizes the strength of various faith communities to develop a greater sense of urgency in advocating for new policy solutions to poverty. Catholic Charities USA co-sponsors this event with a diverse coalition of national and local faith organizations dedicated to cutting domestic poverty in half by 2020.
 
We invite individuals, families, congregations, community and youth groups, schools, and faith-based organizations to come together to end hunger and poverty. We encourage you to plan an event or action in your community. Fighting Poverty with Faith Action Toolkits with resources to plan a community-wide Food Stamp Challenge and Hunger Banquet are available on the FPWF website at www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com. The website also contains additional advocacy information, media, and outreach materials. We also encourage you to connect the mobilization with a pre-existing event. Please visit www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com for more information and to add your event to the FPWF calendar.
 
If you are interested in learning how your agency can participate in this year’s mobilization, please contact Lucreda Cobbs, Senior Director, Policy and Legislative Affairs at lcobbs@catholiccharitiesusa.org.