Urgent Update to Legislative Hotline for June 2013

Gang of 6 introduces companion bills in Ohio House (HB 208) and Senate (SB145). These bills do not include Medicaid expansion. Please continue to advocate for Medicaid Expansion.

Click here for a list of state senators from the Cleveland Diocese with all contact information.

Click here for a list of state representatives from the Cleveland Diocese.

Use this sample script:

"Don't delay extending health coverage. There's no time to waste when $2 billion in state revenue, 25,000+ new jobs, and health coverage for 275,000 Ohioans with low income, mental health, and addiction needs are on the line".

To read the Catholic Conference of Ohio's recent legislative action alert urging adoption of the Medicaid Expansion, press release, CCO's letter to legislators, and position backgrounder from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in support of the Medicaid Expansion, go to http://www.ohiocathconf.org.

We need to turn this around:

The Catholic Conference of Ohio, "because of their concern for the poor and vulnerable," has joined with Ohio's Catholic hospitals to support Medicaid expansion in Ohio. Through the Affordable Care Act, this expansion will increase access to health care and health care coverage to an estimated 275,000 uninsured eligible Ohioans who are below 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Conference states, "With the understanding that the Federal government will assume 100 percent of the cost of covering newly eligible individuals for the first three years and will cover 90 percent of the costs thereafter, we urge the Governor and the legislature, in the biennial budget, to include this expansion of Medicaid."

Download the Catholic Conference of Ohio Alert to post and put in your bulletins.

Senate Begins Votes on Immigration Amendments

With a goal of finishing the legislation by July 4, the Senate began its work last week on amendments to S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

The only amendment that received a vote was a proposal from Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, that would have required the Obama administration to certify "effective control over the entire southern border" for six months before undocumented persons living in the United States could apply for provisional legal status. The amendment was voted down 43-57.

Four amendments are expected to be in the spotlight this week. They include adoption law clarifications from Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., an entry-exit biometric visa system requirement from Sen. David Vitter, R-La., a requirement proposed by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., that 350 miles of border fence be built before a pathway to citizenship could be considered, and a mandate that a Native American representative be included on the border oversight task force, proposed by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.

Please be on the lookout for action alerts from Catholic Charities USA and our partners allowing you to make your voice heard at this critical juncture. Catholic Charities USA supports immigration reform that includes a path to legalization and citizenship, and allows families to remain intact.

Go to www.justiceforimmigrants.org for the latest alerts.

Farm Bill Reauthorization in House

The Senate passed the Farm Bill, which is an immense piece of legislation that sets the country's food and agriculture programs and policy for the next five years. Thanks to your phone calls and emails, there were no additional cuts made to the Food for Peace program that saves people's lives in times of dire emergencies and combats chronic hunger in poor communities around the world. In addition, we were pleased to see that some positive reforms were adopted to the Food for Peace program. The reforms give aid workers on the ground more flexibility to employ interventions best suited to local conditions and to replace monetization, the practice of selling food commodities to support development programs. Unfortunately, cuts were made to the nation's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and other programs that help hungry people here in the United States .

As we've previously shared, the next step for the Farm Bill legislation is in the House of Representatives. We understand that the House is likely to begin working on their version of the Farm Bill starting this week. Your voice will be needed yet again to ensure that the House's version of the Farm Bill feeds hungry people, promotes stewardship of creation, fosters small family farmers and helps rural communities. Please send the message to your representative. Your voice will make a difference!

The Catholic community, led by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC) and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVDP)support important provisions in the 2013 Farm Bill that save lives, lift people out of poverty and promote environmental stewardship. The bishops acknowledge that reducing future unsustainable deficits is important but remind Congress that their decisions are not just economic in nature but are "political and moral choices with human consequences." However, at a time of continued unemployment and high levels of poverty, the Senate should oppose cuts to effective anti-hunger programs that help people live in dignity and strengthen and support programs that help conserve our land and resources for future generations.

The Catholic community also urges further reductions in subsidies and reforms to crop insurance subsidies so that small and medium-sized farmers and ranchers who truly need assistance, especially minority owned farms, are supported rather than larger growers and industrial agriculture. Savings from cuts to subsidies should be used to support hunger and nutrition programs that feed hungry, poor and vulnerable people at home and abroad.

USCCB POSITION/CHURCH TEACHING: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI stated that "Liberation from the yoke of hunger is the first concrete expression of the right to life." The U.S. bishops and their Catholic partners also remind Congress that food is a fundamental human right. For more information about our position, read their recent letter to Congress. Visit the USCCB website for more information, updates and alerts on the Farm Bill.

The USCCB and other Catholic organizations also recently joined with an additional 100 organizations, urging Congress to support and protect the SNAP program from cuts and changes that would harm vulnerable and hungry people in need. You can read the letter by clicking here.

Take Action: Send a message to Members of Congress.You can also contact Capitol Hill by calling 1-866-596-7030.

Download talking points (from email letter)now.

Support a fair Farm Bill and amendments to programs that help feed hungry people at home and overseas, help rural communities thrive and encourage stewardship of creation;

Oppose harmful amendments, cuts or structural changes to programs that help people and communities in need.

More details of position:

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in partnership with Catholic Relief Services, the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul urge the House to support a Farm Bill and amendments that prioritize:

Domestic Hunger and Nutrition: The House bill includes over $20 billion in cuts to SNAP. These cuts should be rejected as should provisions banning certain groups of people from SNAP (food stamps). With continued high unemployment, Congress should support access to adequate and nutritious food for those in need and oppose attempts to weaken or restructure programs such as SNAP.
International Food Security and Development: The Food for Peace program saves people's lives in times of dire emergencies and combats chronic hunger in poor communities around the world. Support the Royce-Engel Amendment, and any other Food for Peace reforms that give aid workers more flexibility to employ interventions best suited to local conditions and replace monetization, and oppose any amendments that cut funding for the program.

Farm Subsidies: It is important to continue reasonable support for our commodity and dairy farmers; however, given current high commodity prices and federal budget constraints, agricultural subsidies and direct payments can be reduced overall and targeted to small and moderate-sized farms, especially minority owned-farms. The House should support a cap on subsidies for crop insurance premiums to benefit small to medium-sized farmers over wealthier and larger producers. Government resources should assist those who truly need assistance and support those who comply with environmentally sound and sustainable farming practices.

Conservation and Stewardship: Support full funding for conservation initiatives that promote stewardship of the land and environmentally sound agriculture practices. These programs provide technical assistance and financial incentives for farmers and ranchers to adopt practices aimed at fostering healthy, productive and non-eroding soils, clean air and water, energy savings and wildlife habitats.

Rural Development: Rural communities and small towns are the backbone of the social and economic life of America. Effective policies and programs are needed to encourage rural development and promote the culture and well-being of these communities.

Diocesan Social Action Office | skryan@clevelandcatholiccharities.org | http://www.clevelandcatholiccharities.org/dsao

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