U.S. House Votes to Ban Abortions
After 20 Weeks
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill this week banning abortion nationwide after 20 weeks gestation, citing the gruesome nature of late term abortion revealed by the recent Kermit Gosnell trial and scientific evidence that unborn infants are capable of feeling pain in utero. Although the Senate is unlikely to take up the bill and President Obama has promised to veto it, passage of the bill is significant in raising awareness of the ability of unborn children who experience pain during an abortion procedure.
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The Fortnight for Freedom Begins Today
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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have called upon Catholics nationwide to participate in the Fortnight for Freedom to pray for religious liberty, and for the sanctity of life and marriage. The Fortnight runs from June 21st until July 4th and is an opportunity for prayer and fasting to ask for divine intervention for the protection of our religious liberties. Read Baltimore Archbishop William Lori's op-ed in the Baltimore Sun regarding this issue.
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Two House Panels on Medicaid Established
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Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones (R-Eureka) has authorized the creation of two panels to study Medicaid reforms. Rep. Noel Torpey (R-Independence) will head up a committee of legislators and citizens responsible for gathering public input from around the state. A second panel chaired by Rep. Jay Barnes (R-Jefferson City) will then try to develop a Medicaid reform bill for consideration in the 2014 session of the Missouri General Assembly.
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School Districts Will Accept Student Transfers
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St. Louis area schools are preparing to accept student transfers from the unaccredited school districts of Riverview Gardens and Normandy. The transfers are now required due to a ruling handed down last week by the Missouri Supreme Court. In that ruling the court said students in unaccredited districts have the right under a state law to transfer to better public schools. The Parkway, Webster Grove and Pattonville districts all indicate they are prepared to receive new transfer students. The transfers are creating various logistical challenges that districts are trying to address this summer. The court ruling will also affect the Kansas City area because the Kansas City school district is unaccredited.
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MCC End of Session Report
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In our weekly Update we report on the progress of legislation supported or opposed by the MCC. But you may want to see the bigger picture of legislation of concern to the MCC. Click "End of Session Report" to visit our website for a complete report of MCC position bills tracked during the recently concluded 2013 session of the Missouri General Assembly.
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Senate Moves Toward Stronger Border Security
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U.S. Senators have apparently worked out a compromise on the immigration reform bill that will dramatically beef up security along the U.S. southern border. The emerging deal would double the Border Patrol with 20,000 new agents, 18 new unmanned surveillance drones and 700 miles of fencing. The legislation would retain a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented now residing in the U.S. If the compromise holds, a vote by the end of next week is expected. Read this Associated Press article for more details. |
CBO Report Says Immigration Reform Can Reduce Federal Deficit
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A new report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) indicates that if the immigration bill now being debated by the U.S Senate became law it would increase the U.S. population by 10.4 million people while decreasing the federal budget deficit by $197 billion between 2014 and 2023. The deficit reduction would occur because of increasing tax revenue received when newly legalized immigrants pay income and payroll taxes. Other experts suggest the boost to the workforce will help keep the Social Security system solvent for years to come. |
Twentieth Anniversary of Dead Man Walking
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Sr. Helen Prejean
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This week marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the book, Dead Man Walking. This autobiographical account by Sr. Helen Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun, detailed her work with death row inmates and victims of violence. The book ignited a national debate about the death penalty and was subsequently made into an awarding winning movie, opera, and play. |
Former Death Row Inmate Released
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This week the Indiana Supreme Court released former death row inmate Paula Cooper after serving 26 years. In 1985 Cooper stabbed 76 year-old Ruth Pelke to death in a robbery with three other teens. Cooper was sentenced to death at age 16, becoming the youngest person on death row in the U.S. Bill Pelke, grandson of the victim, lead an international effort, which included an appeal for mercy from Pope John Paul II, to get Cooper's sentence commuted. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down death sentences for juveniles, Indiana commuted her sentence to 60 years. But after recognizing her rehabilitative efforts the Indiana Supreme Court ordered the release of the 43 year old woman.
In an interview on Democracy Now Sr. Helen Prejean and Bill Pelke share their stories of what led them to become involved in the death penalty movement. To hear the interview click here.
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In a famous passage in Federalist No. 51, James Madison observes: "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controuls on government would be necessary." Madison goes on to discuss the importance of a balance of powers and of competing interests in order to protect against too strong a concentration of power.
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James Madison
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Madison believed that simple majority rule by itself would not assure justice. In Federalist No. 51 he observes: "It is of great importance in a republic, not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers; but to guard one part of society against the injustice of the other part."
Catholic teaching offers no blueprint for what would constitute the most just structure of government, but the Catechism of the Catholic Church does state: "It [authority] must not behave in a despotic manner, but must act for the common good as a moral force based on freedom and a sense of responsibility." (par. 1902).
In order to protect and promote the common good, Catholic teaching encourages active participation by citizens: "As far as possible citizens should take an active part in public life." (Catechism, par. 1915).
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