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This week in Washington legislators have turned all of their attention to the Coronavirus, especially after the increase in confirmed cases, and after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus COVID-19 as a pandemic.
Coronavirus Response
As of this writing, Speaker Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin agreed to a deal on the Family First Coronavirus Response Act, which will be voted on in the House today. There is no indication on whether President Trump or Republicans will support this legislation. In Speaker Pelosi's summary, the legislation is focused directly on providing support for America's families, and includes:
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Free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. All people who need to be tested, according to a medical professional, have access.
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Paid emergency leave, with both 14 days of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave.
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Enhanced Unemployment Insurance, a first step that will extend protections to furloughed workers.
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Strengthened food security initiatives, including SNAP, student meals, seniors' nutrition and food banks. SNAP work requirements will be paused for the duration of the public health crisis.
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Increased federal funds for Medicaid, as states face increased costs.
If you are interested in reading the text of the bill, click here.
Earlier this week, CCUSA urged Congress and the Administration to enact immediate and effective policies and appropriations to limit the impact of COVID-19, to support and protect lives, and stabilize our economy. Read the full letter here.
President Trump declared a national emergency on Friday afternoon and pledged up to $50 billion in federal aid. He also said that he would waive restrictions on hospitals to fight the virus.
Latest COVID-19 information
In an effort to keep everyone informed of the latest COVID-19 information and its impact on Catholic Charities agencies, CCUSA has created a dedicated page for resources, best practices, and exchange of information. The page also features an area for you to submit your best practices, ideas, plans and announcements in order to share with each other.
You do not need a password to access the page, so please feel free to share with departments in your diocese. You can access the public web page through this link: http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/resource/covid-19/
Faith and the Common Good
Donna Ashton from Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton was the first to identify Sarah Winnemucca as the Native American woman who represents Nevada in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol.
Sarah Winnemucca was born Thocmentony meaning "Shell Flower," near Humboldt Lake, Nevada, into an influential Paiute family who led their community in pursuing friendly relations with the arriving groups of Anglo-American settlers. She was sent to study in a Catholic school in Santa Clara, California. When the Paiute War erupted between the Pyramid Lake Paiute and the settlers, Sarah and some of her family traveled to escape the fighting. They made a living performing onstage as "A Paiute Royal Family." In 1865, while the Winnemucca family was away, their band was attacked by the US cavalry, who killed 29 Paiutes, including Sarah's mother and several members of her extended family.
Subsequently, Winnemucca became an advocate for the rights of Native Americans, traveling across the United States to tell Anglo-Americans about the plight of her people. When the Paiute were interned in a concentration camp at Yakima, Washington after the Bannock War, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress and the executive branch for their release. She also served US forces as a messenger, interpreter, and guide, and as a teacher for imprisoned Native Americans.
Winnemucca published Life Among the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims (1884), a book that is both a memoir and history of her people during their first 40 years of contact with European Americans. Following the publication of the book, Winnemucca toured the Eastern United States, giving lectures about her people in New England, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. She returned to the West, founding a private school for Native American children in Lovelock, Nevada. In 1993, she was inducted posthumously into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.
With the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus, we are confronted once more with the fragility of our lives, and again we are reminded of our common humanity. Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided this prayer as we seek the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Holy Virgin of Guadalupe,
Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.
We fly to you today as your beloved children.
We ask you to intercede for us with your Son,
as you did at the wedding in Cana.
Pray for us, loving Mother,
and gain for our nation and world,
and for all our families and loved ones,
the protection of your holy angels,
that we may be spared the worst of this illness.
For those already afflicted,
we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.
Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful,
wipe away their tears and help them to trust.
In this time of trial and testing,
teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.
Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.
We come to you with confidence,
knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother,
health of the sick and cause of our joy.
Shelter us under the mantle of your protection,
keep us in the embrace of your arms,
help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
--Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles
Trivia
Who was the first Native American to earn a medical degree?
Please send your answers to socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org
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