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January 26, 2024


News


Overview: With a stopgap spending bill passed last week, the Senate focused on crafting a border deal that could be accepted by both parties. The likelihood of passage in both houses is, at best, uncertain. Negotiations on the Child Tax Credit continue, and you can contact your members of Congress through the action alert below, asking them to help children and families with the lowest incomes. The CTC - when it applies to the most vulnerable families - gives money to parents and children that can be used for the necessities of life, such as food and shelter.

Homelessness: Attend one of CCUSA's regional convenings on homelessness. Registration for the events is free, and a limited number of stipends for travel costs are available for Catholic Charities agency staff members. Throughout 2024, CCUSA is collaborating with local Catholic Charities agencies to host seven regional convenings that will better equip attendees to raise awareness around the homelessness crisis in America. This series, Advocacy Forums: A Convening on Practical Solutions to Address Homelessness ([link removed]), will provide a platform to discuss the state of homelessness in local communities, states, and regions; share challenges, ideas, solutions, and models of best practices for addressing homelessness; and federal-level advocacy training. Leaders and staff from Catholic Charities agencies, Catholic organizations, Catholic parishes, other faith communities, and local collaborators are encouraged to attend. Presenters will include CCUSA staff, Catholic Charities leaders, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies. The inaugural forum will be hosted by Catholic Charities East Bay in Oakland, CA, on February 28 - 29, 2024.

Affordable broadband access: CCUSA joined in a letter to congressional leadership ([link removed]) urging them to prioritize funding to extend the landmark Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides qualifying households with $30 a month towards the cost of internet access ($75 on tribal lands) as well as a one-time $100 credit towards the purchase of a laptop or tablet device. Read the letter ([link removed]).

Action alert: The CCUSA social policy team published an action alert on Jan. 17, asking people to contact their members of Congress and ask them to support the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, a bipartisan tax agreement that expands and improves the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). To participate, find the action alert on CCUSA's website ([link removed]), enter your address and zip code, and follow the prompts to contact your senators and representatives.

Economy: In the week ending January 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims ([link removed]) was 214,000, an increase of 25,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 187,000 to 189,000. The 4-week moving average was 202,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 203,250 to 203,750. The economy grew at a 3.3% annualized rate in the third quarter of 2023, outpacing economists' expectations. Overall growth for 2023 was 3.1%, a significant turnaround from predictions that the U.S. would slip into a recession.

 

Trivia

Q. Why did Pope Saint Paul II establish a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd, also known as Candlemas Day?

Please send your answers to January 1908 ([link removed]).

 

Connections

Please share CCUSA's Washington Weekly ([link removed]) with your friends, family and networks so that we can build a movement of solidarity for those most in need!

Text "CCUSA" to 855-564-3197 to receive our action alerts! You can also access advocacy opportunities through our Action Center ([link removed]).

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If you would like to help further Catholic Charities' commitment to alleviating, reducing, and preventing poverty, you can contribute here ([link removed]).

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