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June 14, 2024


 

News


Overview: The CCUSA Government Relations Team joined other Catholic organizations at a reception hosted by the Faithful Citizenship Institute to welcome new Capitol Hill staff and interns who are Catholic to DC. The event introduced the staff and interns to Catholic resources and organizations they could access and join while working on the Hill.

In addition, the Government Relations Team continues to meet with key Congressional leaders to reintroduce Catholic Charities and build on our relationships.

Appropriations: CCUSA signed a joint letter by the Catholic coalition of national leaders (USCCB, Catholic Rural Life, Catholic Relief Services) to the agriculture subcommittees of both the House ([link removed]) and Senate ([link removed]) regarding the Agriculture Appropriations bill. The letter sets forth the coalition's joint position and requests concerning the programs or initiatives under the subcommittees' jurisdiction. The most relevant sections for CCUSA and its member agencies are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

CCUSA signed a Leadership 18 letter to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee urging them to provide FY2025 funds that would allow the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to incorporate nonprofit organizations in the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Currently, these statistics come out every five years for nonprofits, whereas other sectors of the economy receive the statistics quarterly, which allows them to benchmark their outcomes against larger trends. Nonprofits should have the data quarterly as well, the letter states, so they can do the same studies and help policymakers understand challenges and craft responsive policy.

Farm Bill: Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans released this week their farm bill proposal ([link removed]), whichlargely mirrors the GOP-led House farm bill ([link removed]) with projected future cuts to the SNAP program of $30 billion in the next ten years, setting up a major clash with Democrats. It serves as a counter-proposal to Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow ([link removed])'s (D-Mich.) rival farm bill framework, which focuses on crop insurance and maintains Thrifty Food Plan SNAP calculations without future benefit cuts.

Economy: In the week ending June 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims ([link removed]) was 242,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 227,000, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 222,500.

Opioid epidemic: Poverty and the opioid epidemic are intimately connected, and the University of Notre Dame's work on the root causes of poverty and evidence-based practices to address poverty can directly serve the people impacted by this crisis. In this spirit, Notre Dame is hosting a summit on the National Opioids Settlement ([link removed]) on August 5 and 6, 2024, called A Pathway to Hope. This event will serve as a conversation and planning session on the most pressing issues facing communities and families impacted by the opioid crisis. Participants will actively collaborate in identifying solutions that are most needed and will help build a path forward for an evidence-informed response to this crisis. Through the creation of a research agenda that will guide new lines of research, Notre Dame aims to build evidence around solutions that have positive impact.

The Catholic Charities network and Notre Dame have both developed much expertise on this issue that particularly burdens the poor and vulnerable in our country. Yet there is still so much more work to be done to get real, practical help to people affected by this crisis. Notre Dame invites the Catholic Charities network to join our voice in this work by attending this no-cost gathering. You can see the full event schedule here ([link removed]), and register to attend here ([link removed]).

Convening on homelessness: Attend one of CCUSA's regional convenings on homelessness, which will be co-hosted by local Catholic Charities agencies. Representatives from the government, Catholic Charities agencies, and other faith-based organizations will share challenges, ideas, solutions, and models of best practices for addressing homelessness. Information gathered from the convenings will be used to produce a white paper and prepare for a national summit on preventing homelessness. Registration ([link removed]) is open for Minneapolis, Minn. (Aug. 8-9); and Phoenix, Ariz. (Oct. 24-25). There is no cost to register, but space is limited. A limited number of stipends for travel costs are available to Catholic Charities agency staff members, and continuing education credits are available as well.

 

Trivia

Q. What is the first known use of the term "Catholic Church"?

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