April 24, 2020

Inside this issue

• CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly

  CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly  
 
This week in Washington lawmakers passed another coronavirus relief package, as the nation continues to cope with COVID-19, and the administration announced a temporary barring of certain immigrants into America.

COVID-19

This week the House and Senate came to an agreement for the framework of another coronavirus package. The initial impasse was whether to only replenish funds for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or also add funds for hospitals, states and local governments. The compromise will see an additional $320 billion pumped into the PPP and $75 billion for hospitals. State and local governments were omitted in this round of funding as was additional funding for charities and nonprofits. 

The PPP's $320 billion set aside $60 billion for community-based lenders and mid-sized banks. The intention is to make sure funds are directed to small businesses and minority-owned businesses. Although financial assistance for nonprofits was left out of this legislative package, nonprofits can still apply for loan funds in the normal PPP.

The funds come on the heels of another 4.4 million Americans filing jobless claims last week. The Department of Labor is reporting job losses of more than 26 million over the last five weeks. Additionally, as of today, the United States leads the world in confirmed coronavirus cases with over 886,000 cases and over 50,000 deaths with over 2.7 million cases and 195,000 deaths worldwide. States are beginning to discuss when and how they can reopen. Please continue to follow CDC guidelines for best practices on social distancing. For state-by-state guidance please see the National Governors Association website.

Immigration

On Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order that requires a 60-day halt in issuing green cards and permanent residency visas to people attempting to immigrate into the United States. The decision will not block the guest worker program, which includes specific visas for farm laborers, technology and others.

According to the executive order, American citizens may still apply for green cards on behalf of their minor children and spouses. Immigrants currently residing in the U.S. can convert their existing visas into green cards. Immigrants living abroad will not be granted green cards for at least 60 days unless they are entering to perform an essential job in the health care sector.

The administration justified the executive order citing "the impact of foreign workers on the United States labor market, particularly in an environment of high domestic unemployment and depressed demand for labor."

Catholic Charities USA President and CEO, Sister Donna Markham OP, PhD, spoke out against the executive order calling it "inconsistent with our faith tradition and our longstanding practice of welcoming refugees and migrants to our country." You can read her full statement here. 

Faith and the Common Good
Today we celebrate the 50th Earth Day. This is an occasion for renewing our commitment to love and care for our common home and for the weaker members of our human family. As the tragic coronavirus pandemic has taught us, we can overcome global challenges only by showing solidarity with one another and embracing the most vulnerable in our midst. The Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' deals precisely with this "Care for our Common Home". Today, let us together reflect a little on that responsibility which characterizes "our earthly sojourn" ((Laudato Si', 160). We must grow in awareness of caring for our common home.

We are fashioned from the earth, and fruit of the earth sustains our life. But, as the book of Genesis reminds us, we are not simply "earthly"; we also bear within us the breath of life that comes from God (cf. Gen 2:4-7). Thus we live in this common home as one human family in biodiversity with God's other creatures. As imago Dei, in God's image, we are called to have care and respect for all creatures, and to offer love and compassion to our brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable among us, in imitation of God's love for us, manifested in his Son Jesus, who became man in order to share our state with us and save us.

Pope Francis, General Audience, April 22, 2020

Prayer to Care for Our Common Home

Father of all,
Creator and ruler of the universe,
You entrusted your world to us as a gift.
Help us to care for it and all people,
that we may live in right relationship--
   with You,
   with ourselves,
   with one another,
   and with creation.

Christ our Lord,
both divine and human,
You lived among us and died for our sins.
Help us to imitate your love for the human family
by recognizing that we are all connected-
   to our brothers and sisters around the world,
   to those in poverty impacted by environmental devastation,
   and to future generations.

Holy Spirit,
giver of wisdom and love,
You breathe life in us and guide us.
Help us to live according to your vision,
stirring to action the hearts of all-
   individuals and families,
   communities of faith,
   and civil and political leaders.

Triune God, help us to hear the cry of those in poverty, and the cry of the earth, so that we may together care for our common home.
Amen.

Trivia

Who was the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress?

Carol Byram correctly guessed that the Library of Congress was the Washington institution established on April 24, 1800, 220 years ago.  The Library of Congress is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. The library is housed in three buildings on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.  The library's functions are overseen by the librarian of Congress, and its buildings are maintained by the architect of the Capitol. The Library of Congress is one of the largest libraries in the world.

Please send your answers to [email protected]

Please share the weekly with your friends, family and networks so that we can build a movement of solidarity for those most in need!

You can also access advocacy opportunities through our advocacy and policy page.

Stay connected with our work to end poverty, follow us on Twitter at @CCharitiesUSA.

If you would like to help further Catholic Charities' commitment to alleviating, reducing, and preventing poverty you can contribute here.
 
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