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This week lawmakers returned to Washington looking to make headway on appropriations.
The Senate continues to trail the House in passing appropriations bills with only two bills moved out of committee and ready for floor consideration. They passed Defense with a contentious party-line 16-15 vote, and Energy Water with a bipartisan 31-0 vote.
The chamber remains divided over program spending levels and amendments. The Senate Appropriations Committee was planning on moving Labor-HHS-Education and State-Foreign Operations this week, but the markup was stalled due to opposition to amendments related to abortion policy.
Next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee plans to markup Transportation-HUD, Agriculture, Financial Services, and Military Construction-VA bills. The clock is ticking on Congress to pass all appropriations bills before the September 30th deadline, after which stopgap funding will be necessary to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Hurricane Dorian Update
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is actively working with our local agencies who are dealing with the impact of Hurricane Dorian. Catholic Charities agencies from Florida to Virginia diligently prepared for Dorian's impact, which fortunately ended up being much less than expected. Catholic Charities of South Carolina and Raleigh are responding to the needs presented by a spawn of tornadoes brought on by Dorian, and Catholic Charities Raleigh is assisting in the effort to ensure residents of the remote Ocracoke Island have the life sustaining resources they need.
Residents of the Bahamas were much less fortunate, and Dorian destroyed much of Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island. The situation is dire and our thoughts and prayers are with the survivors and responders mobilizing to meet the need. Catholic Charities St. Augustine and Palm Beach are helping provide for the needs of evacuees from the Bahamas. Beyond the domestic Catholic Charities network, Catholic Relief Services is also responding to the need. The USCCB has encouraged those looking to help support Dorian relief efforts to donate to CCUSA or CRS.
CCUSA is the official domestic relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church. If you would like to help support CCUSA in their disaster relief efforts you can donate here.
Faith and the Common Good
Lucy Howell correctly identified Margaret Chase Smith from Maine as the first woman to serve in both the U.S. House and Senate.
Angered by McCarthy's ferocious and unsubstantiated attacks, Smith became one of the first senators to take the Senate floor and publicly denounce what became known as "McCarthyism." On June 1, 1950, Smith delivered what she considered the most important speech of her career, her "Declaration of Conscience."
Smith served 24 years in the Senate and helped to break down barriers to women serving in political office. In retirement, she established the Margaret Chase Smith Library and continued to serve as an important role model until her death at age 97 in 1995.
As Congress returns to Washington, DC, we offer this prayer for our Civic Leaders.
Prayer for Civic Leaders
God our Father,
You guide everything in wisdom and love.
Accept the prayers we offer for our nation.
In your goodness,
watch over those in authority
so that people everywhere
may enjoy freedom, security and peace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
---From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers
The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On September 14th, we celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross which honors the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena in 320 under the temple of Venus in Jerusalem, and the dedication in 335 of the basilica and shrine built on Calvary by Constantine, which mark the site of the Crucifixion. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher now stands on the site.
Click here for Pope Francis' prayer at the Way of the Cross.
Trivia
Who was the first Hispanic-American Representative elected to Congress and what year did his or her service begin?
Please send your answers to socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org
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