On March 11, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act. At close to $1.9 trillion dollars, the COVID rescue legislation is being touted as one of the largest economic assistance packages since the New Deal. The legislation provides additional relief to address the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and builds on previous COVID-related stimulus legislation such as the recent year-end spending and aid package, the CARES Act and the Families First Act. On March 18, the House voted to create a path to citizenship for roughly 2.5 million undocumented immigrants, including those known as Dreamers. In a near partly-line vote of 228 to 197, the House moved to set up a permanent legal pathway for the undocumented immigrants. Later, the House voted 247-174 to send the Senate bipartisan legislation that would allow undocumented farmworkers to earn legal status and would streamline the H-2A guest worker program. The Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule that would inhibit a state governor's ability to declare a disaster by adjusting the procedures for doing so. If implemented, this would hinder the ability of states and organizations like Catholic Charities to receive public assistance funds for clean-up efforts. Catholic Charities USA submitted comments detailing the impact on vulnerable populations and the Catholic Charities agencies that serve them. You can read the full comments here. It was reported on March 18 that the U.S. had at least 56,900 new coronavirus cases and 1,118 new coronavirus deaths. The number of cases is down 14 percent from the average two weeks prior, and deaths are flat from two weeks ago. The last few weeks have shown promising signs of a slowing of new cases and deaths as the vaccine continues to roll out across the U.S. The CDC reported that 75 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 40 million who have been fully vaccinated. Although signs are promising, people should remain vigilant in their use of a mask and social distancing. To learn more about how you can get the vaccine please contact your state health department for more information on its plan for COVID-19 vaccination. To stay in touch and learn more about what CCUSA's Social Policy staff are working on, click here.
Faith and the Common Good
As the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph today and also as proclaimed by Pope Francis as the Year of St. Joseph, it is important to remember that Joseph is regarded as the patron saint of workers, especially as we honor all the essential workers who continue to provide the necessary services to provide help while others are able to quarantine at home. Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph to be both the patron and the protector of the Catholic Church, in addition to his patronages of the sick and of a happy death, due to the belief that he died in the presence of Jesus and Mary. Joseph has become patron of various dioceses. Lift Up My Needs in Prayer Joseph, with Jesus and Mary, you knew hunger, uncertainty, and illness.
You turned your heart to God to lift up your needs and those of your family.
In faith, you accepted the Father's response as events unfolded.
Be with me today as I offer my requests to the Father. Joseph, let me recognize God's will as I open my hands to accept what God bestows in loving kindness.
With tenderness, God fills creation with life and love.
Open my eyes to the wonders that God works without ceasing.
Let me learn the true intention behind my request so that I may discover
within myself the lowly one that God commends. Amen.
Trivia
Who was the first indigenous person to be confirmed to lead a U.S. federal agency? On March 12th, the trivia question was, "Marcia Fudge was confirmed as the second African-American Secretary of HUD. Who was the first African-American woman?" Martha Reed of Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Massachusetts, was the first to identify Patricia Roberts Harris as the first African-American woman confirmed as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Patricia Roberts Harris was dedicated to public service, civil rights and the promotion of social justice. A woman of many firsts, she was the first African American woman to serve the nation as Ambassador, the first African American woman to become dean of a law school, and the first African-American woman to serve in a Presidential cabinet. Patricia Roberts excelled academically and won a scholarship to Howard University, graduating in 1945. She earned her law degree from George Washington University and was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Harris was appointed co-chair of the National Women's Committee for Civil Rights by President John F. Kennedy. She returned to Howard University as an associate Dean of Students and lecturer in the law school and became a full professor in 1963. In 1965, Harris accepted an appointment as Ambassador to Luxembourg. She then served briefly as Dean of Howard Law School in 1969. In 1977, Harris was appointed as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. At her confirmation hearing, she was queried as to her ability to represent the interests of the poor. Her response was: "I am one of them. You do not seem to understand who I am. I am a Black woman, daughter of a dining-car worker. I am a Black woman who could not buy a house eight years ago in parts of the District of Columbia. I didn't start out as a member of a prestigious law firm, but as a woman who needed a scholarship to go to school. If you think that I have forgotten that, you are wrong."
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. |
