This week, President Biden traveled to promote his economic plan while Congress began to dig into the plans to address the needs of the economic crisis. On May 5, Judge Dabney Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, struck down the nationwide moratorium on evictions, imposed by the Trump administration last year and extended by President Biden until June 30, a ruling that could affect tenants struggling to pay rent during the pandemic. The Justice Department immediately filed an appeal and requested an emergency stay on the order pending a decision by the higher court. Late Wednesday night, Judge Friedrich agreed to put her ruling on hold until May 12 to give landlords time to file legal papers opposing a longer delay, while making clear that the move was not a reflection of the "merits" of the government's request. It remains unclear how wide an impact the decision will have on renters. It does not necessarily bind state housing court judges who rule on eviction orders. Meanwhile, two other federal courts have upheld the moratorium, adding to the confusion about its fate. Catholic Charities USA and the Felician Sisters of North America have established an eviction prevention fund. If you wish to contribute to the fund, please click here. This week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released new numbers that indicate employers added 266,000 jobs in April, after rising by 770,000 in March. U.S. employers hired far fewer workers than expected in April, likely frustrated by labor shortages. The economy is starting to recover and yet hiring remains slow. COVID-19 update On May 6, 2021, the CDC reported that there were 41,909 new COVID-19 cases and 730 deaths. Across the country, 149 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 108 million people who have been fully vaccinated. There is a possibility that a vaccine will be approved for children ages 12-15 in the upcoming week. The CDC has released modified guidance for those who have been fully vaccinated. With the promising news, people should remain vigilant in their use of masks and social distancing. To learn more about how you can get the vaccine, search vaccines.gov, text your zip code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations. Please visit the CCUSA Social Policy/Advocacy page for updates and policy papers. See here.
Faith and the Common Good
During this month when we celebrate our Asian and Pacific Islander sisters and brothers, we also pray with them as we witness the increase in violent and racially motivated attacks against Asian and Pacific Islanders across the United States. Here is a prayer by Pope Francis for those suffering brutal attacks of violence. Pope Francis' Prayer for Peace and Protection from Violence and from Terrorism O, Almighty and merciful God, Lord of the universe and of history. All that You have created is good and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind knows no limits. We come to You today to ask You to keep in peace the world and its people, to keep far away from it the devastating wave of terrorism, to restore friendship and instill in the hearts of your creatures the gift of trust and of readiness to forgive. O, Giver of life, we pray to You also for all those who have died as victims of brutal terrorist attacks. Grant them their eternal reward. May they intercede for the world that is torn apart by conflicts and disagreements. O, Jesus, Prince of Peace, we pray to You for the ones who have been wounded in these acts of inhuman violence: children and young people, old people and innocent people accidentally involved in evil. Heal their bodies and hearts; console them with Your strength and, at the same time, take away any hatred and a desire for revenge. Holy Spirit Consoler, visit the families of the victims of terrorism, families that suffer through no fault of their own. Wrap them in the mantle of Your divine mercy. Make them find again in You and in themselves the strength and courage to continue to be brothers and sisters for others, above all for immigrants, giving witness to Your love by their lives. Touch the hearts of terrorists so that they may recognize the evil of their actions and may turn to the way of peace and goodness, of respect for the life and for the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, origin, wealth or poverty. O God, Eternal Father, in Your mercy hear our prayer which we raise up to You amidst the deafening noise and desperation of the world. We turn to You with great hope, full of trust in Your infinite Mercy. Made strong by the examples of the blessed martyrs of Perú, Zbigniew and Michael, who have rendered courageous testimony to the Gospel, to the point of offering their blood, we entrust ourselves to the intercession of Your Most Holy Mother. We ask for the gift of peace and of the elimination from our midst of the sore of terrorism. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Pope Francis, Prayer during visit to Basilica of St. Francis for XXXI World Youth Day, Poland, 7/30/16 © LIBRERIA EDITRICE VATICANA
Trivia
Who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC? On April 30th, the trivia question was, "When was legislation signed to designate May as Asian American Pacific Islander month?" Jan Smith was the first to correctly indicate that in 1990, George H.W. Bush signed a bill passed by Congress to extend Asian-American Heritage Week to a month; May was officially designated as Asia-Pacific American Heritage Month two years later. A former congressional staffer in the 1970s, Jeanie Jew, a former congressional staffer approached Representative Frank Horton with the idea of designating a month to recognize Asian Pacific Americans, following the bicentennial celebrations. In June 1977, Representatives Horton, and Norman Y. Mineta introduced a United States House of Representatives resolution to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga. The proposed resolutions sought that May be designated for two reasons. For on May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrant arrived in the United States. And on May 10, 1869, the golden spike was driven into the First Transcontinental Railroad, which was completed using Chinese labor. President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution for the celebration on October 5, 1978.
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