October 1, 2021

Inside this issue

• CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly
• Faith and the Common Good
• Trivia
• Connections

  CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly  
 
Overview: The House and Senate were in session this week. On Thursday, the House and Senate averted a government shutdown by approving a short-term government funding continuing resolution (CR) that was signed into law by President Biden. The CR will fund the government through Dec. 3, while Congress works to finalize a longer-term funding bill. CCUSA wrote a letter to Congress in support of several additional provisions that were included in the CR, including disaster relief, Afghan resettlement, nutrition benefits and other items. The House had to cancel a vote on the Senate-approved $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill that was planned for Friday because House progressives would not support it unless it was paired with the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation spending bill. Though the House, Senate and president worked in earnest to advance the budget reconciliation bill, which includes the Child Tax Credit, Medicare and Medicaid expansion and other social spending measures, they could not find an agreement on a topline number due to moderate Democrats' objections.  Senator Manchin released a statement critical of the $3.5 trillion package on Wednesday, calling it "fiscal insanity" and inflationary. He said Thursday that his top-line is $1.5 trillion. Senator Manchin also vowed to block any bill that excluded Hyde Amendment protections against taxpayer-funded abortions.

Economy: U.S. unemployment claims rose to 362,000, but the four-week average remains at an 18-month low as the economy bounces back from last year's shutdowns. Recently claims have risen slightly along with coronavirus infections. Hiring is expected to pick up to more than 560,000 people this month when the Labor Department issues the September jobs report next week.

Budget Reconciliation: As outlined above, negotiations on the $3.5 trillion social spending package between Congress and the president have continued in earnest, but the date of a potential vote continues to slip into the fall, winter or beyond, as progressives and moderates push for their priorities. CCUSA wrote a letter outlining its priorities for the budget reconciliation bill, including support for children, affordable housing, nutrition and life affirming healthcare. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that immigration would not be included in the bill. Click the link for a summary of provisions we are watching: CCUSA's Budget Reconciliation Bill Summary.

Debt Ceiling: The Treasury Department has been using extraordinary measures to pay U.S. debts, and Secretary Janet Yellen told lawmakers that those measures would likely run out on Oct. 18. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate may take action on a House-passed bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling as early as next week, but the bill is expected to go nowhere in the Senate in the face of solid Republican opposition. The debt ceiling could also be raised with only Democrat votes by placing it in a budget reconciliation bill. 

Child Tax Credit: There's still time to sign up for Child Tax Credit payments before the Nov. 17 deadline and you don't need to pay taxes to receive the benefit. Click here to sign up. This week, CCUSA partnered with the White House and U.S. Treasury by cosponsoring an online training on resources to promote the Child Tax Credit.
 
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  Faith and the Common Good  
 
October 1 is the memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897), Virgin and Doctor of the Church. Therese is known widely for her spirituality, called the Little Way, which she developed at the Carmelite Monastery in Lisieux, France, where she lived from 1888 until her death. She found that doing so-called trivial acts - consciously and consistently - with great love helped her to be open to God's grace and mercy, which allowed her to share these divine gifts with others. 

Her Little Way was not a form of quietism but a decisive effort to cooperate with God in ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven, where the human person - through Jesus - abides in the communion of God's trinitarian love. Tempering one's appetites, forgiving someone instead of seeking revenge, doing charitable acts anonymously, loving one's enemies and praying for persecutors builds up the Kingdom just as "an eye for an eye" sows violence and disunity. Practicing Therese's spirituality goes hand in hand with honoring human dignity, including one's own; it requires patience and courage, not to mention God's grace. Insomuch as the practice is joined to Christ's sacrificial love and follows his example, it is a path to salvation.
 
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  Trivia  
 
Q. What event on October 1, 1890, has been hailed by nature lovers ever since?

Please send your answers to [email protected]. 

Last week's question and answer:

Q. On Sept. 24, 1789, what important part of the U.S. government was established? 

A. Donna Ashton of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, was the first to answer that "The Judiciary Act of 1789, officially titled 'An Act to Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States,' was signed into law by President George Washington on September 24, 1789. Article III of the Constitution established a Supreme Court, but left to Congress the authority to create lower federal courts as needed. Principally authored by Senator Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut, the Judiciary Act of 1789 established the structure and jurisdiction of the federal court system and created the position of attorney general. Although amended throughout the years by Congress, the basic outline of the federal court system established by the First Congress remains largely intact today." Drexler, Ken. "Judiciary Act of 1789: Primary Documents in American History." Library of Congress Research Guides. [link removed] 20 May 2021 Web. Accessed 23 Sept. 2021. 
 
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  Connections  
 
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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