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Overview: Government funding has been extended through Feb. 18. The National Defense Authorization Act passed in the House on Dec. 7, 2021, and the nation commemorated the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Senate continues to work toward passing the Build Back Better Act, a $1.75 trillion social and climate spending budget reconciliation bill. Following on last week's court rulings temporarily halting the administration's vaccine mandates, the Senate voted to block President Biden's vaccine mandate for employers with more than 100 employees. It is not expected to pass in the House. The debt ceiling is on track to be raised by next week.

Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) continues to press for a pre-Christmas vote on the House-passed Build Back Better climate and safety net spending package, despite Senator Joe Manchin's (D-WV) concerns regarding how current inflation rates will affect the economy and, hence, how to move forward with the bill. (Here's a summary of what's included in the House-passed bill.) CCUSA supports many of the policy proposals contained in the bill but also has raised some concerns regarding certain provisions. CCUSA signed a letter with other religious organizations asking Congressional leaders to ensure that faith-based providers of child care and prekindergarten may participate in expanded funding for these services under the Build Back Better Act. The legislation as written would attach new compliance obligations that would interfere with these providers' protected rights under Title VII and Title IX. 

Economy: On Thursday, the Department of Labor reported that in the week ending December 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment insurance] claims was 184,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since Sept. 6, 1969, when it was 182,000. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary, published each month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed just over 11 million unfilled positions in the month of October, the second-highest tally on record and 431,000 higher than the final September tally.

National debt: The Senate voted on Thursday to allow the chamber to raise the country's borrowing limit with a simple majority, which essentially enables the Democrats to increase the limit on their own. The measure now heads to President Biden for his signature. Once the president signs the legislation, both houses of Congress will have to hold separate votes to increase the debt ceiling. The votes are expected to take place early next week.

Covid-19 vaccination mandates: The Senate voted to block President Biden's vaccine (or weekly testing) mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees. The rule, issued through the federal Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration (OSHA), was already placed on hold via a federal appeals court. Opponents of the rule argue that the executive branch does not have the authority to issue such a rule; it belongs to the states to set such mandates for their communities.

Religious freedom: Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee Republican Leader Russ Fulcher (R-ID) sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Marty Walsh expressing opposition to the DOL's proposed rescission of religious liberty protections for federal contractors. 

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This Sunday, Dec. 12, the third Sunday of Advent, also goes by the name Gaudete Sunday, or Rejoice Sunday. Whereas the Mass readings from the previous two weeks emphasized the coming of the Lord, this week we hear from John the Baptist that the Lord is near: Truly a cause for rejoicing!

Upon hearing of Jesus' advent, we may ask the same question the crowds ask in the gospel: "What then should we do?" John's answer still applies today: the best way to prepare for the Lord is to love others as he has loved us: personally, concretely, and generously.

If a person doesn't have a coat and you have two, give her one. If a person owes you money, don't demand back more than what he owes. If a person is under your authority, don't abuse your power. Simple, profound, and loving actions that imitate Jesus' way of dealing with us and anticipate the kingdom of heaven, which Jesus has opened for us.

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Q. What teaching was condemned by the bishop of Paris on Dec. 10, 1270? 

Please send your answers to [email protected]. 

Last week's question and answer:

Q. Next Wednesday the Church celebrates the anniversary of a dogma. Can you name: 1.) the feast's title and year of provenance; 2.) the pope who defined the dogma; and 3.) the document published for the occasion?

A. Thanks to Samantha Yanity, justice educator at Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center in Seattle, Wash., for being first to get the correct answers: 1.) The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 1854. 2.) Pope Pius IX. 3.) Ineffabilis Deus. 

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