Overview: President Biden signed into law the $1.5 trillion spending bill that funds the government through September. Congress will soon begin work on the budget process for FY 2023 following the release of the president's anticipated budget proposal. Economy: In the week ending March 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment insurance weekly] claims was 214,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 227,000 to 229,000. The four-week moving average was 223,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 231,250 to 231,750. Funding the government: On March 11, 2022, President Biden signed into law the $1.5 trillion spending bill that funds the government through September. As reported last week, the funding bill also includes support for the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Public charge: The Homeland Security Department has published a proposed rule to amend the federal "public charge" provisions. CCUSA will participate in the public comment period, which closes April 25, 2022. Afghan refugees: CCUSA applauds the Department of Homeland Security's decision to designate Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. This designation protects Afghans already residing in the U.S. as of March 15, 2022, and permits them to remain here instead of returning to their homeland amid unsafe conditions. However, TPS is only a short-term solution. Afghans have been uprooted from their homes and may not be able to return safely under Taliban rule. We urge Congress to pass an Afghan Adjustment Act to provide a path to Lawful Permanent Resident status for Afghans who need a safe place to rebuild their lives. Click here to join CCUSA in urging Congress to pass an Afghan Adjustment Act. Charitable choice provisions: Vice President of Government Relations for CCUSA, Anthony Granado, wrote to the House Education and Labor Committee prior to its scheduled mark up on H.R. 5129 (Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2021) to urge the Committee to maintain Charitable Choice provisions. Charitable Choice was added in 1998 to a bill co-sponsored by Republican Senator Dan Coats and Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy. They wanted to be sure that faith-based organizations had an equal opportunity to compete for CSBG dollars to support the services that charities, churches, and other faith-based organizations provide to their neighbors. Joint letters: CCUSA signed a joint letter to Congressional leadership from social service organizations dedicated to uplifting the lives of children and calling for establishing a national child poverty reduction target and to solidify a commitment to ending child poverty in the U.S. by passing the Child Poverty Reduction Act. This act would codify a national target to cut child poverty by half in a decade and task the National Academy of Sciences to analyze and monitor progress towards this goal. CCUSA also signed a joint letter to President Biden with other humanitarian organizations asking him to convene a White House conference to address ending hunger. Lastly, CCUSA joined with the Faith and Giving Coalition in a letter to Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma and the Senate Finance Committee, urging support for enacting an expanded and extended universal charitable deduction for non-itemizers. Briefing on safety and security for faith-based organizations: In support of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships are hosting a briefing for faith-based organizations to enhance the safety and security of their institutions and communities in preparation for religious observances. Federal resources will be shared on practical low-cost to no-cost actions to increase organizational and community readiness and on mental health supportive strategies. Presentations will be made by DHS and HHS. When: March 22, 2022. Time: 5 PM ET. Register here. |
