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Overview: With the rest of the world, the CCUSA Social Policy team extends prayers and consolation to the royal family in England at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. This week, President Biden and members of Congress also expressed their sympathy to the royal family. Meanwhile, their focus has been on the upcoming midterm elections and passing a continuing resolution before the elections.  Queen Elizabeth II talks with Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican in this April 3, 2014, file photo. Queen Elizabeth died Sept. 8, 2022, at the age of 96. (CNS photo/Maria Grazia Picciarella, pool) |
Webinar on Hunger, Nutrition, and the Farm Bill: CCUSA is hosting with CRS and USCCB a legislative briefing on hunger, nutrition, and the Farm Bill that will be livestreamed on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. You will hear from a panel of experts from the USCCB, Catholic Charities West Virginia, and CRS about how organizations are using U.S. funding to respond to needs at home and around the world. Some of the questions to be answered: (1.) What does Catholic teaching have to say about the responsibility of public authorities to provide for the common good? (2.) How does this responsibility relate to investments in nutrition and food security (such as those authorized by the Farm Bill) to feed the hungry here and abroad? (3.) How are these investments used responsibly by faith-based organizations such as Catholic Charities and CRS to provide life-affirming food security and nutrition assistance to the people they serve? REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR HERE. Immigration: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule on "public charge" - i.e., conditions leading to a noncitizen becoming primarily dependent on the government for subsistence - to be published in the Federal Register on Sept. 9, 2022, and effective Dec. 23, 2022. The final rule provides clarity and consistency for noncitizens on how DHS will administer the public charge ground of inadmissibility. The rule restores the historical understanding of a 'public charge' that had been in place for decades. DHS will not consider in public charge determinations benefits received by family members other than the applicant. DHS will also not consider receipt of certain non-cash benefits for which noncitizens may be eligible. These benefits include: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other nutrition programs, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid (other than for long-term institutionalization), housing benefits, any benefits related to immunizations or testing for communicable diseases, or other supplemental or special-purpose benefits. Read the DHS press release here. Economy: In the week ending September 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment] claims was 222,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 4,000 from 232,000 to 228,000. The 4-week moving average was 233,000, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,000 from 241,500 to 240,500. |
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