OPPOSE
TORTURE
The good news is that the Senate passed H.R. 2082, the FY 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act, with its anti-torture
provisions intact on February 13th. The Church stands firm in denouncing torture as it
undermines and debases the dignity of both victims and perpetrators. Pope Benedict XVI said “the
prohibition against torture cannot be contravened under any circumstance.” Passed by a vote of 51-45,
this bill expands the prohibition against torture of detainees to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents.
The bad news is that President
Bush has announced his intention to veto this bill on March 5th.
ACTION REQUESTED
CALL the White House at 202-456-1111
or send an e-mail to President Bush to express support for the anti-torture provisions (Section 327) in H.R. 2082 and urge him to sign this legislation.
HELP the POOR ADAPT to CLIMATE CHANGE
Oxfam America is sponsoring an on-line petition asking the presidential candidates to pay special
attention to the effects of climate change on those most affected. The petition suggests that the next
president needs to re-engage with international climate negotiations, help fund developing countries’ efforts to adapt
to the impacts of climate change, and commit the US to pollution reduction strategies to limit warming and shift fossil fuel
subsidies to clean energy solutions.
ACTION REQUESTED
To sign this petition, go to Oxfam America.
FARM BILL (Includes FOOD STAMPS and other NUTRITION PROGRAMS)
If you are tired of hearing about the Farm Bill negotiations dragging on
and on, just be glad we don’t write it to you about it every week (it only feels like it…). A
few days ago, it sounded like key congressional negotiators and the administration were about to reach some agreements.
Now it’s sounding like the stalemate continues. Facing a veto threat from the White House,
members of the tax and farm panels in the House and the Senate have spent weeks trying to come up with a funding mechanism
to try to add about $10 billion in extra spending for nutrition and environmental programs.
ACTION REQUESTED – Toll-Free CALL 1-800-826-9624
Call your Members of Congress (especially both of your Senators) to urge passage of a final
Farm Bill conference agreement with the strongest nutrition title. Use the toll-free number (1-800-826-9624)
made available by AARP to connect to the U.S. Capitol switchboard. You will be connected after hearing
a short nutrition message.
“MARCH
FORTH” for CHILD CARE and HEAD START
On March 4th, tell Congress to increase their investments in child care and Head Start.
Under the president’s proposed FY 2009 budget, 200,000 low-income children and their families would lose child
care assistance and 13,000 children would lose Head Start. Your calls can help your Senators and Representatives
realize the importance of providing adequate funding for these vital programs.
ACTION REQUESTED
– CALL on March 4th
Thanks to AFSCME, a toll-free number (1-888-460-0813) will be available to call Congress on March 4th.
For more information on this campaign, please check the National Women's Law Center site.
GOOD
NEWS on the INDIAN HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT Act
The IHCIA (S. 1200) passed the Senate on February 26 by an overwhelming 83-10.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
Politics “101”
The bill as passed by the Senate contains
a number of amendments, mostly related to Indian Health Care. It also included an amendment which places
a moratorium on the Medicaid case management regulations proposed by CMS. The regulations are bad (restricting
outreach and access to Medicaid for children in school settings); therefore the moratorium, in our estimation, is good.
We (National Advocacy Center staff) want the moratorium to pass. Indian Health advocates also generally
want the moratorium to be sustained, but do not want it to be attached to this particular bill, because that would be likely
to generate debate and slow down the passage of the long-delayed reauthorization of the IHCIA.
Possibly the moratorium on the implementation
of the new Medicaid regulations will be re-written as a free-standing bill, and taken off the Indian Health Care Act when
it goes to the House.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The weekend of March 7-10 will see the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days descend
once again on Washington, DC. Approximately 1,000 participants from various faith communities are expected
to learn and to lobby. Our own Sr. Helene Hayes, RGS, will be one of the presenters, speaking about Human
Trafficking.
Mental Health Parity legislation will be coming to the House floor early next week. We will try
to send you a specific request on Monday.
