Catholic Charities USA: Washington Weekly 11/24/09
November 23, 2009
Volume 4 Number 37
Inside this issue:
- Catholic Charities USA Awards Cardinal McCarrick Centennial Medal
- CCUSA Executive Testifies at Ways and Means Joint Subcommittee Hearing
- Senate Approves Procedural Vote to Continue Debate on Health Care Reform
- USDA Releases Food Security Report
- House Passes Bill to Block Medicare Payment Cuts to Physicians
- Application Period Opens for E Pluribus Unum Prize Supporting Exceptional Immigrant Integration Initiatives
Catholic Charities USA Awards Cardinal McCarrick Centennial Medal
On the evening of Thursday, November 19 at the Newseum in Washington, DC, Catholic Charities USA celebrated the launch of its Centennial at a special gallery reception entitled Power Against Poverty. Approximately 300 people were in attendance as Rev. Larry Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA, presented Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, DC, with the first Catholic Charities USA Centennial Medal. The event also featured the work of award-winning photographers from AmericanPoverty.org, a project aimed at bringing a new understanding and awareness of poverty in this country. For its Centennial, Catholic Charities USA will celebrate its significant accomplishments, develop new initiatives and partnerships, and work to reduce poverty in America.
For more information, please contact James Howell, Director of Development, jhowell@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
CCUSA Executive Testifies at Ways and Means Joint Subcommittee Hearing
On November 19, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittees on Oversight and Income Security and Family Support hosted a joint hearing entitled “Food Banks and Front-line Charities: Unprecedented Demand and Unmet Need.” The hearing comes after a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on November 16 revealing that close to 14.6 percent of American families struggled to find food last year, the highest rate since 1995.
The first panel included members from the Congressional Hunger Caucus: Representative James McGovern (D-MA), Representative John Boozman (R-AS), and Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS).
The second panel consisted of representatives from charities across the country, including Candy Hill, Senior Vice President of Social Policy and Government Affairs at Catholic Charities USA. Ms. Hill presented the struggles faced by Catholic Charities agencies across the country and the innovative solutions they have employed to continue serving those most in need. Data from Catholic Charities USA’s annual survey as well as data from the quarterly snapshot surveys were included in Congressional record. Other charities represented on the panel were Feeding America, J. Bulow Campbell Foundation, Northwest Harvest, and United Way Worldwide.
To read more about the hearing, go here.
For more information, please contact Ryan Smith, Policy Analyst at rsmith@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Senate Approves Procedural Vote to Continue Debate on Health Care Reform
After two days of debate, the U.S. Senate passed a procedural measure on November 21 by a vote of 60 to 39. This mechanism, known as cloture, requires a 60-vote majority and is needed to continue debate on the health care reform legislation so it can be taken up for a final vote.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released language for “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (H.R. 3590) on November 18. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that this bill will cost $849 billion over 10 years and will reduce the federal deficit by $127 billion.
After the Thanksgiving recess, the Senate will resume debate on health care reform. Immigration, abortion, affordability, and the public plan option are expected to be highly contentious issues. Unlike the House bill, the Senate language prohibits undocumented immigrants from purchasing health insurance through the exchange, even when using their own money. The Senate bill would expand Medicaid eligibility to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, compared to 150 percent in the House-passed version. The House-passed version goes further in ensuring that no federal funds are used to cover abortion services compared to the current language in the Senate bill. It is expected that the House language on abortion will be offered as an amendment to the Senate bill.
Catholic Charities USA continues to work with the Catholic Health Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to ensure that no federal funds are used for abortion and that conscience protections are included in the final health care reform bill.
Catholic Charities USA will keep you updated on health care reform legislation.
For more information, please contact Kellyann McClain, Policy Analyst at kmcclain@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
USDA Releases Food Security Report
Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture, Food Assistance and Nutrition Program released its annual report, Household Food Security in the United States, 2008. The report found that 49 million people lacked adequate food in 2008– 14.6 percent of American households (17 million) were food insecure at some point during 2008. This is a significant increase from 2007 in which 11.1 percent of households (13 million) were food insecure. Food insecurity is defined as the ability to provide enough food for all family members. In addition, the most vulnerable households, those defined as low food secure, significantly increased from 2007. In 2008, 5.7 percent of households (6.7 million) had low food security compared with 4.1 percent of households (4.7 million) in 2007.
To access the report, please click here.
For more information, please contact Ryan Smith, Policy Analyst at rsmith@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
House Passes Bill to Block Medicare Payment Cuts to Physicians
On November 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 3961) to block a 21 percent cut to the Medicare physician payment rate by a vote of 243 to 183. The payment cut is required by a formula established in 1997, originally designed to cut costs, though Congress has stepped in to prevent these cuts several times over the past decade. If this bill is signed into law, the payment rate formula would be restructured for 2011 and beyond. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that this legislation would cost $210 billion over ten years.
It is unclear if the Senate will take up a similar bill. In October, the Senate rejected a procedural motion to proceed on a similar measure. However, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has promised to return to the issue after passage of the health care reform legislation.
For more information, please contact Kellyann McClain, Policy Analyst at kmcclain@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Application Period Opens for E Pluribus Unum Prize Supporting Exceptional Immigrant Integration Initiatives
The Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy opened the application period for the 2010 E Pluribus Unum Prizes. The E Pluribus Unum Prizes national awards program provides four $50,000 awards annually to exceptionally successful immigrant integration initiatives. The awards recognize initiatives that have an outstanding record of helping immigrants and their children adapt, thrive, and contribute to the United States. It also considers efforts that have successfully brought immigrants and native-born residents together to build stronger, more cohesive communities. The awards are open to individuals, nonprofit and community organizations, businesses, religious groups, and government entities or officials operating in the United States.
The deadline to apply is December 10, 2009 at 5 pm EST. Application rules, procedures, and profiles of the 2009 winners can be found at http://www.integrationawards.org/.
For more information, please contact Lucreda Cobbs, Senior Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement, lcobbs@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
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Washington Weekly is a publication of the Social Policy Department of Catholic Charities USA and is published regularly when Congress is in session.
Catholic Charities USA
Sixty-Six Canal Center Plaza, Suite 600, Alexandria, VA 22314
socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org
For information about advocacy, please contact
Lucreda Cobbs at (703) 236-6243 or lcobbs@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
