Catholic Charities USA: Washington Weekly 6/28/10
June 28, 2010
Volume 5 Number 22
Inside this issue:
- Senate Fails to Advance Tax Extender and Jobs Bill
- Congress Reaches Deal on Financial Reform Legislation
- Senator Franken Introduces Legislation to Protect Children During ICE Raids
- U.S. Department of State Releases 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report
- Register Today for Catholic Charities USA’s Centennial Gathering!
- Join our Online Forum to Reduce Poverty
Senate Fails to Advance Tax Extender and Jobs Bill
On June 24, the U.S. Senate once again failed to advance “The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010″ (H.R.4213). This is the third attempt by the Senate to pass this bill. The House passed its version on May 28. Late on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) decided to pull the measure from the Senate floor after Democrats failed to gather sufficient votes to end debate on the bill and move it toward a final vote for passage. This last attempt came after several weeks of negotiations and modifications to the package to contain cost.
The legislation under consideration contains a number of important provisions that will assist the families that Catholic Charities agencies serve including:
- $2.5 billion to extend the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund through fiscal year 2011;
- $1 billion to capitalize the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF). The NHTF was originally created in the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008″ to provide much needed housing opportunities for those with the lowest incomes;
- $1 billion to support an estimated 300,000 jobs for youth through summer employment programs;
- An extension of extra federal Medicaid assistance to states; and
- An extension on expanded Unemployment Insurance and COBRA subsidies.
It would continue the poverty line hold harmless policy which would ensure that the current poverty line for federal income-based programs can be no lower than the poverty line of 2009. It would also extend for one-year enhanced charitable deductions for contributions of food inventory, the tax-free distribution from individual retirement plans for charitable purposes, and an enhanced charitable deduction for corporate contributions of computer equipment for educational purposes.
The negotiation in the Senate collapsed over the cost of the package, a lack of identified revenues, and the potential impact on the federal deficit.
Read more about this legislation.
Catholic Charities USA will keep you updated on this legislation.
For more information, please contact Desmond Brown, Senior Director of Government Affairs, dbrown@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Congress Reaches Deal on Financial Reform Legislation
On June 25, during early morning negotiations, Congressional leaders reached an agreement on the landmark financial reform legislation. The House-Senate conference committee approved the “Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010″ (H.R.4173), legislation that will impose new restrictions on risky financial investments, create a special agency to protect consumers, and require financial institutions to hold more capital to protect against future financial turmoil.
The final package also requires the Federal Reserve to regulate the amount that merchants or charities accepting donations can be charged for debit transaction fees. The conference report must now be approved by the full House and Senate before it can be sent to the President’s desk for his signature.
For more information, please contact Desmond Brown, Senior Director of Government Affairs, dbrown@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Senator Franken Introduces Legislation to Protect Children During ICE Raids
On June 22, Senators Al Franken (D-MN) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) introduced the “Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children,” a proposal that aims to keep children safe, informed, and accounted for during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. According to the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service, 108,434 parents of U.S. citizen children were deported over the past 10 years.
As introduced, the bill would:
- Require that schools, states, and local authorities are notified before or soon after a raid occurs;
- Allow child welfare and non-governmental agencies to screen and identify parents with children;
- Allow detainees to arrange care as well as allow daily calls and regular visits with their children;
- Allow detainees to contact their children prior to being transferred;
- Protect children from witnessing their parents’ interrogations and/or translating on behalf of ICE agents;
- Require authorities to assist detained parents with family court proceedings affecting their children; and
- Require ICE to take into consideration the best interest of children in detention, release, and transfer decisions affecting parents.
The future of the legislation is uncertain as the bill has not received bipartisan support. Similar legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Lynn Woosley (D-CA).
Catholic Charities USA is supportive of the legislation and will provide you with updates as the bill moves through the legislative process.
For more information, contact Lucreda Cobbs at lcobbs@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
U.S. Department of State Releases 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report
On June 16, the U.S. Department of State released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report. The report outlined trends seen throughout the world including the suffering of women and children in involuntary domestic servitude, the challenges and successes in identifying and protecting victims, and the need to include anti-trafficking policies in our response to natural disasters.
For the first time, the United States has taken a ranking using the same criteria as all other nations. Recommendations for the United States include:
- Improving law enforcement data collection;
- Improving training for federal agents;
- Providing additional federal oversight on trafficking to field offices;
- Encouraging local, state, and federal investigations and prosecutions; and
- Strengthening enforcement tools.
The report also outlines policy priorities to decrease trafficking in the United States. These include more prosecution, protection, prevention, and partnerships. It also calls for dismantling the “3Ds” (detention, deportation, and disempowerment) approach to human trafficking
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans and international children under the age of 18 are sexual exploited. Another 300,000 American children and youth are at risk each year of becoming victims. Catholic Charities USA makes domestic and international trafficking resources available for agencies to use to help mobilize their communities to identify and serve all children who are victims of trafficking.
To view resources available through Catholic Charities USA, please click here.
To read the 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, please click here.
For more information, please contact Ryan Smith, Policy Analyst at rsmith@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Register Today for Catholic Charities USA’s Centennial Gathering!
One hundred years ago, 400 delegates from 24 states gathered in Washington, DC to form what is now known as Catholic Charities USA, a compassionate network of social justice advocates and caregivers, providing help and creating hope for millions of Americans each year.
On September 25-28, 2010, Catholic Charities USA will once again gather in Washington, DC to celebrate our Centennial and make plans for the next 100 years.
We invite you to join us in Washington and take this historic moment to reflect upon our 100 year history, recognize regional programs that are effectively reducing poverty, and renew your commitment to each other and to our brothers and sisters in need.
Register now! Early bird registration ends July 31st.
In addition to hundreds - even thousands – of Catholic Charities agency staff, social justice advocates, partners and coalition representatives, and people of good will, you will have the unique opportunity to interact with:
- Josef Cardinal Cordes, President, Pontifical Council Cor Unum, will provide the keynote at Sunday’s breakfast
- Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago and President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, will serve as celebrant and homilist at Saturday’s liturgy
- Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Archdiocese of New York, will preside at the Mass on Catholic Charities Sunday and present a keynote address
- Rev. Bryan Hehir, Former President of Catholic Charities USA
- Mark Shields, syndicated columnist and political analyst, PBS Newshour
- Any many more new and familiar faces! Check our Web site for updates.
Register now! Early bird registration ends July 31st.
Join our Online Forum to Reduce Poverty
Catholic Charities USA created an online forum to generate 21st century solutions to reduce poverty using 21st century technologies. There is only one rule — Think Big. We start this discussion with two questions that are vital to our fight against poverty. Your input will help us shape the discussion and frame the debate.
Contribute your BIG idea today!
For more information, please contact Monica Maggiano, Director of the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America at bigideas@catholiccharitiesusa.org.
