ST.CHARLES ADVOCACY TOPICS—MAY 19, 2009

[jus...@stcharleschurch.org]

ST.CHARLES ADVOCACY TOPICS—MAY 19, 2009


I. LOCAL/REGIONAL (NO INPUT)

II. STATE
-- II.A 2009 VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY VOTE CHARTS AVAILABLE

III. NATIONAL
-- III.A PRESIDENT RELEASES DETAILED BUDGET FOR FY 2010
-- III.B CARDINAL RIGALI APPLAUDS ‘PREGNANT WOMEN SUPPORT ACT’,
URGES PASSAGE
-- III.C FARMWORKER LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE


IV. INTERNATIONAL (NO INPUT)


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I. LOCAL/REGIONAL— (NO INPUT)


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II. STATE

-- II.A 2009 VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY VOTE CHARTS AVAILABLE

The Virginia Catholic Conference (VCC) has prepared charts of how
legislators voted on issues of interest. The 2009 Virginia General
Assembly session began on January 14 and ended on February 28, during
which time the Virginia Catholic Conference (VCC) tracked about 50
different measures. The charts linked below contain a record of eight
Senate and 10 House floor votes on policy measures that were focal
points of VCC advocacy, including votes taken during the one-day "veto
session" held on April 8. Summaries of critical (in some cases final)
determinations which occurred in committees are also provided.

To access the charts, click on this link:
http://www.vacatholic.org/documents/CombinedVotechart2009FINALwithrepeatheadings.pdf.

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HOW TO CONTACT YOUR GOVERNOR, AND STATE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE –
INCREDIBLY EASY WAYS!

- To contact Gov. Kaine go to the following web sites:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact.cfm or
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm

The phone number for Gov. Kaine is (804) 786-2211.

To send an email, go to http://capwiz.com/vacatholic/mail/?id=48779&type=GV&state=VA

- Find your senator at http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/$$Viewtemplate+for+WMembershipHome?OpenForm

- Find your representative at http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL?OpenView,
or

Go to “Who's My Legislator” icon on the General Assembly website at
http://legis.state.va.us to find or confirm who your delegate or
senator is, and his or her contact information.
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III. NATIONAL

-- III.A. PRESIDENT RELEASES DETAILED BUDGET FOR FY 2010

The Obama Administration released its initial budget outline for
fiscal year (FY) 2010 on February 26. The President's budget proposes
$3.6 trillion in spending for FY 2010 and outlines a basic set of
priorities for the new Administration. On May 5, the Administration
released a more detailed budget that specifies spending limits for
each department, proposes new initiatives, and details spending for
programs across the federal government.

The budget includes programs/initiatives in the areas of health care,
housing, hunger, employment and training, and family economic security
that already are -- or soon may be -- of interest/concern to the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops; Catholic Charities, USA (CCUSA);
NETWORK (a national Catholic social-justice lobby); and other Catholic
organizations.

For details, visit the Catholic Charities Washington Weekly at
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=1663.

The President's request is merely the first step in the annual budget
and appropriations process. Over the next few months, appropriators
will be drafting FY 2010 spending bills. For more information on the
budget process, please click here.
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=337#tax

We will continue to report on budget programs as the legislative
process proceeds and as CCUSA, USCCB, and other Catholic organizations
comment on/evaluate individual programs.

For more information on the budget, see the CCUSA Economic Recovery
Webpage at http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1578
. In addition to general information and updates on the budget and
budget process, the site provides letters to Congress giving CCUSA
budget priorities

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-- III.B CARDINAL RIGALI APPLAUDS ‘PREGNANT WOMEN SUPPORT ACT’,
URGES PASSAGE

Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chair of the Committee on Pro-
Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB),
wrote to all U.S. Senators urging them to support the Pregnant Women
Support Act (PWSA, S. 1032) re-introduced in the Senate by Sen. Robert
Casey (D-PA) on May 14. The PWSA provides resources and support for
pregnant and parenting women and their families.

In the April 28 Listserve, we reported on a similar letter from the
Cardinal to Congressional Representatives, encouraging representatives
to support the House version of the PWSA (H.R. 2035).

Among other provisions, the Act will ensure that pregnant women are
not denied coverage by insurance companies; establish a toll-free
number for resources during pregnancy and after birth; provide life-
affirming pregnancy services and parenting education in maternity
group homes and other centers; provide new mothers with free home
visits by registered nurses; and codify the current regulation
allowing states to provide State Children’s Health Insurance Program
(SCHIP) coverage to unborn children and their mothers. It will also
encourage adoption by expanding adoption tax credit and adoption
assistance programs.

To read the Cardinal’s letter to the senators, visit
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/women/PWSASenate09.pdf

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- III.C FARMWORKER LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE

On May 14, U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Representatives
Howard Berman (D-CA) and Adam Putnam (R-FL) introduced the
"Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act" (AgJOBS)
in Congress. The bipartisan proposal aims to address needed changes to
U.S. law to protect the dignity and welfare of undocumented farm
workers.

The proposed legislation would allow agricultural workers that have
recently worked in the United States to earn legal status and travel
outside the U.S. and back to visit family members abroad. It would
also create an H-2A guestworker program that would allow other
immigrants to enter the U.S. in response to the expressed needs of the
U.S. economy and agricultural sector.

It is unclear if the bill will be considered as a stand-alone proposal
or part of a more comprehensive piece of legislation. Catholic
Charities USA (CCUSA) supports comprehensive immigration reform which
includes earned legalization, job portability, labor law, wage and
hour reforms, and better enforcement of current laws for agricultural
workers. CCUSA plans to follow and report on the bill as it moves
through the legislative process.


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HOW TO CONTACT THE PRESIDENT AND YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE –
INCREDIBLY EASY WAYS!

To contact your senators and representative, go to
http://actioncenter.crs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ac_homepage or
http://capwiz.com/networklobby/home/ and enter your zip code.

(Both sites have links to additional information about issues.)

To contact the President, go to http://capwiz.com/networklobby/bio/?id=20004&lvl=F
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IV. INTERNATIONAL (NO INPUT)


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Charles Web site, Social Justice page, by using this link:
http://www.stcharleschurch.org/maillist.htm and follow the
instructions you find there under Social Justice.

If you do take action to advocate, we encourage you to mention the St.
Charles Advocacy Network. If you wish to let us know you took action,
you can e-mail us at jus...@stcharleschurch.org. Thank you.]