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February 26, 2021
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In This Update:
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- URGENT ACTION NEEDED! Contact Officials on COVID Relief, Equality Act
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URGENT ACTION NEEDED! Contact Officials on COVID Relief, Equality Act
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Your voice is needed! Take a few minutes now to contact your elected officials about two federal issues of concern to Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) and the common good.
- FEDERAL COVID AID RELIEF: In order to encourage lawmakers to pass COVID-related assistance that prioritizes the poor and vulnerable, and to support amendments that prevent taxpayer funding of abortion in the final bill, contact your U.S. Senators and Representative today.
What is at stake here? The health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to harm individuals and families, especially for those already living on the margins of society. While Congress has already passed effective COVID-19 relief legislation, more needs to be done to help those in need and ensure that relief is available for the duration of the economic crisis. The current relief proposal in Congress, called the American Rescue Plan Act, would provide pandemic-related assistance to many struggling and vulnerable families. Unfortunately, unlike previous relief, this legislation would appropriate billions of taxpayer dollars that are not subject to longstanding, bi-partisan pro-life protections. In essence, that would allow taxpayer funding to be directed towards paying for abortions, if the measure is passed without changes.
For more information about the relief legislation and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' priorities for the aid, visit https://bit.ly/2NG6yXm.
- FEDERAL EQUALITY ACT: In order to express your concerns with the act, especially its impact on people and organizations of faith, contact your U.S. Senators today.
What is at stake here? If passed, the so-called Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith and threaten unborn life. Among other aspects, the bill would punish faith-based organizations - such as charities and schools who serve everyone - because of their beliefs, and it would risk mandating taxpayers to fund abortions. More specifically, the legislation would exempt itself from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which is concerning. RFRA is a bipartisan measure that was signed into law by President Clinton to prohibit the federal government and the states from substantially burdening an individual's free exercise of religion. The Equality Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week and continues now to the U.S. Senate.
For more information about the Equality Act and the position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on the measure, visit www.usccb.org/equality-act.
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