November Update: UN and State Edition

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month. Full list and map of sppos available.

U.N. | Colorado | Minnesota | Texas | Washington

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The General Assembly’s Third Committee held its annual dialogues with special human rights mandate holders and others. Of particular interest were:

The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, spotlighted the gender related killing of women, also known as femicide. She urged countries to use the femicide watch initiative to gather data and report annually.
The Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Gladys Acosta Vargas, underscored the distressing situation of women facing the threat of sexual violence in conflict, human trafficking, sex-based discrimination, socioeconomic injustices and humanitarian emergencies.
Special Rapporteurs on internal displacement, human trafficking and modern slavery all issued warnings that the number of people forcibly displaced within their own countries due to conflict is now at the highest on record, at 48 million.
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also appealed to governments for international solidarity. He reported that conflict continues to be the main driver of displacement and emphasized that “We must never forget that nobody wants to live with the anxiety of exile”. He also highlighted the reality of climate-related displacement.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, sounded the alarm on femicide, enforced disappearances and discrimination against vulnerable groups which continues to flourish in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change crisis.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples highlighted the causes and consequences of urbanization and the racial discrimination, poverty, and stigmatization that Indigenous Peoples living in urban areas face. The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, presented on the role of organized criminal groups in contemporary forms of slavery, and the Chairperson of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, stressed that “Systemic racism is a public health crisis, just as COVID 19 has become a racialized crisis”. She highlighted how people of African descent face racism and structural discrimination worldwide and underlined that “human rights are for everybody”.
The Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar, reported “the overall situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate sharply, with conflict intensifying in many parts of the country.  “Repression by the military has led to more than 1,180 deaths,”.  She further highlighted the challenges and heightened suffering of already vulnerable communities, especially the Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities.
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said that “increased attacks by the military junta have taken place against the backdrop of a grossly disproportionate response by the international community”.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

ELECTION DAY RESULTS: Coloradans voted on three statewide ballot measures on Election Day, November 2, and all were defeated. LAM-CO opposed all three because we believe there are more just and equitable legislative pathways to accomplish some of these ideas.

We can increase the accountability of custodial spending, but we don’t need to require every dollar to go through an inefficient and cumbersome bureaucratic process in order to be spent.

We can boost tutoring and after-school learning opportunities, but we don’t need to create a separate program outside of the Department of Education, funded by vice taxes.

We can provide targeted relief to property tax-payers who most need it, but we don’t need an across-the-board cut that will hurt local services while benefiting the wealthiest property owners the most.

The results are below:

Amendment 78, Legislative Authority for Spending State Money
- YES: 43.6%
- NO: 56.4%
Proposition 119, Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program
- YES: 45.6%
- NO: 54.4%
Proposition 120, Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction
- YES: 43.4%
- NO: 56.6%

Picture of the front of a church building. In front of the building are trees in sunlight showing off the red and orange colors of the leaves.

Happy Autumn from the Rocky Mountain Synod Office of the Bishop

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota recently took part in the decision-making process for the 2022 policy agenda of Homes for All, a statewide coalition of 240+ endorsing organizations that advocates for housing stability for all Minnesotans. Tammy Walhof and Rachel Wyffles listened to 26 policy proposals over two days and scored each according to criteria that evaluated urgent need and effectiveness. LA-MN then participated in two sessions of discussion in which scored proposals were considered in the context of Homes for All’s five policy buckets: Build more, equitable access and fair treatment, housing stability/anti-displacement, preserve the homes we have, and wealth building. We had great discussions throughout the process, and we look forward to working towards these priorities in the 2022 legislative session!

LA-MN is also contributing to discussions around clean energy with our environmental coalition partners as they decide on priorities for the 2022 legislative session. They are looking towards smaller, more project-based priorities for the 2022 session.

Wyffles had the opportunity to speak to 110 youth from around the country who were gathered at the ELCA Youth Leadership Summit in Minneapolis. She spoke about what advocacy is, gave context for how advocacy is an integral part of Lutheran faith, and provided ideas for how to incorporate advocacy in youth ministry. The youth were an insightful and inspiring group, asking great questions and expressing enthusiasm for getting involved with the ELCA Advocacy Network in their own states.

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

It has been a busy year in Texas with the Texas Legislature convening their regular 140 day legislative session followed by three special sessions, concluding in October. The third special session focused on redistricting, spending American Rescue Plan Act funds, anti-trans legislation, critical race theory and a failed attempt to ban vaccine requirements by statute. The work continues to equip and mobilize Texans of faith to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team and Legislative Engagement Groups.

Plans are underway to host an election training to help congregations understand how the new voting laws will impact their communities and to share best practices for congregations to support local infrastructure. Texas Impact also sent a delegation to COP26 in Glasgow with plans to report back to Texas congregations.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

FAN Annual Dinner We will host our annual fundraising celebration virtually on Sunday, November 21 to celebrate our 10th birthday, Rev. Paul Benz’s years of service, and our shared future. Advocates across the state will be joining us online, with the option to gather in small COVID-safe watch parties. You’re welcome to join from your state – register here to receive the event link: bit.ly/FANDinner2021

Statewide Policy With the help of our Economic Justice team leaders, FAN sent many advocates across the state to virtual Tax Town Halls led by the state Tax Structure Work Group to envision a new way forward for a fair taxation system in WA State. The Department of Revenue also hosted listening sessions on the implementation of the newly-funded Working Families Tax Credit, which FAN has advocated for in many sessions. The statewide eviction moratorium ended on October 31 despite calls for a continued extension by many organizations and individuals. We will continue to work with cities to extend their moratoriums and provide eviction prevention measures and rental assistance as families recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Welcoming New Staff We welcomed two new staff to the FAN team – Elizabeth Dickinson is our Partnership Coordinator who will be working with our Network of Advocating Faith Communities, and Juli Prentice is our Outreach and Organizing Intern through Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry. We look forward to the fresh energy they will bring to our outreach and organizing!

November Update: Advocacy Connections

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: November 2021

HISTORIC FEDERAL BILLS | HOUSING STIMULUS FUNDING | GLOBAL COVID-19 VACCINATION | PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP | ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DECISION

HISTORIC FEDERAL BILLS: The recently signed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make strong investments in our nation’s infrastructure and climate resilience and will increase economic opportunity in our communities. Measures in the Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill also contain potential for advancing common good including in the areas of in childcare, climate impacts childhood education, employment, food security, healthcare, housing and immigration, and our advocacy continues to emphasize ELCA priorities. Climate change provisions in the Build Back Better Act may total over $500 billion, only one of the areas ELCA advocacy staff continues to monitor.

HOUSING STIMULUS FUNDING: In recently announced frameworks and bill text of the administration’s Build Back Better Initiative, roughly $150 billion of housing funding was publicly stated to be included – though negotiations are still ongoing as of early November. This initial allocation came as hundreds of Lutheran advocates called their lawmakers in support of such funding on an active housing action alert. The ELCA joined other interfaith partners in a message urging federal leaders to consider housing an essential priority last month.
In that same period, several lawmakers joined faith advocates and speakers dedicated to lifting up housing issues in a vigil on Capitol Hill as negotiators met in Delaware to finalize a compromise Build Back Better framework. Partners such as the National Low Income Housing Coalition state that the $150 billion would make a transformative difference to address access to housing, affordability, and homelessness in our communities if passed.

GLOBAL COVID-19 VACCINATION: ELCA advocacy staff continue to advocate for COVID-19 vaccines access. Recently staff participated in dialogue with COVAX’s Vaccine Initiative representatives, who shared about the need to increase COVID-19 vaccines and other related resources to strengthen countries’ capacity to fight the pandemic. At the end of October, the Biden administration announced that it will defer its delivery of 33 million Moderna doses to give the African Union its spot in line to purchase the vaccines. The advocacy community has been asking wealthy countries like the U.S. to relinquish part of their pre-purchase spots so that low-income countries can have access to purchase vaccines. This will increase the number of available vaccines for purchase immediately and in the near term.

PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP: As the reconciliation negotiations continue, the immigration provisions have become a major point of contention. Originally allocating $100 billion for immigration and a pathway to legal permanent residency, this allocation is mired by debate over specifics. Members overcame this impasse, eventually announcing consensus on proposals that would grant undocumented immigrants temporary work permits and protection from deportation, in addition to recapturing family and employment-based visas. While this effort would yield significant benefits to mixed status and immigrant families, the economy, and our society at large, it falls short of the proposed pathway to status. Negotiations are still ongoing, and few procedural hurdles remain, as the ELCA joins the interfaith community in holding out hope in advocating for a flexible pathway to earn citizenship.

ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DECISION: The ELCA and 14 other faith-based organizations signed a letter calling on the Secretary of State to publicly oppose an Israeli government decision to designate six Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist” organizations. They also asked him to call upon his Israeli counterpart “… for the immediate reversal of this action which runs directly counter to President Biden’s stated prioritization of human rights in the conduct of US foreign policy.”
In another update, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomed the Biden Administration’s opposition to Israel’s opening of construction tenders on October 24 for 1,355 new settlement units and their decision on October 27 to advance thousands of new settlement units, many of them deep in the occupied West Bank.

Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

Welcome of Afghan newcomers

Across the United States, places of worship and people of faith are key partners in assisting refugees, asylum seekers and others in need of hospitality. Support from ELCA members and congregations has swelled with an outpouring of concern, prayers and offers of assistance for our Afghan neighbors following the end of the United States’ long war in Afghanistan. As ELCA and through Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), we can continue to offer our support.

The following is an overview of what’s been happening, how Lutherans are stepping up to provide accompaniment, and where you can engage further by advocating for legal protections for new arrivals.

WEBINAR VIDEO: “Walking Beside Our Afghan Neighbors”

*NEW* The webinar, “Walking Beside Our Afghan Neighbors,” provided great insights from key Lutheran leaders, including a congregation leader involved in resettlement, a Lutheran social service organization, ELCA advocacy staff and LIRS policy leadership. View the archive of the one-hour session, originally presented Nov. 18, 2021. View from the ELCA Vimeo page at https://vimeo.com/648669699 (program begins at 1 minute 20 seconds).

SITUATION UPDATE

According to recent government figures, the United States is on pace to resettle around 75,000+ Afghans in the coming weeks. The U.S. government has evacuated tens of thousands of men, women and children from Afghanistan in recent months and plans to continue evacuation and resettlement operations through 2022.¹

Humanitarian Concerns

In Afghanistan, the situation continues to deteriorate, especially for many women and girls. Having gained access to education, employment, and political opportunities, the prospects for women’s rights under the Taliban government look grim.² Additionally, Afghanistan is contending with a humanitarian crisis. Most recent aid has gone towards staving off food insecurity and the collapse of the public health system and economy.³ Oftentimes, it is women and children who suffer the most during periods of prolonged conflict.

The international community and faith communities have continued to urge protection of civilians, including women and girls, academics, journalists, human rights defenders, and members of ethnic, religious, and other minority group from attacks. The U.S. government has resumed the evacuation of some former U.S.-affiliated Afghans—mostly visa applicants left behind in the hasty operation, while excluding others still at risk.

Humanitarian Parole

During the evacuation operations, many Afghans were admitted to the United States under temporary humanitarian parole status. Humanitarian parole, unlike U.S. refugee status or Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status, expires after two-years, offers limited benefits, and has no direct path to lawful permanent residency (i.e. a “green card”). Afghans with this status face an uncertain future once they arrive.

Fortunately, as a part of the stop-gap funding bill recently passed by Congress and signed by the president on Sept. 30, lawmakers authorized Afghans admitted with parole to receive the same benefits as refugees, an ID and/or driver’s license.

Resettlement Processing

After being processed and rigorously screened on military bases, these individuals and families are referred to resettlement agencies before continuing to their next destination. Operation Allies Welcome was created to coordinate their arrival, assistance, and resettlement with the help of resettlement agencies like LIRS through its affiliates.

Acknowledging unmet need, the government launched the private Sponsor Circle Program, created to enable groups to sponsor and assist Afghans directly. This program would operate parallel to the existing framework of private resettlement agencies long supported by the American public and faith-based organizations.

LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE ACTIVITY

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) has been reaching out to synods, congregations and affiliates who are taking an active role in welcoming Afghan families. Support for volunteers and interpreters is critical, as are housing assistance, health and wellness care, and fostering community belonging. LDR is in partnership with LIRS and Church World Service (CWS), the lead organizations in resettling Afghan families.

Find a situation and response update from Lutheran Disaster Response – “Afghan Humanitarian Crisis“
With prayer and directions to give and connect, learn more from LDR blog post – “Situation Report: Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis“

DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Local connections, for example your area Lutheran Social Service (LSS) location, are a great first place to find out what needs you can help meet in your immediate community.

The Refugee Council USA has posted a map that pinpoints local resettlement agencies, including LSS affiliates, which may direct you to volunteer opportunities.
A more detailed state-by-state is available in the Reception & Placement Affiliate Directory (May 2021) and can help direct you to local opportunities.

LIRS continues to advocate for evacuation of Afghans and their families to give them a place of safety on U.S. soil. “Since we launched our Afghanistan-focused volunteer portal, LIRS and our partners have received more than 45,000 volunteer applications.” Applications to volunteer with LIRS are still open. Their team is hard at work connecting groups and individuals with opportunities to “help with airport pick-ups, apartment set-ups, English lessons, and other critical services,” states the LIRS “How to Help Afghan Refugees” page.

Use the LIRS sign up portal on LIRSconnect to share your availability.
Additional prayer, education and action steps can be found on the “How to Help Afghan Refugees” page.

Church World Service (CWS) has a new opportunity for remote placement of Afghan refugees for congregations that are more than 100 miles from a local resettlement office.

Discover more about Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) Program community partners from CWS.

A Resettlement Story shared by Lutheran Services Iowa (LSI) staff member

“’Home’ and ‘welcome’ are two concepts that have been central to Lutheran Services Iowa since our founding in 1864. With hearts full of prayer for vulnerable individuals remaining in Afghanistan, we are proud to open our arms to resettle those arriving in Iowa. As a resettlement partner of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, LSI is prepared to resettle 525 Afghans and other refugees in Des Moines, Sioux City, and other areas of the state in the coming months. To support current resettlement needs, LSI is actively recruiting Pashto and Dari interpreters, training volunteers, soliciting financial and in-kind donations, and hiring additional staff. LSI is working with property owners, employers, community partners, and faith leaders to meet individuals’ needs not only when they arrive at the airport, but in the months and years after. LSI has a broad array of post-resettlement services, such as financial literacy, small business development, family wellness, English classes, and more designed to ensure newcomers to our community thrive. [We’re responding] to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service.”

ADVOCACY

Thank you to the hundreds of Lutherans and friends who used the “Safety for Our At-Risk Neighbors in Afghanistan” Action Alert from the ELCA Advocacy Action Center, urging a strong federal response to support Afghan neighbors at risk! The customizable way to reach out to your member of congress is still active.

Use the Action Alert to express your priorities as we “urge the administration and Congress to commit to providing refuge for those at-risk and expand and expedite their access to the United States resettlement program.”

Afghan Adjustment Act Needed

Again, we are called to be leaders in society in both offering hospitality and advocating for the newcomer. Congress should come together to acknowledge the humanity of our Afghan neighbors and realize the hope of a future free from harm. Congress can simultaneously prioritize a future for Afghans in Afghanistan, evacuate those who are still at risk, and pass legal protections for new arrivals.

An uncertain legal limbo awaits Afghans who fled their war-torn country unless Congress takes urgent action to introduce and pass an Afghan Adjustment Act. An Afghan Adjustment Act would allow humanitarian parolees, here in the United States, to adjust their status, providing long-term stability and security for themselves and families. Congress has authorized similar legal pathways for Cuban and South Asian refugees. The ELCA is monitoring developments and advocating for urgent, compassionate responsiveness to our Afghan neighbors.

POISED FOR WELCOME

People of faith are uniquely poised to advocate for a welcome that lives up to the biblical call to love our neighbor, and we are a church that “holds power accountable, advocates justice, stands with those who are poor and vulnerable, provides sanctuary, and meets human needs” (from the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World). In the decade after the fall of Saigon in 1975, Lutheran congregations sponsored over 50,000 refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.⁴ We are here, as Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton articulated in her “Supporting Afghanistan” video, for the long welcome.

Again, we hear God’s call to accompany one another while speaking up for a generous policy of welcome. We will walk with our Afghan neighbors as they arrive, as they are resettled, and as they continue to become part of our communities. And we will advocate with and for our neighbors in this moment of need.

ENDNOTES

1 The administration is seeking $6.4 billion for the ongoing effort to resettle Afghans who were evacuated during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
2 More in “What Will Peace Talks Bode for Afghan Women?” (International Crisis Group, 4/6/20)
3 Additional information is available in “Donors pledge $1bn in aid for Afghanistan as UN warns of crisis” (Al Jazeera article, 9/13/21)
4 Find this statistic and more in the ELCA social message “Immigration.”

October Update: Advocacy Connections

from the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: October 2021

PRIORITY CONSIDERATIONS IN FEDERAL DELIBERATION | PIVOTAL COP26 | COVID-19 VACCINES | AFGHAN ARRIVALS AND REFUGEES | BORDER AND ASYLUM UPDATE

PRIORITY CONSIDERATIONS IN FEDERAL DELIBERATION: The ELCA continues high-level advocacy with members of Congress, leadership and staff on making the child tax credit permanent along with other priorities as negotiations continue around both the bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed in the Senate and initiation of a multi-trillion budget reconciliation process in both chambers. Advocacy program directors have also worked with interfaith partners to plan a livestreamed 12-hour vigil, “Keeping the Faith,” on the U.S. Capitol grounds on Oct. 20 to raise awareness in Congress of these priorities.

As negotiations on the reconciliation package advance with congressional leaders and the Biden Administration, the Washington Post reported in early October that early commitments, such as funding to address housing affordability and access to home ownership, may prove among the first to “hit the cutting room floor.” Housing commitments, historically, have often been the first to be left out of stimulus and spending bills. This comes as the U.S. faces an immense shortage of available housing across all income levels and as unaffordability is becoming one of the leading causes of homelessness in our communities. An ELCA Action Alert was issued in mid-September highlighting the need to include affordable housing in the reconciliation bill. Advocates in the faith community are among the few actively supporting such provisions as a high priority, and feedback from religious leaders will be paramount for lawmakers to hear in the coming days and weeks.

PIVOTAL COP26: The ELCA is sending a delegation to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties (COP26) being held in Glasgow on Oct. 31-Nov. 12. COP26 will be the most significant since COP21 adoption of the Paris Agreement, advancing achievement of the commitments.

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. The aims of COP26 negotiations include to reduce emissions, strengthen adaptation and resilience to climate impacts, scale-up finance and support critical to finalizing the “Paris Rulebook” (detailed rules and procedures for implementing the Paris Agreement), and conclude outstanding issues from COP25. Key specific priorities include enabling ambition through carbon markets; enabling enhanced adaptation action; averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage; identifying means of implementation, including the initiation of deliberations on a new goal for global climate finance after 2025; and responding to the latest science and the ambition of current emission reduction targets.

COVID-19 VACCINES: President Biden announced that the U.S. will donate an additional 500 million Pfizer- BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. This brings the U.S. commitments to donate vaccines to a total of 1.1 billion by fall 2022. The World Health Organization has said 2.4 billion are needed by the end of 2021.

The ELCA has been advocating for vaccine donations as well as for loosening of rules to enable other countries to manufacture vaccines to make more vaccines available.

AFGHAN ARRIVALS AND REFUGEES: After intense pressure from advocates, the Administration mounted a coordinated response to support evacuations, screening, immigration services and general processing of Afghan arrivals from interim military installations to final destinations.

Thousands of Afghans have been welcomed by communities across the country. Operation Allies Welcome brought on former Delaware Governor Jack Markell to coordinate the hub as the U.S. prepares to resettle as many as 95,000 Afghan newcomers. A stop-gap funding bill passed by Congress in Sept. injected much-needed funding for resettlement services along with other provisions. Congress must still pass a future Afghan Adjustment Act, which would allow certain arrivals the opportunity to seek legal permanent residence. The Witness in Society staff response to Afghan arrivals has included statements, letters and participation in vigils and informational webinars. Advocacy staff will continue to monitor developments on the Hill that prepare communities for a long welcome.

BORDER AND ASYLUM UPDATE: Thousands of migrants have attempted to seek legal asylum at the border over the past few months, but a public health authority known as Title 42 continues to be invoked. This issue came to a head when the Del Rio sector experienced an increase of Haitian migrants, including families with children and adults.

Around 13,000 camped under the Del Rio bridge before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deployed a response that forcibly deported around 6,000 people to Haiti and released several thousand others into the U.S. to start immigration proceedings. Through AMMPARO, the church has been active in advocacy against Title 42 and other barriers to asylum that affect migrants in transit, like Remain in Mexico. We’ve also welcomed positive announcements, like expanded eligibility for the Central American Minors Program (CAM).

Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

October Updates: UN and State Edition

U.N.
Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. ELCA.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in partnership with the World Council of Churches, ACT Church of Sweden, ACT Alliance, Finn Church Aid, Mission 21, and Norwegian Church Aid held the Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training virtually from 7-9 September 2021. LOWC Program Director Christine Mangale joined LWF colleagues in the planning and facilitation of the training. This year, nearly 60 delegates from faith-based organizations participated in a Training of Trainers (ToT) focusing on advocacy at local and regional levels and strengthening networking and collaboration. Topics discussed during the training included:

“how to design and facilitate a regional training”;
“instruments on gender justice advocacy”;
“how to report on human rights in different contexts”;
“the role of faith-based organizations in gender justice advocacy”;
“how to counter backlashes and address challenges,”
“human rights’ language;”
“gender-based violence in the context of COVID-19”;
“safety and security relating to advocacy on women’s human rights”; as well as
“designing faith-based advocacy”.

The participants are then to take part in designing and leading a regional pilot project, starting with a virtual training in Africa to be held October 11-18, 2021. A LWF resource for faith-based organizations on affirming women’s human rights can be found here.

Arizona
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) lamaz.org – Solveig Muus, Director

This is an exciting time for LAMA! Readers may know the LAMA office of the Grand Canyon Synod launched the same month that COVID-19 launched, so our efforts to connect with congregations, legislators and community have, from the jump, been exclusively virtual. But now happily, congregations are beginning to invite Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona into their communities, both virtually and in person – respectfully distanced! – and we are grateful to be making these wonderful connections through preaching and joining forums and groups, all to share our advocacy message.

LAMA’s annual retreat will be in person this year, and we are pleased to be joined by the Rev. Amy Reumann, Director of Advocacy for the ELCA. Pr. Reumann will also be the keynote speaker at the annual LAMA Summit for congregational liaisons and advocates on Sunday, December 5 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, Arizona.

LAMA’s first Lutheran Day at the Legislature is set for Tuesday, February 1, 2022 in the Rose Garden at the State Capitol in Phoenix. We welcome this opportunity to gather, to meet legislators, and to voice our common needs in the public square, activating our faith in love.

In addition, the Grand Canyon Synod has launched a new Hunger Leaders Network for hunger champions across the synod to connect, hear about hunger resources both locally and churchwide, share stories, and learn and grow together. The Hunger Leaders Network group meets monthly and is ably chaired by Melanie Hobden.

Colorado
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) lam-co.org – Peter Severson, Director

BALLOT MEASURES: Coloradans will have three statewide ballot measures on which to vote on November 2. Check out the LAM-CO 2021 Voter Guide for our analysis and recommendations! It’s available online at www.rmselca.org/ColoradoBallot2021

LEGISLATIVE FOLLOW UP: The State of Colorado is working on implementing important legislation that was passed in our 2021 session. This includes important protections for agricultural workers, who were brought under the protections of the Colorado Labor Peace Act of 1943 for the very first time. This will include overtime pay, rest breaks, minimum wage, and others. We are working on supporting the implementation process and making sure that the state fulfills its obligations under the new law, particularly around the bills’ mandated “meaningful overtime protections.” A public hearing on this issue is upcoming on November 1.

Check out our 2021 Legislative Wrap-up for all the details on the bills we worked on this year!

DIRECTOR’S SABBATICAL: LAM-CO Director Peter Severson took a sabbatical rest from June 19 to September 19. With gratitude for the experience of restoration and refreshment, he’s back in the office and ready to lead our work this fall!

Ohio
Hunger Network Ohio hungernetwork.org – Nick Bates, Director

Faith community speaks out against the death penalty

The Hunger Network in Ohio hosted a panel on the Death Penalty on October 11 with Southern Ohio Synod Bishop Suzanne Dillahunt and in partnership with the Ohio Council of Churches and Ohioans to Stop Executions as part of a faith advocacy week toward the abolition of the death penalty in Ohio.

Bishop Dillahunt shared the ELCA’s commitment to justice as expressed in our ELCA social statement on the issue prior to hearing from legislators and co-victims. We are grateful for the leadership of HB183 sponsor Rep. Adam Miller (D-Columbus) and co-sponsor Rep. Laura Lanese (R-Grove City) for joining us on the call to share their perspective from the Ohio House of Representatives.

We are hopeful that this legislation will move over the next few months, but we need advocates to keep up the pressure! You can act now by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper.

Click here to send a letter to the editor of your paper!

You can watch the forum and hear the powerful impact stories on our Facebook page here.

Screenshot of Bishop Dillahunt.

Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) lutheranadvocacymn.org – Tammy Walhof, Director

Rent Help MN logo

Housing Crisis: Although significant COVID- related funding was set aside to address the impending eviction crisis, many renters have had difficulty accessing the help. The Minnesota Eviction Moratorium has now ended, and landlords can evict tenets. If you know someone behind in rent or facing eviction due to the pandemic, please help them access and navigate RentHelpMN.org!

Preparing for the Next Legislative Session: A big part of our fall typically includes educating congregations about our work and meeting with coalition partners.

pre-pandemic Walhof standing at a podium speaking animatedly

Walhof presenting pre-pandemic

We have been in many meetings with the Energy Cluster of Minnesota Environmental Partnership to consider legislation, and plan future options for long-term impact. Additionally, the Homes for All Coalition is collecting proposals that we will review in coalition Policy Team meetings.

The education pieces are more difficult due to the pandemic. Walhof and Rachel Wyffles, LA-MN’s Hunger Advocacy Fellow, are both willing to present or preach in churches if mask-wearing and vaccinations are taken seriously. We have also been brainstorming and working on videos, webinars, and studies. What does your congregation need?

Upcoming Events: Some of our partners are doing webinar events that match our priorities closely, so we encourage participation in the events listed below:

Webinar Series on Affordable Housing & Homelessness (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition). Monthly through February. November 4 focus – Homelessness. Information/Registration
“Hunger at the Crossroads” Webinar Series (ELCA World Hunger). October 27 focus – Hunger & Climate Change. Information/Registration
International Climate Conference – Pre-COP26 Conversation (Fresh Energy). October 26 focus – How Minnesota fits. Information/Registration

Texas
Texas Impact texasimpact.org – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

The Texas Legislature began a third called special session September 20 focused on redistricting, spending American Rescue Plan Act funds, anti-trans legislation, and banning vaccine requirements. Through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team, and Legislative Engagement Groups, we continue to work to equip and mobilize Texans of faith and to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature. In addition, Texas Impact hosted a Redistricting 101 webinar and a briefing with state budget experts on the process for appropriating Texas’ $16M in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Texas Impact also partnered with the ELCA’s own John Johnson on a Weekly Witness episode focused on the Build Back Better Agenda and a training for advocates to meet with South Texas members of Congress on the Build Back Better legislation.

Washington
Faith Action Network (FAN) fanwa.org – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Moving Forward with Gratitude invite

FAN Annual Dinner: We will host our annual fundraising celebration virtually on Sunday, November 21 to celebrate our 10th birthday, the Rev. Paul Benz’s years of service, and our shared future. Advocates across the state will be joining us online, with the option to gather in small COVID-safe watch parties. You are welcome to join from your state!

Cluster Meetings: FAN hosts Fall Cluster Meetings as a way to gather with advocates in their local areas, learn about the issues that matter in their region, and build momentum for our work together. We are hosting 11 geographic clusters via Zoom around the state, and have heard from advocates on issues of housing, homelessness, taxation, food, climate and energy, immigration, refugees, and police reform.

Tax Town Halls and Candidate Forums: With our economic justice work group, we have been sending advocates to statewide Taxation Town Halls hosted by the legislature’s Tax Structure Work Group. The state of Washington has one of the most regressive tax systems in the nation, so it is vital that we move forward to restructure our tax system to be more equitable. FAN is co-hosting candidate forums across the state, with coalition partners, to hear from local candidates on critical issues of policing, housing, and immigration.

Boarding Schools: FAN’s Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities issued a statement signed by the three ELCA bishops in Washington regarding U.S. Boarding School history. We also signed on in support of the Truth and Healing Commission Act reintroduced in Congress.

Wisconsin
Lutheran Public Policy Office – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org – Cindy Crane, Director

John Johnson

Wednesday Noon Live interview with John Johnson, ELCA Program Director for Domestic Policy. Johnson discussed domestic policy to support people experiencing poverty and the recent White House visit of Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the ELCA and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church. We highlighted extending the Child Tax Credit (CTC). We have additional information on the CTC under Hunger on our website and via this Action Alert.

Anti-Sex Trafficking
Shirley Paulson, retired educator and former president of the Women of the ELCA of East Central Synod of Wisconsin, and the Rev. Cindy Crane, the director of LOPPW, testified on SB 245, which looks to make it so that anyone under the age of 18 may not be prosecuted for prostitution. At the hearing, there were several disturbing stories of trafficked youth who were afraid they would be charged with a crime if they called the police due to the current laws in place.

The left image is of a Shirley Paulson sitting at the end of a long wooden table. The top right image shows two women looking at each other, sitting in the same position. The bottom right image shows Cindy Crane standing, speaking to someone not shown in the image.

Left Image: Shirley Paulson
Bottom Right Image: Cindy Crane

It sometimes takes many years to pass a bill. We have been supporting this one for quite a few years now, but it is closer to passing.

Look forward to action alerts on SB 245 and for another significant bill on expulsion of crimes for adult victims of sex trafficking.

Juvenile Justice
Our Raise the Age Coalition is reaching out to businesses to support our efforts to return 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system. Recently, members of our steering committee met with the president of Wisconsin Manufacturing & Commerce to discuss this issue.

Settling Afghan Refugees
We have supported the Welcoming Evacuees Coming from Overseas to Mitigate Effects of Displacement Act of 2021, also known as the WELCOMED Act with our Action Alert.

Care for God’s Creation
Pr. Crane will be at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland!

Introducing 2021-2022 Hunger Advocacy Fellows

Advocacy happens through resilience and relationships. The Hunger Advocacy Fellows program, currently in its fifth year, is made possible by ELCA World Hunger. It is a year-long transformative experience that combines leadership development, faith formation, and impactful advocacy that moves us toward an end to hunger and a just world where all are fed.

Hunger Advocacy Fellows are placed with different ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices across the country where they can engage on issues affecting both local and national policy. We are excited to introduce below our 2021-2022 Hunger Advocacy Fellows:

Hannah Peterson (she/her)

Hannah Peterson is currently serving with Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry New Jersey in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. She recently graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in History and Literature, following her undergraduate degree from St. John’s College. Peterson’s internships at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the National Museum of American History inspired her passion for identifying stories that have not yet been told and lifting up the voices of those in need. She hopes to continue her work building connections between people of different faiths, traditions, and backgrounds.

Isa Peterson (she/her or they/them)

Isa Peterson is currently serving with Texas Impact in Austin, Texas. She is a born and raised Texan from San Antonio and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Government and Sustainability Studies and a minor in Portuguese. Before joining Texas Impact, she spent her undergraduate years working for environmental nonprofits in Austin, such as Rainforest Partnership and the Shoal Creek Conservancy, advocating for environmental change and urban conversation. Peterson hopes to continue their career focused on the intersection of environmental and social policy during their time with Texas Impact and beyond.

Sandra Roper (she/her)

Sandra Roper is currently serving with the ELCA advocacy staff in Washington, D.C. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland (UMD) with degrees in English and Germanic Studies. Her interest in faith-based advocacy was shaped by Humble Walk, the Lutheran campus ministry at UMD. Roper has interned for the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod and Lutheran World Federation, and has volunteered with Lutheran Disaster Response, Puerto Rico. She hopes to continue building relationships and learning different ways to live her faith in action.

Rachel Wyffels (she/her)

Rachel Wyffels is currently serving with Lutheran Advocacy Minnesota in St Paul. She is a recent graduate of St. Olaf College where she majored in music and religion. While there, Wyffels was president of the St. Olaf Student Congregation Council and played violin in the St. Olaf Orchestra. She is excited for a year of building relationships to advocate for affordable housing, climate justice, and poverty reduction. Following this fellowship year, Wyffels anticipates beginning seminary.

September Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.
Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) will open on Tuesday, 14 September 2021, followed by the high-level General Debate from 21-27 September. The President-elect of the 76th session is H.E. Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of the Maldives. Once again, the UN is taking extraordinary measures to both meet but take pre-cautions in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Heads of state and government are being encouraged to send video-taped messages for the general debate and the US Ambassador H.E. Linda Thomas-Greenfield took the usual step of saying that sending videos rather than attending personally “… would help prevent it [the General Debate] ‘from being a super-spreader event’”.

Alongside the General Debate two high-level meetings are planned:

High-level meeting to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action: Wednesday, 22 September 2021; and
High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: Tuesday, 28 September 2021.

A third High-level meeting, on the Global Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons, will occur on Monday, 22 November and Tuesday, 23 November 2021.

On August 2nd, the UN General Assembly voted unanimously to create the United Nations Permanent Forum of People of African Descent. The Forum, a ten-member advisory body, will work with the UN Human Rights Council and “ … contribute to the elaboration of a UN declaration – a ‘first step towards a legally binding instrument’ on the promotion and full respect of the rights of people of African descent.”

“The move [by the General Assembly] comes just days after the Human Rights Council established a panel of experts to investigate systemic racism in policing against people of African descent, and on the heels of a report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), prompted by the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.” The first meeting of the Forum will take place in 2022.

Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Staffing Addition: We are excited to welcome Rachel Wyffels as our new ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow! Wyffels is a recent graduate of St. Olaf College, where she majored in religion and music, and served as president of the Student Congregation for two years. Hunger Advocacy Fellows are made possible through ELCA World Hunger and ELCA Advocacy.

MN Senate Leadership Changes: Both Sen. Paul Gazelka (R), Senate Majority Leader, and Sen. Susan Kent (DFL), Senate Minority Leader, resigned their leadership roles in the Minn. state senate. Sen. Kent stepped down to prioritize family. Sen. Melisa López Franzen (DFL) was elected as the new minority leader (and the first person of color to serve as senate minority leader). Sen. Jeremy Miller (R) was elected as the new majority leader to replace Sen. Gazelka, who announced his candidacy for governor. Sen. Gazelka joins a crowded Republican field, including Sen. Michelle Benson, Sen. Scott Jensen, Mayor Mike Murphy, Dr. Neil Shah, and Mike Marti. The Republican nominee will run against incumbent Gov. Tim Walz (DFL), who is expected to seek a second term.

MN Synod EcoFaith Retreat: We were pleased to join leaders from the Northeastern Minnesota (NEMN) Synod EcoFaith Network and other synod creation care efforts from across the state for a leadership retreat at Camp Hiawatha. It focused on addressing needs of congregations/church leaders in integrating creation care, and action addressing the climate crisis. We encourage you to follow Green Blades Rising to keep updated on the activities of the NEMN Synod EcoFaith Network.

Ohio
Hunger Network in Ohio https://www.hungernetohio.com/ – Nick Bates, Director

As redistricting debates heats up, we are grateful for faith leaders who offer testimony to make sure our legislative districts represent our communities. HNO director Nick Bates offered testimony on Sept. 14 in Columbus about the divisions of the Hilltop community. Similarly, the Rev. Seth Bridger offered testimony in Cleveland the evening before.

Death Penalty: Please join us on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. for a conversation about the death penalty in Ohio with faith and legislative leaders. Register online for this virtual event. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMofu-przMoGdTMqvlphegAhpQ4YTf7dBza

Texas
Texas Impact https://texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

The Texas Legislature completed their second called special session with a third scheduled to begin Sept. 20. Following a “Let My People Vote” rally at the Capitol featuring Bishop Sue Briner of the Southwestern Texas Synod and about 500 Texans of faith rallying for voting rights, Texas Impact continued to equip and mobilize Texans of faith around priority legislation in the second special session. The Legislature passed several bills monitored by Texans of faith, including on voter suppression, Critical Race Theory, border militarization, and more. The third special session will focus on redistricting, appropriating American Rescue Plan Act funds and bills, and discriminating against transgender children.

The work continues to equip and mobilize Texans of faith to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team, and Legislative Engagement Groups. Special opportunities are planned for September, including a Redistricting 101 webinar and a briefing with state budget experts on the process for appropriating Texas’ $16M in federal ARPA funds.

Finally, the Texas Impact team was excited to welcome Isabelle “Isa” Peterson as a Hunger Advocacy Fellow for the year! Peterson is a recent graduate of UT-Austin, and a member of Zion Lutheran Church in San Antonio.

Washington
Faith Action Network https://www.fanwa.org/ – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

New Policy Engagement Director – Kristin Ang! We are delighted to announce our new Policy Engagement Director, Kristin Ang, who begins work with FAN on Oct.4. Ang brings policy leadership experience as a Port Commissioner for Tacoma, along with experiences as an immigrant, Filipina American, lawyer, and collaborator in interfaith circles in Pierce County. She will bring these gifts to FAN along with a spiritual grounding in compassion and justice. FAN advocates will get to meet Ang during the fall months as she learns about our network during cluster gatherings, as well as our coalition partners, alongside FAN staff.

Advocating for a Just Budget Resolution Package The House and Senate have passed the budget resolution which is the framework for the $3.5T social infrastructure bill/Build Back Better. Now the hard work begins in committees of jurisdiction to start building this enormous funding proposal. It is facing opposition by big business and corporations, coordinated by the US Chamber of Commerce, so FAN is urging our network to advocate for critical pieces of this package, including rental assistance, housing, the Expanded Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. See the letter FAN signed onto with national partners here: https://airtable.com/shrFCsyJdU5poVTtm.

Cluster Meetings FAN hosts Fall Cluster Meetings as a way to gather with advocates in their local areas, learn about the issues that matter in their region, and build momentum for our work together. Most Clusters will be hosted online due to COVID concerns.

Wisconsin
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

Wednesday Noon Live interview with Vance Blackfox, Desk Director for American Indian Alaska Native Tribal Nations.
Blackfox included important info on what congregations can do.

Medicaid and the Child Tax Credit
LOPPW interviewed Researcher and Health Policy Programs Director Donna Friedsam of the Institute for Research on Poverty at UW-Madison to explore both sides of the debate on Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin.
We encouraged members to contact their U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators while they were back in district. We focused the Medicaid Saves Lives Act BadgerCare and expanding the Child Tax Credit beyond 2021.
We also are advocating to make the 2021 Child Tax Credit known to people who qualify for the refundable credit but haven’t received it yet and need to fill out a non-filer form. People can use posters and handouts we created from our website.

Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Biblical Justice Forum: LOPPW’s director led a workshop on lifting our public voices rooted in our Christian and Lutheran tradition at Luther Park in Chetek.

Juvenile Justice
Our Raise the Age Coalition, with a focus on returning 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system, interviewed a new intern to continue some of the work that our former Hunger Advocacy Fellow, Kyle Minden, did. Keiko Engel, a senior in social work at UW-Madison, was hired by the Sentencing Project. Her direct supervisor is a coalition member from the Wisconsin Association of Family & Children’s Agencies. LOPPW is also helping Engel to get on board.

Summer Edition: UN and State Updates

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices.

Find a map and full list of ELCA affiliated SPPOs using our state office map.

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc –Dennis Frado, Director

The Generation Equality Forum concluded with concrete commitments to advance parity by 2026: The Generation Equality Forum took place in Paris from 30 June to 2 July 2021. The Forum was co-hosted by France and Mexico and convened by UN Women, in partnership with civil society and youth representatives. Nearly 50,000 people participated in a mainly virtual format to take stock and rapidly accelerate progress towards gender equality, as outlined in the landmark 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Close to $40 billion was pledged in new investments from governments, the private sector, civil society and others to help fund a new global five-year action plan to accelerate gender parity by 2026. The Forum launched a Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality designed by six Action Coalitions, as well as a Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. New gender equality initiatives focused on health, sports, culture, and education was also announced. UN Women will oversee the implementation of the 5-year action plan and the commitments made.

As Lutherans, we had delegates actively participate virtually, and joined over 30 global and regional faith actors in a joint communique that we turned into a video message. In addition, the Lutheran World Federation made commitments to the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence and pledged to accelerate efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in church and society. LOWC’s Christine Mangale and LWF’s Sikhonzile Ndlovu led the Lutheran engagement and delegation to the Forum.

Upper left: moderator Janet Mbugua – Kenyan media personality, author and founder of Inua Dada Foundation; upper right: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka – Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women; lower: Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations.

Israel-Palestine concerns conveyed to Biden Administration officials: In June LOWC Director Dennis Frado was able to attend two conference calls organized by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) with Biden Administration officials at the White House and with the US Agency for International Development. As these were among the first meetings with the Administration on Israeli-Palestine issues, the CMEP representatives took the occasions to raise a number of matters that had been communicated by their heads of churches and organization in March. Particular attention was drawn to the need for US bilateral assistance to the West Bank and Gaza to be re-started and increased, especially given the additional humanitarian needs in Gaza because of the intensified conflict between Israel and Hamas in May. Appreciation was expressed for the Administration’s efforts to support the recent truce but called on the White House to be more active and vocal in urging Israel to halt home demolitions, seizure of Palestinian homes and land and settler violence against Palestinians.

Delaware

Delaware Lutheran Office for Public Policy https://demdsynod.org/delaware-public-policy-office – Gordon Simmons, Director

The Delaware Lutheran Office for Public Policy supported four bills this year, and three have now passed:

1. The Legislature voted to make “Opportunity Grants” permanent, funneling up to $60 a year (statewide) to public schools with high percentages of low-income students and students learning English.

2. The Renewable Energy Goal for the state was increased from 25percentby 2025 to 40 percent by 2035.

3. The minimum wage was increased to $15 per hour (in increments) by 2025.

The fourth bill, which will likely be take up next year in the second year of the state’s legislative session, will require registration (and training) before the purchase of firearms. The bill has passed the State Senate but has yet to be taken up by the House.

We held our annual “Day at the Capitol” virtually this year.

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Special Session: Negotiations on the 13 spending bills continued through all three weeks of special session. Hideously long “debates” dominated in the House as a handful of House minority members filibustered several bills. Although all budget bills were passed, the legislature came within hours of not finishing before the new fiscal year.

Clean Energy: The Commerce/Energy bill included the longest “debate” at roughly 25 hours. It passed 70-60 in the House and 60-5 in the Senate.

Included: agriculture weather study (changes impacting farmers); solar for schools/community colleges; pilot project covering old landfills (brownfields) with solar farms (brightfields); North Minneapolis training center (renewable energy jobs); Energy Transition Office. (Separate ECO bill for energy efficiency passed during regular session).
Defeated: Coal power protection, natural gas usage decrease prevention; reduction of current renewable energy requirements, although we’ve already surpassed those levels).
Not Included: bold comprehensive solutions to address the scope of the climate crisis; resilience/adaptation tools.

We rejoice in what passed, breathe easier knowing we helped defeat rollbacks, and recognize that we have an important role addressing fears about clean energy and climate change denial.

Housing and Homeless: The most contentious part of the Housing bill was an off-ramp for the eviction moratorium, but Housing passed 72-59 in the House and 66-0 in the Senate. Shelter and homeless services are part of Health & Human Services (HHS), which passed 69-56 in the House and 62-4 in the Senate.

Off-Ramp timetable:
- July 1 – Evictions allowed for reasons other than non-payment
- August – Leases end for COVID non-payment if not eligible for assistance
- October – 15-day eviction notices for non-payment unless assistance application submitted. Despite reasonable off-ramp, we expect dramatic increases in homelessness.

Other Housing: $10 million one-time funding for Challenge Fund, Manufactured Home Park Infrastructure program, workforce homeownership, Homeownership Assistance Fund, Local Housing Trust Fund in matching grants, Shelter Provider Task Force examining failings in shelter system, and $100 million in Housing Infrastructure Bonds.
Shelter (HHS): Underfunded Emergency Services Program dramatically increased for staffing, transportation, childcare, mental/behavioral health care; Housing Support Program providing $50 per month increase and program changes; and a new fund for the Shelter Capitol program
These are big wins and reasons to celebrate. We know getting so many action alerts on the Eviction Moratorium Off-Ramp was tiring, but your action mattered!

COVID-19 pandemic intensified need in an area already in crisis. We will continue to need churches to make housing a focus.

Ohio

Hunger Network in Ohio www.hungernetohio.com – Nick Bates, Director

The Budget crosses the finish line: Many THANK YOUs to our network for their budget advocacy here in Ohio. In January, we set out to stop tax cuts, improve a school funding formula, and address housing and hunger here in Ohio. Here is a quick rundown:

School Funding Formula: The legislature, in the final hours agreed to the school funding formula known as ‘the Fair School Funding Plan’ or also known as “Cupp-Patterson” or “HB 1”. This will improve the equity of the distribution of state dollars for years to come. However, the formula, when its run says Ohio should be investing about $2 billion more into our students than we are. The advocacy continues!
SB 17: In the 11th hour, the Senate inserted these harmful provisions into the budget, but through the advocacy of many individuals and organizations, we were able to have them removed in the final hour before passage. A special thanks goes out to Finance Committee Chair, Rep. Scott Oelslager for his understanding that these provisions would take food off the table of hungry Ohioans. 
Housing: Some additional dollars were added to support some housing options for Ohioans and dangerous amendments were removed that would have made it more difficult to offer affordable housing in Ohio. 
Massive tax cut for the wealthy: The reason we did not see more money put into our schools and affordable housing efforts is simple – tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% who will receive a 16.8% income tax cut. The poorest Ohioans will receive nothing, and others will about $40 a year from a 3% income tax cut. These billions of dollars could have improved Ohio dramatically.

Join us on July 19th at 3:30 pm as we discuss the budget with the Ohio Council of Churches. Register.

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry- Pennsylvania (LAMPa) https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/ – Tracey DePasquale, Director

As the General Assembly recessed in late June, LAMPa celebrated a $3 million increase in the state’s major anti-hunger programs and an extra $300 million in basic education funding, $100 million of which is targeted to the poorest schools.

“Our hunger advocates did a tremendous job in sharing stories of the need they continue to see and convincing the legislature that we could not go back to pre-pandemic funding levels,” said LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale.

LAMPa also advocated for accelerating the process of closing one of the largest school funding equity gaps in the country through LevelUp PA, which garnered bipartisan support to win passage as part of an historic $416 million increase in public education funding.

Although supportive of bipartisan elections reforms sought by county officials, LAMPa applauded the governor’s veto of legislation that included those reforms but imposed other measures that would have created barriers to voting and undone reforms passed in 2019. LAMPa co-hosted a webinar on the legislation in early June.

Also in June, Hunger Advocacy Fellow Larry Herrold participated in a virtual advocacy day with partners seeking a path to 100% renewable energy and attended the Upper Susquehanna Synod Assembly after having assembled kits for the 200 voting members. The kits included letters to legislators asking for increases to the Pa. Agricultural Surplus System and the State Food Purchase Program, as well as information about advocating with LAMPa. He delivered completed letters to lawmakers in time for the passage of the state budget.

Herrold traveled to Gettysburg to conduct research on Lincoln Cemetery, an African American cemetery in use since the Civil War. This research is part of LAMPa’s ongoing focus on the land that connects us.

Both Herrold and DePasquale attended a meeting of the Upper Susquehanna Synod Advocacy Team in July. DePasquale spoke at a Capitol press conference on health care as a factor in hunger and poverty as legislation was reintroduced regarding surprise medical bills and prescription drug prices.

As Herrold’s fellowship concludes, he is working to finish long-term projects, including the organization of digitally photographed archival material and the refinement of databases of new and existing advocates and service ministries.

In August, Herrold will help lead an in-person “MinistryLab” along with Lutheran Disaster Response and creation-justice advocates in Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod. The lab aims to engage young adults in the ministry of the ELCA. Both Herrold and DePasquale are working with Lutherans Restoring Creation to build or strengthen green teams in every synod as they prepare for the Season of Creation and the launch of ELCA advocacy priorities on climate, just transition, and sustainable agriculture.

Texas

Texas Impact https://www.texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

The Texas Legislature is being called back in for a 30-day called special session beginning July 8 to address several “extraordinary items,” most notably bills that would suppress the votes of Texas voters.

Texas Impact is sponsoring a “Let My People Vote” campaign featuring a liturgical guide for local congregations and a rally at the Capitol July 19 in partnership with the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, and La Voz de la Comunidad (LULAC). Bishop Sue Briner, ELCA Southwestern Texas Synod, will be a featured speaker.

Texas Impact is mobilizing Texans of faith through the Rapid Response members, Legislative Engagement Groups and the Weekly Witness program. 

Virginia

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy https://www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/ – Kim Bobo, Executive Director

On July 1, the new bills on which VICPP led the advocacy became law. The death penalty was abolished, thus saving the lives of two men on death row. Virginia became the first state in the south to abolish the death penalty. A new healthcare benefit was added providing prenatal care to 9000 undocumented women. VICPP is now working to get the word out in immigrant communities about this new benefit. Approximately 30,000 home healthcare workers now have access to paid sick days. In next year’s General Assembly (beginning in January), VICPP hopes Virginia will adopt a broader paid sick day standard so that all Virginia workers will have access to five paid sick days a year.

On August 2, the General Assembly will reconvene for a special session to consider how best to use the federal dollars coming to Virginia from the American Rescue Plan Act. VICPP will be partnering with other low-income family advocates to push for uses that focus on helping the most vulnerable in the commonwealth. To join this effort, make sure you are on VICPP’s email action list. Sign-up at www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org. Also, if your congregation does not have a congregational liaison who works with VICPP, recruit someone for this important role and connect with Dora@virginiainterfaithcenter.org.

Washington

Faith Action Network fan@fanwa.org – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Faithful Vaccines: Eleven faith leaders from across Washington State participated in a joint effort to encourage people of faith to get vaccinated against COVID-19. We are excited to share their work both in this video – Faith Leaders Speak: Don’t Hesitate – Vaccinate! – as well as individual videos on our Vaccine Toolkit, in English and Spanish. We wish our partners across the country success in getting their communities vaccinated as well since our health outcomes are tied to one another.

FAN is Hiring! As Faith Action Network celebrates our tenth birthday this year, we continue to move faithfully forward as Co-Director, Rev. Paul Benz, retires at the end of 2021 and current Co-Director, Elise DeGooyer, becomes FAN’s Executive Director. FAN’s public policy work, led by Paul these past 10 years, will continue under the leadership of a Policy Engagement Director. If you know good candidates in Washington State, please send them our job description!

Statewide Policy: We are in the interim period after the legislative session ended this spring, but there is still work to be done in implementing bills that have passed. FAN is partnering with Earth Ministry to encourage Governor Inslee to sign an executive order for Clean Cars by 2030, a bill that had passed the legislature with broad community support which Governor Inslee partially vetoed. We are hoping to move this legislation forward to stay on-track with the Governor’s and the President’s climate goals as well as the Paris Climate Accord.

Congressional Policy: We are encouraging advocates to urge their House members to ask leadership to bring the HR 40 Reparations bill up for a vote. FAN cosponsored the Roadmap to Freedom legislation to pave a just and compassionate way forward for immigration reform, and we have requested a meeting with Senators Murray and Cantwell to discuss this. We continue to monitor the Justice in Policing Act to make sure it includes the elimination of qualified immunity.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW)  https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

Juvenile Justice: Hunger Advocacy Fellow Kyle Minden led a full Raise the Age coalition meeting and a small group to discuss creating a steering committee to speak for the coalition. We are now in the phase of strategizing long-term educational goals because returning 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system did not make it into the Wisconsin State Budget.

Advocacy Trainings: The director gave a Zoom consultation on building an advocacy ministry to leaders of a congregation in the East Central Synod.

Youth: In the Greater Milwaukee Synod, we led a training on the basics about advocacy to youth as part of their congregation’s at-home mission trip, connecting their visits to places such as food pantries, with advocacy.

Advocacy Training with youth at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa: We also held our second meeting with a handful of leaders from around the state to discuss possible future advocacy events for youth. We have had contact with representatives from all six synods that LOPPW works with.

Care for God’s Creation: LOPPW’s director is part of the Wisconsin Climate Table leadership team again.

Immigration: Staff gave a blessing to a group marching for Dreamers and a return to fairness in obtaining Wisconsin drivers licenses and met the marchers at the end of the march.

LOPPW Council: We welcome new Council Member Kristi Jones, healthcare professional and member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Madison as a new council representative of the South-Central Synod.

August recess opportunity

U.S. representatives regularly return to their home districts to stay engaged with their constituents. Traditionally, August Recess is one such time – and while everyone needs some rest and relaxation, lawmakers are likely busy during this period with Town Halls, arranged meetings, and other contact points that give you a window to raise your experiences and policy concerns while they are local.

Our ELCA advocacy staff here on some current events that intersect with federal policy and priorities this year based upon the ELCA’s social teaching documents and the experiences of its congregations, ministries and partners to end world hunger and stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, promote peace and dignity, preserve God’s creation, and promote racial and gender justice.

Bring your own questions to policy makers or raise the ones here.

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Hunger

“In relation to those who are poor, Martin Luther’s insights into the meaning of the commandments against killing, stealing, and coveting are sobering. We violate ‘you shall not kill’ when we do not help and support others to meet their basic needs.” – From ELCA social statement Sufficient Sustainable Livelihood for All

REMARKS

Expanded provisions of the Child Tax Credit (CTC), authorized through our nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the American Rescue Plan Act, are answering prayer for many struggling to feed their families who know the ripple effect on challenges that s hungry children face. As researched by ELCA World Hunger, assisting families through these means has the potential to lift nearly half of children in the United States out of poverty, many of whom are from Black and Brown communities. Making the Child Tax Credit permanent will not only be one of the most effective ways to reach those suffering while trying to meet basic human needs, and positively impact the health of children as they learn and grow.

QUESTIONS

Because the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is so effective in lifting children out of poverty, would you support making current CTC rates permanent?

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Housing and Homelessness

“People in our congregations who are homeless and potentially homeless remind us of the urgency of the situation. It is time to acknowledge with gratitude what people are doing, to confess that we have too often neglected homelessness, and to renew our commitment to act with justice and compassion.” – From ELCA social message “Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment”

REMARKS

As lawmakers in Congress are currently working to pass the federal budget for the next fiscal year, annual public programs that help support those of us experiencing homelessness and take measures to increase access to long-term housing affordability must be strengthened. The negotiations come as many in the post-pandemic economy are struggling to remain stably housed, while the cost of buying or renting a home continue to climb nationwide.

Houses of worship are active in shelter ministries and are increasingly involved in affordable housing construction to meet the needs of our communities. Housing and homelessness issues gain little attention in the nation’s Capital and historically garner the smallest increases in the spending deals among other programs. It is therefore critical that faith advocates highlight the intersectional significance that housing plays in addressing poverty.

Find out your local affordable housing stats at nlihc.org/state-housing-profiles for greater context when speaking with policy makers.

QUESTIONS

No state in the U.S. has enough affordable housing for those of us in the greatest need. What steps are you taking to ensure greater affordability and access to housing here in our district? (Add your local statistics to emphasize the local situation.)
This year, the cost of buying a home has reached historically high levels. What policies, if any, do you support that a) help increase home ownership and b) address the historic racial homeownership gaps still present in our communities?

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Infrastructure and Climate Change

“Protection of species and their habitats, preservation of clean land and water, reduction of wastes, care of the land—these are priorities. But production of basic goods and services, equitable distribution, accessible markets, stabilization of population, quality education, full employment—these are priorities as well.” – From ELCA social statement, Caring for Creation

REMARKS

We regularly hear of numerous challenges presented in the political atmosphere, but with a recent glimmer of hope. President Biden and a group of ____ senators reached an agreement on an historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (Framework). Details regarding implementation of the Framework are being negotiated, but the White House states that the Framework creates jobs, grows the economy, invests in clean transportation infrastructure, clean water infrastructure, universal broadband infrastructure and clean power infrastructure, and provides resilience to the changing climate by addressing coastline erosion. The Framework also addresses environmental justice initiatives such as remediation of legacy pollution and electrifying buses in communities plagued by harmful emissions. In addition, the Framework proposes to build a national network of electric vehicle charging stations along highways and in rural and disadvantaged communities, and to eliminate the nation’s lead service lines and pipes for the delivery of clean drinking water.

Tandem legislation to include climate provisions missing from the bipartisan agreement is being advanced by congressional Democrats. It will likely include provisions incentivizing utilities to increase their renewable energy goals and to use clean energy tax credits to spur utilization, or potentially offer conditional block grants to states that achieve 100% clean energy on the power grid. Each of these options has the effect of establishing a clean energy standard by encouraging renewable energy deployment. This tandem legislation will likely include a $300 billion tax cut for dealing with the environment.

Addressing climate change and growing the economy can be accomplished concurrently. Research from America Is All In, which includes the ELCA as a partner among U.S. communities, business and institutions committed to tackling climate change and taking climate action, touts the creation of 25 million good-paying jobs across every zip code in the United States. Job creation supporting Creation care is beneficial not only in sparking continued recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, but also to support communities that have borne the brunt of environmental and economic harms from fossil fuel pollution and climate change.

QUESTIONS

What policies are you supporting that will leverage the need of well-paying job creation in our nation as well as investing in the talents of laborers that tackle climate concerns?
Do you support efforts to move to 100% clean energy usage as one way to grow the economy in such a manner that no one is left behind, nor are communities left stranded?

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: COVID-19 Vaccine Access

“Since threats to health do not respect national boundaries, nations and international organizations must cooperate in public health efforts.” – From the ELCA social statement Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor

REMARKS

While United States recovery efforts are in full swing, there is no recovery in sight for many low- and middle-income countries. The U.S. has more COVID-19 vaccine stockpiles than it needs. Eighty-five percent of all COVID-19 vaccines have gone to high- and upper-middle income countries. While the U.S. has committed to donate 580 million doses in the next 12 months, it is estimated that the world needs 12 billion or more vaccines. With billions of people in desperate need, with some countries having no access COVID-19 vaccines, our country can and must do more to help fill this gap.

QUESTIONS

Many people in low-and middle-income countries have limited to no access to COVID-19 vaccines. U.S. vaccine commitments fall short of what is needed. As a member of Congress, what are you doing, or plan to do, to help these countries access COVID-19 vaccines?

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Reimagining U.S. Asylum and Immigration Policy

“Immigration, refugee, and asylum policies express who we are as a nation, influence the nation’s future character, and affect the lives of millions of people. We encourage our members, in light of our history and our ministry with newcomers, to join with other citizens in our democratic society to support just laws that serve the common good.” – From ELCA social message “Immigration”

REMARKS

The Biden Administration is beginning to lift Title 42, the March 2020 public health order that turned away most migrants who arrived at the southern border during the pandemic and is beginning to lay the framework for a safe asylum and regional migration process. The U.N High Commissioner for Refugees and many public health experts agree that protecting public health and protecting access to asylum are fully compatible. It is important that these plans surge resources, experience, and commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of children, families, and adults with the greatest need.

Ensuring access to asylum is a basic tenet of a humane migration system, along with ensuring due process, supporting a humane reception system that looks beyond unnecessary, costly, and inhumane detention, and quickly upgrading the systems to protect unaccompanied children. In addition to strengthening a humane migration system, we know that directing attention to factors driving migration and facilitating family reunification can more meaningfully address the reasons people flee their homes, reducing migration tensions. Congress can also support children and families in the U.S. succeed by passing a pathway to earn citizenship.

QUESTIONS

With many countries still exercising protocols that severely restrict asylum access, especially for LGBTQIA+, Indigenous and Black migrants, how are you making sure the U.S. is honoring international laws and standards in our asylum policy and supporting legislation and federal funding that makes our humanitarian reception system safer, more humane, and more accessible for those seeking protection?
Refugee and asylum applications are backlogged despite the increase in migration to the U.S. due to threats of violence or discrimination. How will you support changes to asylum policy that address the root causes of migration?
How are you supporting legislation and federal funding for programs that create clearer pathways for migrants to obtain legal status or US citizenship?

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Tribal/U.S. Government relations

“In the name of the God who creates every human being out of love, this church teaches human dignity is God’s gift to every person and that the commitment to universal rights protects that dignity.” – From ELCA social message, “Human Rights”

REMARKS

Boarding schools are not from the distant past. There are people alive today who are victims of these institutions and of the laws requiring the removal of Native children from their communities. Across the U.S. and Canada, recent discoveries of the remains of Native children at boarding school sites expose dramatically the awful conditions that can be described as cultural decimation and genocide.

Reckoning with under-acknowledged realities in tribal and U.S. government relations is surfacing. Cultural protection of Native sacred sites and natural resource protections are part of ongoing conversations through the lens of racial justice and reconciliation of past and current ills.

A bill called the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policy Act will be reintroduced soon. The legislation as summarized by the Harvard Law Review looks at “policy of the Federal Government under which more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native children were forcibly removed from their family homes and placed in any of 460 Bureau of Indian Affairs-operated schools, including 367 Indian boarding schools, at which assimilation and ‘civilization’ practices were inflicted on those children as part of the assimilation efforts of the Federal Government, advancing eradication of indigenous peoples’ cultures in the United States.”

A map showing the location of Indian Boarding Schools throughout the United States can tell you more about your area.

QUESTIONS

Do you know about our state’s history regarding the presence and legacy of boarding/residential schools for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN)?
Because of recent discoveries of the remains of American Indian children who died due to forced removal from their families and life at the boarding schools, more people have been made aware of this dark and tragic chapter in our history. What support do you intend to provide for the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policy Act?
An influential figure in Indian education during his time, Col. Richard Henry Pratt, advanced the motto: “Kill the Indian, save the man.” Facing the damage caused by such annihilating assimilationist thinking, how do you intend to support legal protections for Native American cultural heritage, practices and religion?

Please let us know how it goes using the In-District Activity Form and as appropriate consider thanking that policy maker publicly on social media for the conversation and their public service.

For more pointers, see our August Recess Guide as well as Virtual Visits for ideas on contacting your lawmaker year-round.

June Update: UN and State Edition

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices.

Find a map and full list of ELCA affiliated SPPOs using our state office map.

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc –Dennis Frado, Director

International Dialogue on Migration: Christine Mangale, LOWC Program Director, attended virtually the first International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) session of 2021 from 25 – 27 May 2021. Speakers included H.E. Volkan Bozkir, the President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly; H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E António Vitorino, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General, H.E. Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, the Prime Minister of Fiji; H.E. Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad of the Kingdom of Morocco; Ms. Runa Kahn, the Founder and Executive Director of the Friendship NGO, and several other government, experts, and practitioners.

The focus theme was “Accelerating integrated action on sustainable development: migration, the environment and climate change.” The theme was building on the 2008 and 2011 IDM meetings. This year, the discussions explored the links between the focus theme and issues such as COVID-19 and the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus. Actions were emphasized to mitigate the impacts of climate and environmental change and to implement several global frameworks, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The IDM session also aimed to contribute and galvanize momentum towards the 26th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP26) that will take place in Glasgow in November 2021, as well as preparations for the 2022 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF).

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: During May, LOWC Director Dennis Frado focused largely on the building tensions between Israel and Palestinians. On the 5^th, Frado joined other representatives of member organizations of Churches for Middle East Peace in a meeting with State Department officials to discuss the developing situation. Working alongside Peace Not Walls staff colleagues, a special action alert was issued on May 11^th which urged ELCA members to ask President Biden to tell Israel it must halt the illegal removal of East Jerusalem families from their homes which was originally scheduled for early May, and to affirm that Israel must respect the Status Quo agreement and holy sites in Jerusalem.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado https://www.rmselca.org/advocacy – Peter Severson, Director

Legislature Concludes: The Colorado General Assembly has come to the end of its 2021 legislative session. We advocated for major changes to Colorado’s tax code, renter’s rights, agricultural worker rights, environmental issues and more. Some of the major victories this session:

The Tax Fairness for Coloradans package (House Bills 1311 and 1312) passed both chambers. This is the first major tax reform adopted by the legislature in a long time, closing tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy while permanently investing the savings into funding the state Child Tax Credit and expanding the state Earned Income Tax Credit.
The Agricultural Workers’ Rights Bill (Senate Bill 087) will finally entitle agricultural workers to the protections of the Colorado Labor Peace Act, including overtime pay, rest breaks, and more.
The Colorado Office of Financial Empowerment will be created by Senate Bill 148, a measure to extend practical tools and resources to communities that have historically lacked access to mainstream (and non-predatory) credit and banking services.
Rights in residential lease agreements will be expanded by Senate Bill 173. The mismatched timelines between rental assistance and eviction have led to further housing inequities, and the bill will attempt to rebalance the scales to help renters remain housed and landlords remain solvent.

Check out lam-co.org for our 2021 session recap later this month!

Director’s Sabbatical: LAM-CO Director Peter Severson will be on sabbatical until late September. During the summer, members of the LAM-CO Policy Committee will keep our network informed of opportunities for action, organizing, and education via social media and our synodical communication network.

Kansas

Rabbi Moti Rieber, Executive Director- Kansas Interfaith Action https://www.kansasinterfaithaction.org/

The Kansas legislative session ended with the so-called veto session in early May. This was a very challenging year, with a newly strengthened conservative majority determined to enact some of its long-held priorities, as well as challenging the Democratic governor at every turn – especially in regard to pandemic-related emergency powers.

We had hoped that we might see movement on criminal justice reform this year, with two commissions (a bipartisan criminal justice commission and a governor’s task force on police reform) putting forward over a dozen bills. In the end, only one of these bills even had a hearing.

KIFA opposed a bill that would criminalize protest at fossil fuel facilities, including pipelines. This was part of a national effort by the fossil fuel industry to preempt protests such as the one currently taking place against Line 3 in Minnesota. We were able to garner some national media attention, as well as the involvement of the Native tribes in Kansas. The bill was significantly watered down in committee — for one thing, organizations, including churches, that help arrange or facilitate protests will not be liable to conspiracy prosecutions — but it passed.

We worked to sustain four vetoes issued by Governor Kelly: on another tax cut primarily benefiting corporations and upper-income people; on a bill that limits advanced voting; on a bill lowering the age for the conceal carry of handguns to 18; and on a bill that would ban trans girls from participating in girls’ sports on the high school and college levels. In the end the only veto that was sustained was the trans athlete bill; the rest were overridden.

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Legislative Session: The official legislative session ended with very little agreement and little accomplished, but not for lack of advocacy and prayer by Lutherans and our partners.

Budget Levels: On the last official day of session, Senate Majority Leader Gazelka, House Speaker Hortman and Governor Walz finally announced an agreement on overarching budget and committee area budget targets. Without time for nitty-gritty negotiations on program specifics, both chambers adjourned in anticipation of a special session.

Special Session: The Special Session starts Monday, June 14. As of now, budget specifics and policy language are still not settled for 12 of 13 budget bills.

Clean Energy: Some small energy programs will likely move forward, but several good parts of both House and Senate Energy bills will not be included due to resistance by some senators – especially for clean transportation. Thankfully, proposals to take us backwards on electric emissions will also not likely be included.

Housing: Good news! Between drafts of this update, some funding for emergency shelters and services went from ridiculously low one-time funding to base funding. We hope this continues to be the case. However, an off-ramp for the rental eviction moratorium remains unresolved as one of the most contentious housing debates.

LA-MN Introductory Video: Have you checked out our 3-minute video yet? Please consider ways to use it in your congregation and share it widely to help us recruit others for advocacy action!

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry- Pennsylvania (LAMPa) https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/ – Tracey DePasquale, Director

In May, LAMPa staff happily expanded in-person activities, including teaching at St. Matthias in Carlisle and visiting and planting at Lutheran Camping Corporation’s Wittel Farm as part of LAMPa’s ongoing rogation project. Director Tracey DePasquale made her first in-person legislative visits in the Capitol in over a year, meeting with House and Senate committee leaders to press for a plan to remedy the state’s inequitable school funding system.

Staff prepared materials for synod assemblies, including guidance to help congregations prevent but prepare for a possible surge in homelessness as the eviction moratorium ends. Hunger Advocacy Fellow Larry Herrold put his production skills to use as LAMPa partnered with Lutheran Disaster Response for a video describing how our ministries accompany disciples in “loving the land,” one of the three themes of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod’s gathering, and a second one for SWPA Synod’s assembly.

Further embracing the opportunities presented by virtual gathering, LAMPa hosted models of accompaniment ministry presentations by Bridge of Hope and Open Table, which is at the heart of advocacy. We rejoice in the follow-up engagement of congregations who want to see their service ministries move from transactional to transformational. LAMPa also hosted a webinar on the state of hunger programs and funding in the state as a basis for informed advocacy as we enter the final weeks of budget season. Staff also participated in meetings of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches Commission for Public Witness, the Interfaith Justice Coalition, and the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition.

Texas

Texas Impact https://www.texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

The 87^th Texas Legislature adjourned Sine Die Monday, May 31 with drama that garnered national attention and expectations that the Governor will call a Special Session later this year.

Texas Impact resourced Texans of faith through three ongoing programs:

Weekly Witness: a podcast recorded during the legislative session in front of a webinar audience featuring a “topic of the week,” legislative update and action alert.
Rapid Response Team with 500+ members committed to making time-sensitive calls to representatives; and
Legislative Engagement Groups of members coordinating with other advocates in their legislative district to build intentional relationships with representatives and their offices. Texas Impact staff held weekly briefings for LEG members during the legislative session.

The Texas Impact network prioritized legislation in the following five categories:

Health Coverage
Voting Rights
Climate Justice
LGBT Equality
Criminal Justice Reform/George Floyd Act

The Legislative Wrap-Up will be available soon; following the veto period, it will be featured in June/July Weekly Witness episodes.

In addition to preparing for a possible special session on voting rights, energy, and other issues, Texas Impact staff will spend the summer speaking with congregations and groups about the 87^th Texas Legislature and organizing regional events to recruit and strengthen Legislative Engagement Groups. We are also excited to partner to recruit a new ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow! Apply here.

Washington

Faith Action Network https://www.fanwa.org/ – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Celebrating FAN’s 10^th Birthday! Since June 11, 2011, Faith Action Network has grown from an infant born after long labor to a still-growing, multifaith body of communities and individuals – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Quaker, and Unitarian – from Pullman to Port Angeles. Together we have successfully advocated for public policy that upholds justice and compassion and lived into our calling to be “a partnership for the common good.” We are thankful to our 160 faith communities, many coalition partners, and thousands of advocates who have grown and sustained our work!

Spring Summits: FAN hosted two Spring Summits – one in May and one in June, to connect with our advocates across the state, celebrate legislative wins from the past session, and hear what issues FAN should focus on throughout the year. We were joined virtually by 150 advocates who met in breakout groups by region and issue topic. We look forward to connecting advocates with their legislators during the interim this summer to move our discussion into action!

Post-Legislative Session: Now that so many bills have passed in the virtual Washington State legislative session, the important work of implementing those bills begins. FAN is particularly involved in the implementation of the Voting Rights Restoration bill for people coming out of prison, and the many police reform bills we worked to pass with the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability. Our Economic Justice Work Group is also engaging our network with the bipartisan legislative Tax Structure Work Group to chart a path forward to improve the state’s regressive tax code.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW)  https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

The Wisconsin State Budget: The State Legislature is in the process of finalizing the budget. It is unclear whether the governor will entirely or partially veto it. We expect some of our priorities that will likely to be left out of the budget to return in separate bills. Also, the director has been in dialogue with Senator Baldwin’s office about possible federal actions to help individuals in states that have refused federal dollars for Medicaid (BadgerCare).

Care for God’s Creation: The director consulted with a new faith group that has started a care for God’s creation group in Milwaukee and invited them to join the Wisconsin Climate Table. She has also committed to returning to the leadership team of the Table for one year.

Advocacy Training: LOPPW led a virtual presentation to the lay school of ministry in the East Central Synod.

Youth: We organized our second meeting to begin planning for high school youth advocacy events. Members from all six synods have shown interest.

Raise the Age (Juvenile Justice): Kyle Minden has continued taking the main lead in our coalition to return 17-year-old youth to the juvenile system. Together with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference and three other organizations we met with the Senator who is the lead in writing a bill that will approach what we are advocating for.

Immigration: Minden helped organize a second presentation on immigration with the South-Central Synod Immigration Task Force. AMMPARO’s Mary Campbell was the presenter.

ELCA Advocacy

November Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

November Update: Advocacy Connections

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: November 2021

Welcome of Afghan newcomers

WEBINAR VIDEO: “Walking Beside Our Afghan Neighbors”

SITUATION UPDATE

Humanitarian Concerns

Humanitarian Parole

Resettlement Processing

LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE ACTIVITY

DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

A Resettlement Story shared by Lutheran Services Iowa (LSI) staff member

ADVOCACY

Afghan Adjustment Act Needed

POISED FOR WELCOME

ENDNOTES

October Update: Advocacy Connections

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: October 2021

October Updates: UN and State Edition

U.N. Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. ELCA.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

Arizona Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) lamaz.org – Solveig Muus, Director

Colorado Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) lam-co.org – Peter Severson, Director

Ohio Hunger Network Ohio hungernetwork.org – Nick Bates, Director

Minnesota Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) lutheranadvocacymn.org – Tammy Walhof, Director

Rent Help MN logo

Walhof presenting pre-pandemic

Texas Texas Impact texasimpact.org – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Washington Faith Action Network (FAN) fanwa.org – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Moving Forward with Gratitude invite

Wisconsin Lutheran Public Policy Office – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org – Cindy Crane, Director

John Johnson

Left Image: Shirley Paulson Bottom Right Image: Cindy Crane

Introducing 2021-2022 Hunger Advocacy Fellows

September Update: UN and State Edition

U.N. Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

Minnesota Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Ohio Hunger Network in Ohio https://www.hungernetohio.com/ – Nick Bates, Director

Texas Texas Impact https://texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Washington Faith Action Network https://www.fanwa.org/ – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Wisconsin Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

Summer Edition: UN and State Updates

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc –Dennis Frado, Director

Delaware

Delaware Lutheran Office for Public Policy https://demdsynod.org/delaware-public-policy-office – Gordon Simmons, Director

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Ohio

Hunger Network in Ohio www.hungernetohio.com – Nick Bates, Director

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry- Pennsylvania (LAMPa) https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/ – Tracey DePasquale, Director

Texas

Texas Impact https://www.texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Virginia

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy https://www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/ – Kim Bobo, Executive Director

Washington

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

August recess opportunity

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Hunger

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Housing and Homelessness

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Infrastructure and Climate Change

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: COVID-19 Vaccine Access

THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Reimagining U.S. Asylum and Immigration Policy

U.N.
Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. ELCA.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

Arizona
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) lamaz.org – Solveig Muus, Director

Colorado
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) lam-co.org – Peter Severson, Director

Ohio
Hunger Network Ohio hungernetwork.org – Nick Bates, Director

Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) lutheranadvocacymn.org – Tammy Walhof, Director

Texas
Texas Impact texasimpact.org – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Washington
Faith Action Network (FAN) fanwa.org – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Wisconsin
Lutheran Public Policy Office – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org – Cindy Crane, Director

Left Image: Shirley Paulson
Bottom Right Image: Cindy Crane

U.N.
Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Ohio
Hunger Network in Ohio https://www.hungernetohio.com/ – Nick Bates, Director

Texas
Texas Impact https://texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Washington
Faith Action Network https://www.fanwa.org/ – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Wisconsin
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry- Pennsylvania (LAMPa) https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/ – Tracey DePasquale, Director

Texas Impact https://www.texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW)  https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW)  https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director