{"id":1535,"date":"2016-09-02T08:28:13","date_gmt":"2016-09-02T13:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/?p=1535"},"modified":"2016-09-06T06:53:47","modified_gmt":"2016-09-06T11:53:47","slug":"september-advocacy-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/september-advocacy-update\/","title":{"rendered":"September Advocacy Update"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lutherans are taking action across the country! Below you will find our monthly State Advocacy Newsletter. Share with your friends!<\/h2>\n

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ELCA Advocacy Office, Washington, D.C.<\/h1>\n

The Rev. Amy Reumann, director<\/h5>\n
ELCA.org\/advocacy<\/a><\/h5>\n

GOD\u2019S WORK. OUR HANDS. OUR VOICES<\/strong>: <\/strong>ELCA Advocacy sent out resources<\/a> in early August, encouraging group discussions around civic participation, advocacy and ELCAvotes as additional congregational activities\"1\"<\/a> for \u201cGod\u2019s work. Our hands.\u201d Sunday<\/a>, a day of service held on September 11th. In 2015, congregations engaged in \u201cGod\u2019s work. Our hands.\u201d Sunday sent hundreds of letters to their elected officials in support of U.S. child hunger programs<\/a> and the Green Climate Fund. Congregations are encouraged to continue to take action on child nutrition, an ongoing federal issue, or engage in a letter writing campaign around an issue of concern this year. Among the advocacy resources, the message included #ELCAvotes<\/a> materials for the election in November. Resources include congregation guides on civic participation, a Bible study, and a discussion guide on voting rights and racial justice.<\/p>\n

ACCOMPANYING MIGRANT MINORS WITH PROTECTION, ADVOCACY, REPRESENTATION AND OPPORTUNITIES (AMMPARO)<\/strong>: <\/strong>The ELCA Churchwide Assembly passed the AMMPARO<\/a> strategy Aug. 10, reinforcing ELCA Advocacy\u2019s role in helping address the root causes of migration and protect children and families displaced\"2\"<\/a> from their communities in Central America. The afternoon it passed, ELCA Advocacy sent a message<\/a> explaining the initiative, its passage and its context. There are currently two bills in Congress that address some of these conditions, the State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill and the Secure the Northern Triangle Act (S. 3106\/H.R. 5850).<\/p>\n

ELCA Advocacy will continue to advocate for strong human rights conditions in any funding toward Central America, including conditioning aid on protecting the right to seek asylum.<\/p>\n

NATIONAL PARKS TURN 100 YEARS OLD<\/strong>: <\/strong>The National Park Service celebrated its centennial Aug. 25. President Barack Obama took the opportunity during this anniversary month to protect more than 87,500 acres of forests and streams in central Maine as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and to create the world’s largest marine protected area, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii. The president visited the Hawaiian monument on Sept. 1. Earlier in August, ELCA Advocacy joined an interfaith letter praising the national parks and initiatives to conserve God\u2019s creation.<\/p>\n

EDUCATION:<\/strong> The ELCA\u2019s social statement “Our Calling in Education” states that we minister in two ways: to educate people in the Christian faith for their vocation, and to strive with others to ensure that all have access to high-quality education that develops personal gifts and abilities and serves the common good. Education issues are also critical this November; early childhood to higher education issues are making\u00a0 headlines in campaigns. Read more on the ELCA Advocacy blog<\/a>!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y.<\/h1>\n

Dennis Frado, director<\/h5>\n

U.N. SUMMIT ON ADDRESSING LARGE MOVEMENTS OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS: <\/strong>In early August, U.N. member states reached agreement on three texts<\/a> related to the Sept. 19 summit<\/a>\u00a0on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. The primary aim of the summit is to find a path toward a better international response to the situations of both groups. If the outcome document is formally adopted, two multiyear processes will commence to prepare a global compact for refugees and a global compact on migration. The one on refugees will build on the Refugee Convention of 1951 as amended and will be developed with the help of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in 2018. Because there is no comparable treaty concerning migrants, an intergovernmental negotiation process will commence next year with the aim of having a proposal for adoption at an intergovernmental conference on international migration in 2018. LOWC is collaborating closely with The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in advance of the summit as part of a civil society action committee. LWF endorsed the committee\u2019s call for \u201cA New Deal for refugees, migrants and societies<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

LOWC staff will attend the summit and is planning to be engaged with the LWF in post-summit follow-up activities in New York and Geneva. LOWC is also coordinating closely with the assistant director for migration policy and advocacy in the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

BUILDING A JUST AND SUSTAINALBE PEACE PROCESS IN COLOMBIA<\/strong>:<\/strong> On Aug. 18, program associate Charlotte Mildenberger attended the meeting \u201cBuilding a Just and Sustainable Peace Process in Colombia\u201d at the Church Center for the United Nations. It was co-organized by the World Council of Churches and Caritas Internationalis and co-sponsored by The Lutheran World Federation.<\/p>\n

U.N. delegates, representatives from the Mission of Colombia and representatives from other nongovernmental organizations attended this meeting. Danilo Rueda, director of the Inter-Ecclesial Commission for Justice and Peace, gave an overview about the current situation in Colombia and said the forthcoming agreements would be a foundation for peace. There are 6 million displaced people in Colombia. Many others have disappeared and suffered torture, especially those who are politically active, but they aren\u2019t counted in official statistics. The commission defends the rights of the victims and their families, including the rights of children. It also fights impunity.<\/p>\n

Drug-related crime with paramilitary group involvement is a major continuing concern, along with the fear of its expansion. As parts of the Colombian military are attacking peacebuilders, an important question is how to include the police and the military within the peace process.<\/p>\n

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California<\/h1>\n
Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy<\/h5>\n
loppca.org<\/a><\/h5>\n

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE<\/strong>: The California Legislature returned from a month-long recess Aug. 1. As this was written it was nearing the Aug. 31 end of its two-year session, when the focus of LOPP-CA turns to bills on \"3\"<\/a>Gov. Jerry Brown\u2019s desk, and November ballot measures.<\/p>\n

CARE FOR CREATION<\/strong>: LOPP-CA was site host for the California Environmental Justice Coalition\u00a0conference and lobby day opening dinner, which brought grassroots activists to the Capitol from some of the harder places in the state: Kettleman City, West Oakland, North Richmond, Bayview-Hunters Point, East Los Angeles, and Harbor Gateway. LOPP-CA will be site host for a dinner sponsored by the Pesticide Action Network for participants of a five-day Society of Environmental Journalists national conference.<\/p>\n

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM<\/strong>: LOPP-CA was asked to accompany an advocacy team of the Boys and Men of Color Network, which brought hundreds to the Capitol to support bills addressing gang registries, privatized incarceration and law enforcement policies affecting immigrants, among other challenges. AB 2590, placing some restorative justice language in the penal code, is headed to Brown\u2019s desk. We are recruiting Lutherans to participate in a Sept. 12 briefing with Brown on his Prop. 57 sentencing reform.<\/p>\n

ECONOMIC JUSTICE\/HUMAN DIGNITY<\/strong>: LOPP-CA provided grassroots and direct advocacy in support of a bill providing overtime pay after eight hours in a day and 50 in a week for farmworkers. The previous requirement had been 10 hours\/day, 60\/week. Besides the economic benefits, AB1066 carries great symbolic meaning about human dignity and a lower tier of workers.<\/p>\n

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Colorado<\/h1>\n
Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry \u2013 Colorado<\/h5>\n
lam-co.org<\/a><\/h5>\n

ELCA CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY<\/strong>: LAM-CO Director Peter Severson was present with Rocky Mountain \"4\"<\/a>Synod voting members at the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in New Orleans. Nearly 1,000 voting members from across the church took action on matters related to Lutheran-Catholic dialogue, the new \u201cWord and Service\u201d roster, the AMMPARO strategy (accompanying migrant minors), fossil fuels, Israel-Palestine and a number of other important issues in the life of the church. Advocates will have a lot to work with as a result of the assembly\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n

FALL BALLOT ADVOCACY<\/strong>: Seven measures and two constitutional amendments will appear on the ballot for Colorado voters\u00a0this November. LAM-CO is a supporter of Amendment T, known informally as \u201cNo Slavery, No Exceptions.\u201d Amendment T supporters held a press conference Aug. 23 on the steps of the state Capitol to voice the importance of the measure. LAM-CO also supports Amendment 70, a measure to increase the state\u2019s minimum wage to $12\/hour by 2020. People of faith will be invited to join events in September and October to learn more about these ballot issues. Follow LAM-CO on social media or join our email list to get the latest information.<\/p>\n

CONGREGATIONAL VISITS<\/strong>: Thanks to members of the Aurora Area Ministry Strategy and Lord of\u00a0the Mountains Lutheran Church, Dillon, Colo., for inviting LAM-CO to join you this month! Our advocacy is strengthened when everyone raises their voice together.<\/p>\n

(Photo caption:\u00a0Rocky Mountain Synod voting members, volunteers and guests at the 2016 Churchwide Assembly, New Orleans. Photo credit: RMS Facebook page.)<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
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Minnesota<\/h1>\n

Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy \u2013 Minnesota<\/h5>\n
tammy@lcppm.org<\/a><\/h5>\n

SPECIAL SESSION NOT HAPPENING: <\/strong>Despite reports in late July of an August special session, negotiations broke down primarily over light-rail issues (state funding share vs. permission for increased Hennepin County share vs. no Southwest Metro Line regardless of funding mechanisms).<\/p>\n

SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: <\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Sadly, without a special session, Affordable Housing Bonds of $45 million were lost. While much less than needed and only about a third of what Lutheran Advocacy and the Homes for All Coalition were working to get this session, it would have been decidedly better than nothing. Also lost were bonding funds for clean-water infrastructure and statewide transportation infrastructure, in addition to a \u201ctax relief\u201d bill that included tax credits for low-income working families.<\/p>\n

FALL ELECTIONS: <\/strong>All state legislators (House and Senate) are up for election this year. This makes it an effective time to contact candidates about Lutheran Advocacy\u2019s key issues. Candidates from all parties, especially those who have had major party standing in Minnesota (MN Republican Party, MN Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Independence Party and Green Party) should hear about these priorities at candidate forums, meet-and-greet events, parades, debates, etc. It\u2019s also good timing to send notes to candidates about these issues. Lutheran Advocacy-MN is in the process of creating an election guide with questions and messaging to share with candidates. It should be ready in a couple weeks.<\/p>\n

LUTHERAN ADVOCACY-MN POSITIONS AVAILABLE: <\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n