{"id":2796,"date":"2018-06-07T12:39:56","date_gmt":"2018-06-07T17:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/?p=2796"},"modified":"2018-06-07T12:57:53","modified_gmt":"2018-06-07T17:57:53","slug":"june-2018-elca-advocacy-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/june-2018-elca-advocacy-update\/","title":{"rendered":"June 2018 ELCA Advocacy Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

The Rev. Amy Reumann, director \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ELCA.org\/advocacy<\/a><\/h4>\n

June 21, PRAY.FAST.ACT.<\/strong>: <\/strong>On Thursday, June 21, we join with The Episcopal Church in our monthly commitment to #PrayFastAct. This month our focus is on disaster preparedness. The United States and its territories are facing \"\"<\/a>extreme weather patterns more frequently. In the past year, fires, floods and hurricanes have displaced millions of people, destroyed homes and other structures and led to deaths. Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands continues to face many challenges in the wake of Hurricane Maria, including infrastructure damage, a plummeting economy, loss of jobs, closure of schools, cuts in peoples\u2019 pensions and other factors that have contributed to a mental health crisis. ELCA congregations and organizations are among many groups that work tirelessly to help Americans when disaster strikes, but their efforts are often hampered by bureaucracy, which delays getting valuable assistance to those who most need it. The federal government must work to streamline the process for getting aid to those who need it and invest in disaster preparedness to minimize the effects of emergencies and major disasters.<\/p>\n

HUMAN RIGHTS: <\/strong>The House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill includes an amendment that\u00a0imposes new financial and visa sanctions on Myanmar military officials. The amendment also\u00a0limits U.S. military-to-military assistance to the Myanmar military until it makes progress on human rights and perpetrators of the current crisis are held accountable.<\/p>\n

MIGRATION AND AMMPARO: <\/strong>A Health and Human Services (HHS) official testified that the department does not know the whereabouts of approximately 1,400 children who had been in their custody. The children were released to sponsors and the HHS could not contact them in follow-up calls. HHS has the child-welfare expertise to screen children for trafficking. It is important to provide the department the resources needed to follow up with sponsors. Interested advocates can learn more by reading \u201cExplaining policies separating children and families<\/a>\u201d on the ELCA Advocacy blog.<\/p>\n

CREATION CARE: <\/strong>ELCA Advocacy participated in the international meeting to prepare for the December U.N. Climate Change Conference\u00a0(COP24). This meeting, held in Bonn, Germany, May 1-May 10\u00a0was designed to produce a strong foundation for the development of a robust rulebook for implementation of the Paris Agreement at COP24. An additional meeting to build on this work will be held in September in Bangkok. Critical issues discussed included climate finance and raising the commitments of parties to the Paris Agreement in reducing greenhouse gases to minimize the global temperature increase to less than two degrees Celsius. The first\u00a0Talanoa Dialogue\u00a0was successfully held at this meeting.\u00a0The dialogue is a means of facilitating the negotiations and\u00a0<\/strong>involves sharing ideas, skills and experiences through storytelling in which participants build trust and advance knowledge through empathy and understanding. Interested advocates can learn more about the Bonn meeting<\/a> and the Talanoa Dialogue<\/a> process on the ELCA Advocacy blog.<\/p>\n

ELCA Advocacy and The Lutheran World Federation are organizing concurrent Talanoa Dialogue sessions to be held\u00a0as an affiliate event during the Global Climate Action Summit in September in California.\u00a0Session 1 covers just transition (transitioning to\u00a0energy sources derived from renewable energy in a manner that creates\u00a0resilient communities while leaving no one behind). Session 2 addresses the\u00a0livelihood\u00a0of people dealing with disasters caused by the increased intensity and frequency of severe weather patterns and storms. Invited participants include representatives from vulnerable regions in the world that are most endangered by climate change.<\/p>\n

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FARM BILL:<\/strong> The House of Representatives rejected a version of the 2018 Farm Bill last month on a 198-213 vote. While the proposed bill positively addressed ELCA priorities in international food aid and U.S. agriculture, many faith leaders voiced over concerns over cuts and added work barriers<\/a> to the SNAP food assistance program. The House has planned another scheduled vote on June 22nd<\/sup>, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced plans to make the Farm Bill a top Senate priority in the later summer. Advocates can take action now on faith priorities in the Farm Bill at the ELCA Action Center<\/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<\/p>\n

CHALLENGES FACING MIGRANTS: <\/strong>Marking the start of the May negotiations toward a U.N. Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the ELCA and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) offered an event on May 14, \u201cGrassroots Perspectives on Migrants\u2019 Lived Realities in Different Contexts.\u201d The presenters discussed the challenges migrants face during their journey, as well as when they return to their home countries.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Silvia Raquec Cum (photo, third from right) is program director of Asociaci\u00f3n Pop No\u2019j (\u201cweaving knowledge and wisdom\u201d in the Mayan K\u2019iche\u2019 language), a non-profit Guatemalan organization. She reported on the causes of migration from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the politics of detention and deportation. Asociaci\u00f3n Pop No\u2019j works on the return and reintegration of child and adolescent migrants back to their communities of origin.<\/p>\n

Katrine Ringhus (far right), advocacy director with LWF\u2013World Service in Colombia, reported on work on the nation\u2019s border with Venezuela and on the Pacific coast. LWF offers risk management and human rights assistance to people contending with illegal access routes, inadequate shelter, malnutrition, endemic disease, trafficking, extortion and violence.<\/p>\n

Rados Djurovi\u0107 (second from left) is executive director of the Asylum Protection Center in Belgrade, Serbia, a non-profit serving asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. He outlined the legal, psychological and integration and inclusion support offered to migrants while advocating for improving the system and fighting prejudice and xenophobia.<\/p>\n

The panel was made possible by a grant from ELCA Global Mission. Also participating were the Rev. Cindy Halmarson (far left), ELCA Global Mission area director for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa; \u00a0and Alaide Vilchis Ibarra (second from the right), ELCA Advocacy program director for migration policy, who also provided interpretation. The compact under negotiation is expected to be adopted at a U.N. conference in December.<\/p>\n

California<\/h1>\n

Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0loppca.org<\/a><\/p>\n

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: <\/strong>May 31 concluded consideration of legislation, and activity has intensified on the 2018-19 state budget, due on Gov. Jerry Brown\u2019s desk June 15. The bill process cycles again until final adjournment of the two-year session at the end of August. Faith advocates, who had worked together to support increasing the CalWORKS\/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families support to 50 percent of the federal poverty level, part of an effort to tackle child poverty, were amazed to see diverse senators speaking in support with an unexpected final vote of 39-0! Perhaps a more challenging task is continuing work to reach the two-thirds threshold to enact a very small fee on water bills to support safe and affordable water in disadvantaged communities.<\/p>\n

STATE UPDATE<\/strong>: <\/strong>California has been blessed with a revenue surplus of about $9 billion, much of that a result of volatile personal income taxes on capital gains. Besides the CalWORKS proposal, Gov. Brown, a fiscal moderate, will be challenged by legislative proposals, supported by LOPP-CA, for income-eligible Medicaid coverage of 19- to 25-year-olds and people 65 and older, regardless of immigration status (#Health4All), \u00a0expansion of census outreach efforts, and continued rebuilding of deep cuts to child care during the recessi\"\"<\/a>on (#SpringforKids #BillionforBabies).<\/p>\n

SYNOD ASSEMBLIES:<\/strong> LOPP-CA Director Mark Carlson participated in the Pacifica Synod Assembly in Palm Desert, and the Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly in Sacramento. Mark was blessed to take Bishop Medardo Gomez and his wife, Abelina, of El Salvador to the Capitol for lunch during the final hectic deadline day, meeting staff, a state senator and the Spanish-speaking advocate for the California Environmental Justice Alliance. They participated in the LOPP-CA synod breakfast with guest speaker Eric Guerra, a Sacramento City Council member brought to the U.S. without documents at preschool-age.<\/p>\n

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Colorado<\/h1>\n

Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry\u2013Colorado \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0lam-co.org<\/a><\/p>\n

LEGISLATIVE ADJORN:<\/strong> The Colorado General Assembly adjourned on May 9, having acted on 721 bills during the session. Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado took a \u201csupport\u201d position on 12 bills, of which six were passed and sent to the governor. We also took an \u201coppose\u201d position on three bills, all of which were defeated.<\/p>\n

HUNGER: <\/strong>We supported SB 13, which would expand an existing program that subsidizes children on reduced-price lunch from grades K-5. This bill would expand the subsidy through middle school and passed with bipartisan support.<\/p>\n

FAMILY-SUSTAINING INCOME AND LABOR: <\/strong>Our flagship bill was HB 1001, to create a paid family and medical leave program in Colorado. It passed the House but failed in the Senate. We also supported a bill to provide federal disability benefit application assistance (failed) and one to support economic resilience in rural areas (passed).<\/p>\n

HOUSING:<\/strong> We supported a successful bill, SB 10, to require landlords to provide a lease copy to tenants and receipts for rent paid in cash or money order. We also supported several bills that did not pass: SB 120, to give tenants time to cure unpaid rent, and HB 1432, to prohibit source-of-income discrimination in housing.<\/p>\n

HEALTH CARE:<\/strong> We opposed a bill to put up roadblocks to health care access for Medicaid recipients, SB 214. The bill was defeated on a bipartisan vote.<\/p>\n

CIVIL RIGHTS<\/strong>We supported the successful reauthorization of the Colorado Civil Rights Division, as well as a referred measure that would ask voters to abolish an exception to the ban on slavery in the Colorado Constitution.<\/p>\n

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Minnesota<\/h1>\n

Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy\u2013Minnesota\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0tammy@lcppm.org<\/a><\/p>\n

SYNOD ASSEMBLIES: <\/strong>Kendrick Hall represented Lutheran Advocacy-MN at the Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly. He was also one of three young adult keynote speakers for almost 500 voting members and guests at the Saint Paul Area Synod Assembly. After his keynote, traffic at our display picked up considerably!\u00a0 \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Director Tammy Walhof had the opportunity to speak individually to almost 200 people at the Northeastern Minnesota Synod Assembly and spoke briefly at one of the plenary sessions.<\/p>\n

LEGISLATIVE SESSION:<\/strong> Bills presented with little time for consideration made for a chaotic end to the session. \u201cTrust me\u201d from House leaders was met with skepticism, given tricks after negotiations last year.<\/p>\n

AFFORDABLE HOUSING:<\/strong> HUGE WIN! <\/strong>With our champion lawmakers, hardworking team a\"\"<\/a>nd advocates like you, Homes for All secured $90 million<\/strong> in affordable housing!\u00a0Additionally, coalition partners secured\u00a0$30 million<\/strong> for mental health crisis centers. We could not have done it without you! Thanks for acting on the alerts shared (by the hundreds) at synod assemblies and on Facebook \u2013 and for sharing them broadly in your networks!<\/p>\n

CLEAN ENERGY:<\/strong> Clean energy policy was largely protected. (See details from partner Fresh Energy: fresh-energy.org\/2018legislativeupdate\/<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Improving Minnesota\u2019s renewable energy was not passed. Your efforts with us in the Faith & Clean Energy Campaign have helped move the issue forward. The Faith & Clean Energy letter with many of you among 1,200 signers was delivered (with prayer) to the office of Sen. Osmek (Energy chair) the morning after the session ended. That work needs to continue through the fall and into next session, when we intend to win that change!<\/p>\n

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New Mexico<\/h1>\n

Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry\u2013New Mexico \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 lutheranadvocacynm.org<\/a><\/p>\n

2018 LEGISLATIVE INTERIM BEGINS: <\/strong>Since the Legislature meets for relatively sh\"\"<\/a>ort sessions, a good deal of legislative work is done during the \u201cinterim,\u201d which occurs between May and December. At the first meeting of the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee, LAM-NM Director Ruth Hoffman urged the committee to study public-benefit programs to facilitate understanding and alleviate misunderstandings regarding the programs. LAM-NM will be monitoring, attending, and providing testimony to several interim committees that deal with issues relating to the LAM-NM Advocacy Agenda.<\/p>\n

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Ohio<\/h1>\n

Nick Bates, Hunger Network Ohio \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Nick@HungerNetOhio.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Faith Leaders across Ohio continue to speak out on the federal farm bill. Pastor Bob Swanson of First Lutheran in Dayton, \"\"<\/a>Ohio, spoke at a news conference (see photo at left) on proposed cuts to SNAP. First Lutheran is an inner-city congregation that serves breakfast every Sunday. \u201cBut that is one meal. SNAP ensures more than one meal. It ensures sustenance,\u201d said Swanson. We were very pleased to work collaboratively with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, ecumenical partners in the United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church, along with Faith in Public Life.<\/p>\n

UPDATED GUIDEBOOKS!: <\/strong>The Hunger Network has ordered additional copies of our Advocacy Guidebook for the faith community. The last guidebooks were distributed during the United Methodist Women\u2019s conference held in Columbus in mid-May where the Hunger Network was honored to speak during the advocacy workshop alongside our Texas partner, Texas Impact.<\/p>\n

STATEHOUSE UPDATE: <\/strong>As of May 31, the Ohio House of Representatives remains without a speaker and unable to do the work of the people. The former House speaker, Cliff Rosenberger, R-Wilmington, resigned in April as a result of an FBI investigation raising legal and ethical concerns around his behavior and gifts from lobbyists. Legislation on the environment, payday lending and funding bills remains stalled as a result. We pray that ego and hubris may be put aside, and the work of the people may move forward again. We remind the Legislature that they are servants of the community, and the servant must be willing to humble themselves at the feet of their neighbor and wash their feet.<\/p>\n

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Pennsylvania<\/h1>\n

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy \u2013 Pennsylvania\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>lutheranadvocacypa.org<\/a><\/p>\n

LUTHERAN DAY AT THE CAPITOL<\/strong> More than 120 people attended Lutheran Day at the Capitol on \"\"<\/a>May 21. Highlights included worship, workshops, recognition of Advocacy Honorees from Pennsylvania synods, an inspiring address by keynote speaker Dr. Richard Alley and legislative visits.<\/p>\n

CHILD NUTRITION SUMMIT: <\/strong>Several LAMPa advocates joined Tracey DePasquale at the first statewide child nutrition summit, held in State College. In addition to learning about best practices in addressing child hunger, we were able to share the work of ELCA World Hunger and connect Lutheran hunger ministries and school staff \u2013 including some Lutheran teachers who are now going to seek hunger grants for\u00a0 programs they are starting.<\/p>\n

SCHOOL BREAKFAST MINI-GRANTS ANNOUNCED: <\/strong>Gov. Tom Wolf recently anno\"\"<\/a>unced $900,000 in grants to help 200 schools make breakfast available to all students and expand options for the children.<\/p>\n

Child nutrition advocates joined First Lady Frances Wolf \u00a0(fourth from the left in the photo at right) as she announced the awarding of mini-grants to improve school breakfast participation in 200 schools. LAMPa has been working for years to expand school breakfast participation in Pennsylvania. Improving education from preschool through higher education has been a priority for the governor and first lady since day one.<\/p>\n

SYNOD ASSEMBLIES:<\/strong> LAMPa provided a display and information at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly, May 4-5. The Rev. Patricia A. Davenport was elected bishop. Davenport is the first African-descent woman to be elected a bishop in the ELCA.<\/p>\n

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Virginia<\/h1>\n

Neil Caldwell, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy<\/p>\n

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy\u2019s more than four-year struggle to expand health care access finally came to a successful conclusion on May 30 as the General Assembly approved a state budget that includes Medicaid expansion. After much wrangling, the Legislature agreed to accept the federal money available to cover nearly 400,000 low-income Virginians who do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford to buy insurance. Congress\u2019 failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, as well as large gains by Democrats in last year\u2019s election, helped spur several state Republican lawmakers to change their positions after years of opposition. This has been the Virginia Interfaith Center\u2019s top legislative priority since 2014. \u201cI am so proud of the work the faith community has done to support expanding health care in Virginia,\u201d said Executive Director Kim Bobo. \u201cAlthough we recognize the economic benefits, we have focused on the moral dimensions of helping our neighbors.\u201d Virginia becomes the 33rd<\/sup> state, plus the District of Columbia, to expand Medicaid. On another key issue that the center has advocated for at least three years, on May 21 Gov. Ralph Northam signed into law an increase in the state\u2019s felony threshold level from a national low of $200 to $500. It was the first increase since 1982. While the Virginia Interfaith Center wants the threshold raised to $1,000 or more, it agrees that this is a long overdue first step in that process.<\/p>\n

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Washington<\/h1>\n

Paul Benz, Faith Action Network \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0fanwa.org<\/a><\/p>\n

REGIONAL SPRING SUMMITS: <\/strong>Each year, FAN holds our four regional summits in Sea\"\"<\/a>ttle, Spokane, Yakima, and Vancouver, where we gather advocates to hear about the good social-justice work they are doing, share what FAN did this past legislative session and what we\u2019re working on in D.C. and for state initiatives. The last summit will be on June 10 in the Seattle area. Click here<\/a> to download a flyer.<\/p>\n

Last year at the Seattle Summit, advocates gathered into issue working groups to discuss priorities and strategize for the legislative session ahead.<\/p>\n

STATE INITIATIVES: <\/strong>Advocates have until July 1 to gather the signatures required to put statewide initiatives on the ballot. This year, FAN is supporting:<\/p>\n