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Urge Congress to Remove the Charitable
Choice Provision from H.R. 7
Weekly Message 2001, #20 from the UCC Justice and
Peace Ministry
[6-26-01]
After several weeks of intense criticism aimed at the
Charitable Choice component of President Bush's Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives proposal, the Administration put forth a slightly
revised version of Charitable Choice in an attempt to salvage support
for the measure.
The revisions have been included in a House bill
entitled "The Community Solutions Act" (H.R. 7) introduced by
Reps. J.C. Watts (OK-R) and Tony Hall (OH-D). Despite the revisions,
this remains a highly problematic version of Charitable Choice. The
House Ways and Means and Judiciary Committees are expected to mark up
H.R. 7 the week of July 9th and push to have H.R. 7 voted on before the
August recess.
Aside from the Charitable Choice provision, H.R. 7 is
a good tax package that allows non-itemizers to deduct their charitable
giving on the short tax form. However, problems with Charitable Choice
provision are numerous, including the possibility of government-funded
discriminatory practices and the burden of heavy government involvement
in faith communities. Members of Congress need to be informed about the
potential problems as well as benefits associated with Charitable Choice
for religious organizations, beneficiaries, and state and local
governments.
Contact your members of Congress and urge them to
oppose H.R. 7 with the Charitable Choice provision. Voice concern about
the dangers of Charitable Choice. You may refer to the UCC "Working
Principles on Charitable Choice" document included in the June
all-church mailing, available on the UCC website (www.ucc.org).
Capitol Hill Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
This Weekly Message is sent by e-mail every Monday
for use in church newsletters and bulletins the following Sunday. To
add new names to this weekly advocacy service from the UCC Justice and
Peace Ministry, for more information or to remove your name from the
list, reply to jpmdc@ucc.org. For
additional information on the UCC and the Justice and Peace Ministry,
log on to the UCC website at www.ucc.org.
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
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Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
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4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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