SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS IN SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY HERE.

The Catholic bishops of the United States called “literally unconscionable” a decision by the Obama Administration to continue to demand that sterilization, abortifacients and contraception be included in virtually all health plans. Today’s announcement means that this mandate and its very narrow exemption will not change at all; instead there will only be a delay in enforcement against some employers.

“In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The cardinal-designate continued, “It is as much an attack on access to health care as on religious freedom. Historically this represents a challenge and a compromise of our religious liberty.”

The HHS rule requires that sterilization and contraception – including controversial abortifacients – be included among “preventive services” coverage in almost every healthcare plan available to Americans. “The government should not force Americans to act as if pregnancy is a disease to be prevented at all costs,” added Cardinal-designate Dolan.

Read this and other reactions to the HHS ruling here.

SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS IN SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY HERE.

If you’d like to send a letter, you can use this sample letter to Congress regarding the HHS ruling.

Click here to sign the petition on whitehouse.gov.

The Senate already passed Senate Bill 1; the House may pass that bill as it is or something else that resembles it. And the governor will need to sign it upon final passage. State Representatives, State Senators and the governor all need to hear from their constituents. CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE TO YOUR LAWMAKERS URGING FINAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL CHOICE!

Legislators are in their home districts on Thursdays and Fridays, so feel free to visit or call them as well. Not sure what to say? Here is a sample script that you can use to make your point if you make a visit or phone call. In short, say, “As your constituent, I am asking you to support an increase in the EITC program and the creation of a school choice Opportunity Scholarship program.”

The future of Pennsylvania’s children is at stake – take action today by calling, faxing, e-mailing, or visiting the local office of your state Representative and Senator.

Governor Corbett supports school choice, so we should thank and encourage him, too. Call him at 717-787-2500 and use the PA Catholic Advocacy Network to send email messages to the governor as well as your state legislators.

If you have voiced your support for school choice before, do it again, and share this alert with family, friends and neighbors. This is it, the final countdown on school choice!

Follow this link to send an easy e-mail message or use the PA Catholic Advocacy Network website to locate the phone number or district office address for your legislators. This is the final push for school choice and your voice is needed!

1. Visit your state legislators in their district offices

The legislature is out of session until mid-September, so now is a good time to reach legislators in their home district offices. Bring your children or grandchildren, wear your school’s colors or a button that shows your support, and read the resources here if you’d like to learn more about the issue before your visit. The message is simple: we support school choice legislation that increases the EITC scholarship program and provides vouchers to families. You can also call your legislators in the district offices. Look up their local contact information by logging into the Advocacy Network.

2. Email your legislator and ask friends and family to do the same

As legislators prepare to vote on school choice legislation when they return in the fall, it is critical that they hear often from their constituents. Follow this link to send an e-mail message using the PA Catholic Advocacy Network. Forward the message to friends, family and neighbors. A strong show of grassroots support will reinforce the need to waste no more time passing school choice when the legislature returns to session. Many Catholic schools and parishes also have a supply of school choice yard signs. Check with your principal or pastor to see if signs are available.

1. The intact, biological, married family remains the gold standard for family life in the United States, insofar as children are most likely to thrive—economically, socially, and psychologically—in this family form.
2. Marriage is an important public good, associated with a range of economic, health, educational, and safety benefits that help local, state, and federal governments serve the common good.
3. The benefits of marriage extend to poor, working-class, and minority communities, despite the fact that marriage has weakened in these communities in the last four decades.

EDUCATION: Line items in the budget that benefit Catholic school students were cut slightly. Programs that buy textbooks and materials and fund special services were decreased by about 1%. The basic education subsidy for public schools was cut by 7%. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program was restored to $75 million, up from $60 million in 2009 and 2010.

HUMAN SERVICES: Budget cuts within the PA Department of Public Welfare will affect some of the programs provided by our Catholic Charities agencies such as the homeless assistance program and the Human Services Development Fund (HSDF). There is some good news in the welfare budget, funding for the state’s alternatives to abortion program, Real Alternatives, received a 4% increase.

HEALTH CARE: Programs that reimburse hospitals and nursing homes were cut, but not as deeply as feared. The Tobacco Settlement funds were removed from the General Fund and placed back into the separate fund as originally intended; however the adultBasic health insurance program as not restored. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was funded at the same level as last year.

Read more about 2011-12 Enacted Budget.

The survey was conducted April 13-14, and included 600 likely voters throughout Pennsylvania, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0%.

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES – 2010 General Election

U.S. Senator

PA Governor

CANDIDATE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS

VOTER GUIDE BULLETIN INSERT (2 pages)

Viewpoint newsletter – Fall 2010 issue

Cardinal Justin Rigali of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Amy Hill, Communications Director for the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) give a guided tour of www.pacatholic.org, the website of the PCC Institute for Public Policy.