NATIONAL ADVOCACY CENTER OF THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD for CONFERENCE OF PROVINCIALS OF NORTH AMERICA

Health Issues HCR

Opposed the Administration's new Medicaid block grant guidance as it allows states to apply for a waiver to set caps in their Medicaid program. Supported full funding of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Supported funding for Medicaid and State fiscal relief. $150 billion in direct aid to states for purposes of fiscal relief and at least a 12% increase in federal Medicaid matching funds. Expressed concern regarding Gilead's "orphan drug" designation for COVID-19 drug as it gives the company exclusive rights to the drug and the ability to price it at whatever price it sees fit. Supported the COVID 19 Health Care Workers Protection Act of 2020 that would protect the safety of health care workers caring for patients with coronavirus.

Contacted: State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); White House Office

Foreign Relations FOR

Statement condemning the United States' dangerous aggression toward Iran, including the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the deployment of additional troops to the region. Affirmed support for the International Criminal Court in response to efforts by some US officials to denigrate and delegitimatize the court.

Contacted: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; State, Dept of (DOS); White House Office; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Housing HOU

Supported the Eviction Crisis Act to provide an Emergency Assistance Fund. Supporte "Housing First" and opposed the criminalization of homelessness. Supported the expansion of housing vouchers, the national Housing Trust Fund, and public housing.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); White House Office; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); State, Dept of (DOS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Expressed concern about four of the Administration's recent regulatory changes that increase child poverty. Urged legislation to help more families facing corona-related job losses and support workers who need to balance caregiving responsibilities related to coronavirus. Urged legislation to prioritize the needs of low-income people. Opposed the proposal that would deny critical sustaining loans to non-profits Supported COVID 19 funding requests to include nonprofit organizations. Urged Congress to swiftly act to meet the needs of children and families in and at risk of entering the child welfare system in the net COVID 19 relief package. Opposed tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations or enacting a payroll tax cut as a way to respond to the novel coronavirus emergency. WE proposed immediate substantial cash payments to all house holds and increased federal support for the states. Urged Congress to appropriate at least $2 billion and adopt a number of key policy measures in the economic stimulus package that would ensure both the public's safety and an inclusive and fair voting process. Supported the SENATE CARES ACT / Lankford Amendment to create for one year all taxpayers taking the standard deduction could claim $4,000 per person and $8,000 per couple.

Contacted: SENATE; White House Office; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); State, Dept of (DOS)

Environment/Superfund ENV

Opposed EPA's decision to weaken critical safeguards related to coal plants. Supported the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2020, a comprehensive bill to address the plastic pollution crisis. Opposed the Trump Administration's decision to lift existing United States prohibitions against the use of land mines. Letter urging the Council on Environmental Quality to withdraw the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations and to retain the existing regulations. The changes would eliminate critical NEPA protections for the environment. Opposed EPA's proposal to weaken and eliminate important parts of the 2015 coal ash rule. EPA is proposing to delay the closure and cleanup of hundreds of leaking, toxic coal ash ponds around the nation.

Contacted: SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; White House Office; State, Dept of (DOS)

Family issues/Abortion/Adoption FAM

Urged Congress to support the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act (H.R. 1185/ S. 463). The FAMILY Act would create a national family and medical leave insurance program to help ensure that people who work can take the time they need to address serious health and caregiving needs. Opposed the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act mandating the Department of Health and Human Services study of the effects of the 2018 law Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act - Stop Enabling Traffickers Act (FOSTA- SESTA) on individuals who engage in "consensual transactional sex." The bill exhibits a misunderstanding of federal and state laws. Supported Emergency Diaper Funding

Contacted: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); State, Dept of (DOS); White House Office; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 1185 (116th), S. 463 (116th)

Government Issues GOV

We supported restoring the Federal Election Commission's quorum in advance of the 2020 election by confirming one or two appropriate Commissioners identified through the existing process. However, for the remaining vacancies, a nonpartisan blue-ribbon panel should be established to identify qualified candidates for the President's potential nomination, and the Senate should decline to confirm any nominee who is not drawn from the panel's recommendations. Called on the U.S. Senate to advance the For the People Act (H.R.1). The Act would provide a set of transformational, comprehensive democracy reforms to protect and expand the people's right to vote, take power away from big money and lobbyists, and restore ethics and accountability.

Contacted: White House Office; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; State, Dept of (DOS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Bills named: H.R. 1 (116th)

Immigration IMM

Supported H.R. 1232, the Rescinding DHS' Waiver Authority for Border Wall Act; supported H.R. 1233, the Borderlands Taking Defense Fund Act; and H.R. 1234, the Preventing the Taking of Americans' Land to Build Trump's Wall Act. These three bills would restore the rule of law and mitigate the profound harms of border walls construction. Letter to State Department opposing rule targeting pregnant people of color , giving consular officers discretion to reject tourist (B visa) applications for people they believe who are traveling to the United States and its territories to give birth. In terms of the third supplemental funding, immigrant communities are left out. We supported: Eliminate Immigrant Restrictions on the new Medicaid State Option for COVID testing; Oppose all DHS funds for ICE and CBP; and Restrict transfer and reprogramming of funds for immigration enforcement. Urged the Department of State and Homeland Security to ensure that refugees and immigrants traveling to the United States are not unjustly impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic. Many would be travelers to the United States have spent years seeking status for employment, family or humanitarian based reasons. Many will be unable to travel during the validity period of their travel documents to submit applications or attend interviews. The letter asks the Department of State and Homeland Security to extend deadlines and exercise positive discretion whenever possible. The letter also urges the Departments to resume refugee admissions as soon as it can be safely done and to take steps to ensure that the FY2020 refugee admission goals will be met. Letter to Attorney General to close all immigration courts during the COVID 19 pandemic. DOJ is failing its obligation to ensure a safe and healthy environment within our nation's immigration courts. Asked HHS to rescind the regulation excluding DACA recipients from benefits under the ACA.

Contacted: Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); White House Office; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1234 (116th), H.R. 1233 (116th), H.R. 1232 (116th)

Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice LAW

Opposed the Drug Enforcement Agency consideration to criminalize more black and brown people through federal fentanyl laws. Federal fentanyl laws are more likely to be used on individuals at the lowest levels of drug distribution chains who are often not even aware that the drugs they are selling contain fentanyl. Request to release from prison as many people as possible applying the Justice Collaborative's Decarceral Guidelines in light of the COVID 19 pandemic. This includes the immediate release of elderly and medically vulnerable people; early release of anyone within 18 months of their release date; and the lifting of any ban to access social services and housing for people who will be, and who have already been, released.

Contacted: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE; White House Office; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

Supported the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The program serves a life-saving role in protecting millions of families from the most brutal climate fluctuations.

Contacted: State, Dept of (DOS); White House Office; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)