NATIONAL ADVOCACY CENTER OF THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD for CONFERENCE OF PROVINCIALS OF NORTH AMERICA
Versions of this report
Every filing the register holds for this firm, client and period, oldest first. The most recent one is the version LegiList counts.
| Filing | Filed | Amount | Counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Quarter - Report | Jul 6, 2020 | $30,000 | Replaced |
| 2nd Quarter - Amendment (this page) | Jul 7, 2020 | $30,000 | Yes |
What was lobbied
14 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Defense DEF
Supported an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2021 that would reallocate 10 percent of the Pentagon budget toward several underfunded human needs priorities. Supported the ending of the DEpartment of Defense 1033 Program and associated transfers of all military equipment and vehicles to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Health Issues HCR
Urged Congress to: Ensure access to affordable health insurance coverage for all; provide states, localities, and tribes with the financial resources they need to respond effectively; protect the health and safety of the healthcare workforce; and protect all patients' access to care and prohibit price gouging of healthcare services. We encourages protecting the livelihood of the most vulnerable working people in our nation; and stimulating the economy and investing in our nation. Urged the extension of all child nutrition waivers until September 30, 2020. Supported the Medicare Crisis Program which would: enroll in Medicare any uninsured person and the household of a person who is found eligible for unemployment insurance due to COVID-19, throughout the duration of this pandemic, and establish a COVID-19 National Clearing House to purchase necessary medical and personal protective equipment. Requested additional funding for Medicaid to protect and expand coverage for all enrollees. Open a special enrollment period for health insurance. Direct OSHA to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard to protect front line healthcare workers. Increase funding and access for mental health services. Advocated for a 15 percent increase in the SNAP maximum benefit. Also, an increase in the SNAP minimum monthly benefit fro $16 to $30. Lastly, a suspension of SNAP time limits and rules changes that would cut SNAP's eligibility and benefits. Supported the Affordable COVID-19 Drug Pricing Act that would require non exclusive licensing of federally owned COVID-19 treatment. Supported the Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge (TRACK) Act that would require the federal government to create a single public data base of federal biomedical investment information for COVID-19. This information would help Congress and the public to hold the administration and pharmaceutical corporations accountable. Supported COVID-19 Testing for necessary testing and contact tracing in our most vulnerable communities.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Foreign Relations FOR
Urged the International Monetary Fund, the G20, and the White House to: cancel debt payments and expand debt relief for developing countries, mobilize additional resources to support all countries impacted by the economic and health impacts of the coronavirus; improve debt restructuring , issue debt payment moratoriums, and expedient debt reprofiling processes for countries impacted by the coronavirus. Signed petition for the full funding of the World Health Organization. Encouraged a progressive policy toward Palestinians and Israel. The policy states an explicit opposition to Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Encourages a trade policy that 1) protects human rights and the earth over corporate rights, 2) center the voices of the people, 3) promotes the dignity of work, 4) upholds environmental protections, 5) protects human health, 6) and promotes policies to end hunger. Publicly denounced any efforts to muzzle healthcare professionals and hospital support workers. Supported opposition to measures against the International Criminal Court. The Court exists because it is difficult to hold government officials and other powerful actors accountable when they commit grave human rights abuses. Urged Congress to honor our nation's financial commitment to the United Nations by supporting funding for the organization's peacekeeping, human rights, humanitarian, development, and global health work in Fiscal Year 2021. Since Latin America and the Caribbean have been declared the new epicenters for COVID-19, we urged Congress to provide assistance for the region in the next emergency spending package. Opposed the Immigration Ban on Chinese STEM Students to avoid vilifying and scapegoating the people of an entire nation, as well as Chinese Americans who have their origins here. Called for an end to human rights abuses and accountability for COVID-19 response in Myanmar. Recommend zero out funding for the Western Hemispheric Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) Urged President Trump to ust the full force of the Defense Production Act to advance the manufacturing of critically needed medical equipment.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Housing HOU
Requested HUD to suspend all non-emergency rulemaking until after the declared national emergency. Request continue funding in 2021 for lead poisoning prevention and healthy homes. To ensure housing stability during the pandemic, we supported a $100 billion in emergency rental assistance.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Immigration IMM
Pass the American Dream and Promise Act for persons brought to this country illegally as minors. Urged the reinstatement of DACA. Opposed closing the border using COVID-19 as an excuse. Supported celebration of World Refugee Day. Opposed order that would indefinitely eliminate protections for unaccompanied children and refugees at the border. Supported the Federal Immigrant Release for Safety and Security Together Act (FIRST ACT). The act provides urgent and critical restrictions on immigration detention and enforcement. We urged the halt of women, men, children, and families. Release all detained children and families. Released detained immigrant adults. Suspend the public charge rule. Ensure free access to medical tests and health care. Stop all ICE and Customs Border Protection enforcement activities. End the suspension of entry to asylum seekers. Provide $642 million in Refugee and Entrant Assistance funds for the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Restore asylum protections at the border for domestic violence survivors and all other refugees. Expand recovery rebates to mixed status and other households left out by the CARES Act. Opposed the new proposed regulations aimed to overturn U.S. asylum law, making it effectively impossible for people fleeing persecution to obtain protection in the United States. Requested additional public comment time (from 30 to 60 days) for Executive Order 122866 which concerns the procedures for asylum and withholding of removal and threshold determinations for credible fear and reasonable fear reviews.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR
Urge DOL to issue new guidance and FAQs that address the standards that apply under the federal Unemployment Insurance law to determine when workers remain eligible for regular state unemployment insurance if they leave work or refuse to work due to COVID-19 health and safety concerns.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice LAW
Supported the Brooker/Jeffries emergency community supervision of 2020 which seeks home confinement for those vulnerable and detained in the bureau of prisons. Request prison phone companies offer free phone and videos calls with no fees to incarcerated and detained individuals immediately for the next 60 days. End the military equipment transfers to police. Opposed measures against the International Criminal Court. Supported the justice in policing act. Opposed excessive force and racial profiling by the police. Signed on to letter to Congress calling to end the injustices and lists processes and regulations that could be used. Supported the Second Look Act to offer the opportunity at a shorter sentence via judicial review and supported amending the FIRST STEP Act to eliminate the exclusions for earned time credits and from programming participation. Supported Opposition to Proceed on the Justice Act as the Justice Act is an inadequate response to systemic racism within the policing and judicial system. Supported letter to Congress asking for constraint on excessive force and on the profiling by race. Letter to Congress after the murder of George Floyd on the need for profound reform. Letter to Attorney General asking for policy reforms as well as justice in recent cases, including the Breanna Taylor police killing. Supported PROTECT (Police Receiving Overly Traumatizing Equipment Changes Today that provides incentives to state and local police to give back their equipment. Supported the END MILITARY EQUIPMENT TRANSFERS TO POLICE ACT to restrict the most militaristic weapons from being transferred to or purchased by law enforcement without prohibiting other equipment that may be needed.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Environment/Superfund ENV
Urged the guarantee the rights and safety defenders social leaders in the Bajo Aguan in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is state of health emergency. Called for just environmentally sustainable response to the coronavirus pandemic.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Welfare WEL
Urged increase in Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Supported disaster aid legislation to meet the needs of impacted communities across the United States and to make public the data to ensure that the recovery reaches all households. Sought strong funding for vital services including child care, Head Start, home heating assistance, job training and education, nutrition for seniors, substance use and mental health services, public health protections, and community actions' anti-poverty programs. Ensure that health care is available regardless of a person's immigration status, income or categorical eligibility. Ensure access to the stimulus rebates for everyone who files income tax returns. Assure access to nutrition assistance. Ensure adequate funding for Community Health Centers.Request at least $50 billion in funding for child care. Supported immediate adjustments to the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for successful transition to adulthood. Life the 30% cap on room and board in Chafee; extend Chafee eligibility to age 23 nationwide; include and pass the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunity Act; and provide emergency supplemental funding for Chafee for six months. Urged the Secretary of HHS to fix issues with Medicare and marketplace enrollment that are currently acting as barriers for older adults and people with disabilities to access health care coverage. Support automatic stimulus payments for people on SSI and certain VA benefits. Request to create a Nonprofit Track to ensure that charitable nonprofits are supported in their services on the frontline of responding to the COVID-19 crisis. Request an increase to the Social Services Block Grant funding by $4.1 billion to respond to the growing needs of older people. Also, requested that no less than a 5 percent set-aside for Tribes which does not exist in the current Title XX statute. Urged credit and debt protection to address financial distress from Covid-19. Impose a moratorium on all foreclosures and evictions for the duration of the pandemic; stopping termination of utility services; halting all debt collection activity; preventing predatory lending; preventing the accrual and additional fees and interest; requiring payment forbearance and flexible repayment option, prohibiting negative credit reporting. Cancelling student loan debt. Supported legislative proposal to 1) Immediately appropriate $4 billion (and authorize appropriations of $8.8 billion) to guarantee a $50 emergency broadband benefit ($75 in tribal areas) to every eligible low-income household in the country that makes a request to their Internet Service Provider (ISP), and, offer a one-time discount for ISP-provided devices. Improve the existing Federal Communication Commission low-income Lifeline program to ofer unlimited voice minutes and texting. Supported the Child Care Is Essential Act to create a $50 billion childcare stabilization fund that would support childcare providers who experience a drop in revenue or have added expenses during or after the pandemic. We also supported the Heroes Act although it only provides $7 billion for childcare, far short of the $50 billion needed to stabilize this critical industry. Requested funding of $300 million in grants for allied health programs and $10 million for outreach to encourage carers in nutrition and dietetics.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Postal POS
Requested sufficient funding for the U. S. Postal Services.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP
Since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFBP)is continuing to favor the financial industry over working people in these very difficult times, we called on CFBP to stop all rule making and regulatory activity unrelated to COVID-19 and to focus on protecting consumers instead.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV
Provide $4 billion to support remaining primary elections, urged support of the USPS as necessary infrastructure for vote by mail. Asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commision to: ensure a moratorium on right to sue notices that would require a lawsuit to be filed after 2-29-20.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX
91 of the most profitable companies in the United States did not pay any taxes last year. Our letter urged Congress to Support Public Country-by-Country Tax reporting. Shining a light on offshore corporate tax practices will act as a major deterrent against the billions of dollars in corporate tax avoidance each year.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Religion REL
Opposed the HHS decision to exempt federally funded foster care and adoption agencies in South Carolina from the religious non-discrimination protections. Paradoxically, the exemption uses the concept of religious freedom as a justification for taxpayer funded religious discrimination.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUCH | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.