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

Alcohol and Drug Abuse ALC

Opposing the White House's recommendations to Congress on addressing fentanyl-related substances as a criminal justice issue instead of a public health issue. Supporting the Healthy Mothers and Infants Act in order to expand the Child Nutrition Act to, and make it more inclusive for individuals impacted by substance abuse disorders. Supporting the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, which would make life-saving treatment for people with opioid abuse disorder more accessible to people who need it, helping to close racial inequities and urban-rural divides in treatment access.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Natl Economic Council (NEC); SENATE; Vice President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); State, Dept of (DOS); President of the U.S.; Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

Supporting voting rights legislation that responds to voter suppression efforts made against people of color. Support passage of HR 40, which will establish a commission to study proposals for reparations. Support passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Contacted: Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); SENATE; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; President of the U.S.; Vice President of the U.S.; State, Dept of (DOS); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 40 (117th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Funding the Build Back Better Act with income taxes on billionaires.

Contacted: Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Vice President of the U.S.; State, Dept of (DOS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Natl Economic Council (NEC); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); President of the U.S.; Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); SENATE

Health Issues HCR

Ascertain from Moderna whether it can allocate COVID vaccine doses to low and middle income countries and share vaccine manufacturing technology. Support for S.3064/H.R.5724, a bipartisan bill that would convene a second national White House conference on food, nutrition, hunger, and health. Urging for the inclusion of health provisions in the Build Back Better Act, including: closing the Medicaid coverage gap, allowing Medicare to negotiate for fair drug prices and lower prescription drug costs, reducing premiums, making federal CHIP funding permanents, funding health coverage of people transitioning out of incarceration, and more.

Contacted: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Natl Economic Council (NEC); State, Dept of (DOS); President of the U.S.; Vice President of the U.S.; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: S. 3064 (117th), H.R. 5724 (117th)

Foreign Relations FOR

Supporting HR 3884, the Philippines Human Rights Act, which would suspend US military support of the largest perpetrators of violence in the Philippines - the military and police. Urging Secretary of State Blinken to press Colombian government on human rights issues, specifically police brutality, peace accord implementation, and the situation of human rights defenders. Urge the U.S. Mission at the UN Human Rights Council to end its interference in negotiations for legally binding UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights.

Contacted: Natl Economic Council (NEC); President of the U.S.; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); State, Dept of (DOS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE; Vice President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 3884 (117th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Urging the inclusion of funding for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services in the Build Back Better Act.

Contacted: SENATE; State, Dept of (DOS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Vice President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); President of the U.S.; Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP)

Environment/Superfund ENV

Supporting the FOREST Act, which will combat illegal deforestation in the supply chain related to agricultural commodities. Opposing Lease Sale 257, which will offer more than 80 million acres of the Gulf of Mexico for sale to oil companies, as well as the federal government's continued reliance on outdated environmental analysis. Pushing for an increase in the amount of international climate finance to $5.8 billion in FY22. Supporting the National Environmental Policy Act, which will expand NEPA protections for people and the environment, particularly in reducing barriers to public input and requiring meaningful assessment of all reasonable alternatives and equitably evaluating impacts - including climate and public health impacts - of proposed major federal actions.

Contacted: State, Dept of (DOS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Vice President of the U.S.; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)

Family issues/Abortion/Adoption FAM

Supporting the passage of the Family Violence Protection and Service Improvement Reauthorization Act of 2021, and the inclusion of the clarification that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity status is sex discrimination and prohibited under law. Clarifying the economic importance of including paid family leave for all in the Build Back Better Act. Supporting the inclusion of Child Care and Universal Pre-Kindergarten in the Build Back Better Act, along with explicit federal non-discrimination language accompanying these provisions.

Contacted: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); President of the U.S.; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE; Vice President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); State, Dept of (DOS); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Government Issues GOV

Urging the Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act before the end of 2021. Supporting the inclusion of tax provisions on the rich in the Build Back Better Act.

Contacted: Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE; President of the U.S.; Natl Economic Council (NEC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Vice President of the U.S.; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

Immigration IMM

Halting expanded immigration detention, specifically in Pennsylvania, and terminating immigration detention contracts with private prison companies and local governments. Add an amendment to the NDAA that would require the GAO to report to Congress on the humanitarian impacts of US sanctions, the impact on the delivery of humanitarian aid and development projects, and on whether sanctions achieved stated foreign policy goals. Supporting visa-related provisions in the Build Back Better package. Opposing the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement's proposed regulations on unaccompanied immigrant children in federal custody, regulations that will gut third-party accountability and oversight that protects children in immigration custody. Urging Congress to have DHS investigate ICE's abuse of a full-body restraint device called "The WRAP". Urging for the complete end of Migration Protection Protocols and Title 42, which turns away asylum seekers at the border while they wait for their court date. Ending inhumane immigrant detention by halting immigration detention expansion, terminating current ICE contracts, and implementing just and humane immigration policies. Extending the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness program, which will allow certain Liberians who have been living in the U.S. since November 2014 to adjust their status, get Green Cards, and naturalize as U.S. citizens.

Contacted: Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); State, Dept of (DOS); Vice President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); President of the U.S.; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP)

Science/Technology SCI

Protecting consumers from scams, errors and inappropriate use of their data in both big tech payment apps (like PayPal, Venmo, Cash App) and also bank-to-bank faster payments like Zelle and the coming FedNow system. Supporting the EARN IT Act (Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act) to repeal near blanket immunity from liability enjoyed by interactive computer service companies and gives victims access to justice by allowing them to use federal civil law, state criminal and civil law, to sue for harm they suffered because of the rampant sexual abuse occurring on digital platforms. It also establishes a new National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention to prevent predatory grooming and sex trafficking.

Contacted: Natl Economic Council (NEC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); President of the U.S.; Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); State, Dept of (DOS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Vice President of the U.S.

Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice LAW

Urging Congress to pass sentencing reform legislation, including S.1014, S.312, and S.601. Opposing a 9/23/21 listening session on the decriminalization of prostitution. Supporting the EQUAL Act in the Senate, which would end the federal sentencing disparity between crack and powdered cocaine established in 1986 when Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act.

Contacted: Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Natl Economic Council (NEC); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); President of the U.S.; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Vice President of the U.S.; SENATE; State, Dept of (DOS); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: S. 1014 (117th), S. 312 (117th), S. 601 (117th)

Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN

Cancelling up to $50,000 in student debt for borrowers.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); Vice President of the U.S.; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Natl Economic Council (NEC); State, Dept of (DOS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; President of the U.S.

Housing HOU

Including housing assistance in the Build Back Better Act, including the expansion of housing choice vouchers, rebuilding stock of public housing investments, and addressing long terms needs by increasing supply of affordable housing accessible to low income households.

Contacted: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); SENATE; State, Dept of (DOS); President of the U.S.; Natl Economic Council (NEC); Vice President of the U.S.; Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)