Stem Cells, Housing Among Recent Wins in Congress

Special to the HERALD
(From the Issue of 7/12/07)

Many issues of particular concern to the U.S. and Virginia Catholic bishops have occupied center stage in Congress recently. During this time of intense debate, the Virginia Catholic Conference (VCC) advocacy network demonstrated faithful citizenship by considering these critical issues through the lens of Catholic social teaching, and communicating this perspective to government representatives.
Following is a summary of some important decisions made by Congress in recent months:

— Embryonic Stem-Cell Research: USCCB-opposed legislation to expand federal funding of human embryonic stem-cell research passed both the House and the Senate. President George Bush vetoed this harmful bill and the veto is expected to survive congressional attempts at an override. The president also issued an executive order directing the National Institutes of Health to explore alternative, ethically acceptable means for obtaining very versatile or “pluripotent” stem cells. Recent discoveries regarding stem cells from cord blood and amniotic fluid, and the reprogramming of ordinary adult cells to become “pluripotent” stem cells, demonstrate that science not only raises new ethical questions but at times can help address them. Adult stem cells continue to produce new clinical advances on a regular basis. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, have not helped a single human patient despite three decades of research.
— Human Cloning: A USCCB-opposed bill that would have permitted human cloning for research purposes was defeated in the House. Misleadingly labeled a prohibition on human cloning, this “clone and kill” legislation would have allowed unlimited cloning of human embryos for research, while making it a crime to allow any cloned human being to survive to birth. Reacting to the proposed measure, Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Pro-Life Activities, warned, “What it actually prohibits is the act of becoming pregnant — a kind of law seen chiefly until now in the People’s Republic of China, where women can be punished for carrying an unauthorized child. For the first time in U.S. law, Congress would define a class of new developing human beings that it is a crime not to destroy.”
— Funding of Abortions in Other Countries: The House stripped from an appropriations bill the “Mexico City Policy” — a longstanding policy to ensure that tax dollars do not subsidize non-governmental organizations that perform and promote abortion as a method of family planning in other countries. A bipartisan amendment to restore the Mexico City Policy, supported by the U.S. bishops, was defeated by a 205-218 vote. The president has pledged to veto any legislation, including this appropriations bill, that weakens federal policies protecting the unborn.
— Abstinence Funding: The House also removed from the same appropriations bill a provision funding abstinence-before-marriage programs as part of HIV-prevention efforts. A Church-supported amendment to restore the provision was defeated by a 200-226 vote.
— Immigration Reform: The Senate was unable to pass immigration-reform legislation. In expressing preference for a comprehensive approach over one focused exclusively on enforcement, the U.S. bishops particularly emphasized the need for humane and realistic remedies to the nation’s broken immigration system including (1) making family reunification a higher priority for the immigration system, and (2) providing undocumented immigrants opportunities to earn legal status and citizenship.
On June 7, proponents were unable to obtain the 60 votes needed to end protracted debate, and the bill was pulled from the Senate calendar. At the urging of the USCCB, the VCC and many members of its advocacy network encouraged the Senate to revisit the legislation, and the Senate did so during the week of June 25. Once again, however, it did not receive the necessary 60 votes to end debate, making reform unlikely to be achieved by the current Congress.
The U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants Campaign (JFIC) will continue advocating comprehensive immigration reform and will also support smaller pieces of legislation (such as the DREAM and AgJOBS Acts) introduced during this congressional session that are designed to make incremental improvements in immigration policy.
— Affordable Housing: The House considered the Federal Housing Reform Act of 2007, which includes a provision reserving over $500 million per year as a dedicated source of funding for an affordable housing trust fund, which is supported by the U.S. Catholic bishops. A harmful amendment that would have excluded the Catholic Church and other religious organizations from using the trust funds for people in need was withdrawn in response to objections by constituents and other advocates. The bill then passed the House by a 313-104 vote with first-year funds allocated to benefit low-income persons in Louisiana and Mississippi. A companion bill is pending in the Senate.
— Minimum Wage: Congress has passed an increase in the minimum wage, long supported by the USCCB. It is the first such increase in over a decade. The minimum wage will increase from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour in three steps over a two-year period.
— Mandatory Provision of “Emergency Contraception:” The U.S. Catholic bishops opposed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Bill that would have forced all military health-care facilities to provide “emergency contraception” (the morning-after pill), which research indicates can act as an early abortifacient by preventing a newly conceived embryo from implanting in the uterus. The amendment contained no conscience protection for military medical personnel and no provision for parental notification. Thanks to pressure from advocates, this amendment was withdrawn just before debate on it was scheduled to begin.
— Scheduled Execution: The execution of Christopher Scott Emmett, which had been scheduled for June 13, has been postponed by the governor in order to permit Emmett’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to be fully considered. The execution is now scheduled for Oct. 17.