The Virginia Catholic Conference issued a pair of alerts urging Catholics to contact their legislators immediately regarding two issues expected to face a vote June 17: curtailing taxpayer-supported abortions and restoring funds for the commonwealth’s only school choice program.
The alerts support two budget amendments proposed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and which require the support of state lawmakers to move forward. The VCC is the public policy arm of Virginia’s two prelates, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge and Richmond Bishop Barry C. Knestout.
The first amendment “would stop state tax dollars from funding abortions to the fullest extent possible,” according to the VCC, by adding the Hyde amendment to the state budget. For nearly 50 years, the VCC said the Hyde amendment has prohibited federal funding for most abortions and is followed by most states.
“Virginians are currently paying for abortions — with state tax dollars — beyond what federal law requires,” the VCC said. “By adopting Hyde in its state budget, Virginia would end the funding of abortion with state taxpayers’ money to the fullest extent possible under federal law.”
The other amendment would restore full funding to the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits program, which helps more students from low-income families attend Catholic schools.
Referring to an effort it led earlier this month, the VCC said the governor heard the voices of Catholics and others who opposed major cuts to the program and “has responded by proposing an amendment that would restore full funding to the EISTC, which is Virginia’s only school choice program and provides thousands of low-income students critical financial assistance to attend schools that best meet their needs.”
Find out more
To read about the issues and contact your legislators, go to vacatholic.org.
