Coakley: Senate bill covers many needs, but must not allow abortion funding August 11, 2021By Julie Asher Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the Senate makes “historic investments” in transportation, climate change mitigation, job creation, expanded internet access and other areas, but several issues still need attention, said the U.S. bishops’ domestic policy committee chairman.
House GOP leaders, attorneys general urge Congress to make Hyde permanent June 24, 2021By Julie Asher Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and several other Republican leaders in the House asked their Democratic counterparts June 22 to take up a measure introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., that would make the long-standing Hyde Amendment permanent.
Ending limit on culturing human embryos called ‘affront’ to value of life June 2, 2021By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News Lifting a long-standing prohibition on the ability of scientists to culture human embryos in the lab past 14 days shows “an utter disregard” for the value of human life and is “an affront to the sanctity of human life,” said two Catholic members of Congress, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind.
Biden makes first major address to Congress April 29, 2021By Rhina Guidos Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, U.S. Congress, World News In his first major address to Congress as U.S. president, Joe Biden urged Republicans and Democrats April 28 to work together as the country emerges from a pandemic but still faces threats from countries such as China.
Speakers say Equality Act ‘overly broad,’ will harm religious liberty March 26, 2021By Kurt Jensen Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, U.S. Congress, World News A March 22 online webinar on the Equality Act focused on criticism that the legislation is so vaguely worded it would harm religious liberty and obscure biological reality.
COVID-19 bill OK’d without Hyde language to prevent funding of abortion March 2, 2021By Julie Asher Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News On the House floor ahead of the vote — which came at 2 in the morning (EST) — Rep. Chris Smith, N.J., criticized Pelosi and the House Rules Committee for refusing to allow a vote on an amendment to add language to the bill “to ensure that taxpayers aren’t forced to subsidize abortion,” as provided by the long-standing Hyde Amendment.
Bill would block taxpayer funding of abortion, make Hyde Amendment permanent February 9, 2021By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, has introduced a bill to prohibit use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.
U.S. Senate again fails to pass Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act February 6, 2021By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News Failure to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act “shows just how extreme the majority of Senate Democrats are,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life.
‘We need the Lord to cast out demon of division in our nation,’ Washington cardinal says January 14, 2021By Mark Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: 2020 Election, Feature, News, U.S. Congress, World News Celebrating a livestreamed Mass for the community of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington Jan. 13, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory noted how sometimes the readings of the day “fit our lives so perfectly.”
House impeaches Trump a second time; timeline for Senate trial unknown January 13, 2021By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, U.S. Congress, World News The House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump, charging him with “incitement of insurrection” for a speech lawmakers said spurred the riot at the U.S. Capitol and making him the first commander in chief to be impeached twice.
Fallout over Capitol siege extends to job losses for those who were there January 12, 2021By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, U.S. Congress, World News Just as the political and criminal fallout has continued over the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by people seeking to halt the Electoral College certification of President-Elect Joe Biden’s win in the November election, the fallout has extended to job losses for those who have been identified as taking part in the siege.
Two Catholic members of Congress reflect on Capitol attack, work ahead January 11, 2021By Mark Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: 2020 Election, Feature, News, U.S. Congress, World News Seeing the U.S. Capitol building being stormed by a rioting mob Jan. 6 brought a visceral reaction from Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, a Republican from Nebraska. Fortenberry, who is Catholic and often attends daily Mass at St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill, called the attack a “desecration.”
