Forwarded by the Joliet Diocese Legislative Advocacy Network

Colleagues:

 

As we said late last week, a variety of amendments would be up for votes on the Senate floor.  Many of them impact the domestic and international policy agenda of the Catholic Bishops.  We would like you to weigh in on two amendments THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  We will update you in the morning.

 

1) Urge your Senator to support the Smith/Bingaman amendment.  This would eliminate an instruction to the Senate Finance Committee that would otherwise require them to make deep cuts in the Medicaid program ($15 billion).  In addition, the amendment calls for about $1 million to set up a bipartisan Medicaid commission (which they have proposed in separate legislation, S 338).  The commission would undertake a comprehensive review of the program and make recommendations for change.   Thus, any policy changes would be made through a process of careful consideration, not driven by the desire to achieve a specific amount of savings.

 

2) Support the amendment offered by Senators Santorum (R-PA) and Durbin (D-IL) to provide an additional $500 million for the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  This funding will assure that the United States contributes its fair share to the Funds crucial programs to combat infectious diseases that are wreaking havoc in many of the poorest countries.

Thanks for your help on these very important issues.

 

Dan Misleh
Director of Diocesan Relations
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, NE
Washington, DC  20017

www.paxjoliet.org