Senate to vote on VAWA this week!

The Office of Public Witness sent three letters about the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to the Senate this morning (Feb. 4): one thanking the lead sponsor of the bill, S. 47, Senator Patrick Leahy; one thanking the 59 Senators who have cosponsored the bill; and one to the remaining 39 Senators who have not cosponsored it.   To find the list of current cosponsors, visit the Library of Congress' website. The Senate is expected to begin debating this measure this evening.  Below, please see the letters thanking the cosponsors and urging support from those who have not yet cosponsored the bill.

Click here to send a message to your Senators in favor of S. 47!

To the cosponsors of S. 47:

February 1, 2013

Dear Senator:

In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we believe that “domestic violence is always a violation of the power God intended for good.”  We believe that “God the Creator is preeminently a covenant-maker, the One who creates, sustains, and transforms the people of God. Domestic violence and abuse destroys covenants in which people have promised to treat each other with respect and dignity.”*

Because of these convictions, we strongly support a robust reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, we thank you for co-sponsoring S. 47, and we trust that you to vote in favor of it when it comes before the Senate early next week.  Further, we urge you to oppose any weakening, harmful, or non-germane amendments and only to support changes to VAWA that are endorsed by the bill’s chief sponsor.

As you know, VAWA’s programs support state, tribal, and local efforts to address the pervasive and insidious crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  These programs have made great progress towards reducing the violence, helping victims to be healthy and feel safe and holding perpetrators accountable.  This critical legislation must be reauthorized to ensure a continued response to these crimes.

Again, we  thank you for cosponsoring this bill and look forward to its passage, so that we can build upon VAWA's successes and continue to enhance our nation’s ability to promote an end to this violence, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to keep victims and their families safe from future harm.  For our part, we commit to continued ministry with victims and survivors of violence and to do all we can, through our ministries and our advocacy, to end this desperate cycle of violence and brokenness.

We give thanks for your service to our nation and for your leadership on this issue.

Sincerely,

The Reverend J. Herbert Nelson, II

Director for Public Witness

* Belief statements are quoted from Turn Mourning Into Dancing! A Policy Statement on Healing Domestic Violence, approved by the 213^th General Assembly (2001) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

To Senators who have NOT cosponsored S. 47: 

February 1, 2013

Dear Senator:

In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we believe that “domestic violence is always a violation of the power God intended for good.”  We believe that “God the Creator is preeminently a covenant-maker, the One who creates, sustains, and transforms the people of God. Domestic violence and abuse destroys covenants in which people have promised to treat each other with respect and dignity.”*

Because of these convictions, we strongly support a robust reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, we ask you to co-sponsor it, and we urge you to vote in favor of S. 47 when it comes before the Senate early next week.  Further, we urge you to oppose any weakening, harmful, or non-germane amendments and only to support changes to VAWA that are endorsed by the bill’s chief sponsor.

VAWA’s programs support state, tribal and local efforts to address the pervasive and insidious crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.  These programs have made great progress towards reducing the violence, helping victims to be healthy and feel safe and holding perpetrators accountable.  This critical legislation must be reauthorized to ensure a continued response to these crimes.

Since its original passage in 1994, VAWA has dramatically enhanced our nation’s response to violence against girls and women, boys and men.  VAWA provides for a coordinated community approach, improving collaboration between law enforcement and victim services providers to better meet the needs of victims. And while VAWA has unquestionably improved the national response to these terrible crimes, much work remains to be done to address unmet needs and to enhance access to protections and services for all victims. We urge you to sponsor and vote for S. 47 in order to build upon VAWA's successes and continue to enhance our nation’s ability to promote an end to this violence, to hold perpetrators accountable and to keep victims and their families safe from future harm.

For our part, we commit to continued ministry with victims and survivors of violence and to do all we can, through our ministries and our advocacy, to end this desperate cycle of violence and brokenness.

We give thanks for your service to our nation and for your leadership on this issue.

Sincerely,

The Reverend J. Herbert Nelson, II

Director for Public Witness

* Belief statements are quoted from Turn Mourning Into Dancing! A Policy Statement on Healing Domestic Violence, approved by the 213^th General Assembly (2001) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Send your own message today!

Congratulations to President Obama and Looking Forward to the Future

January 23, 2013

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to congratulate you on your inauguration to a second term as the 44^th President of the United States.  We join in prayer with faithful brothers and sisters across this nation, that God will guide your hand and your heart as you continue in service to our nation.

In listening to your Second Inaugural address, I was pleased to hear that so many of our priorities coincide.  As a church, we have been committed to challenging a culture of violence, with a special focus on ending gun violence and violence against women; reducing economic inequality and poverty, at home and abroad; addressing global climate change; ensuring that immigrant brothers and sisters have a safe and permanent path to citizenship; and building a lasting peace and security around the world.  To our delight, your Second Inaugural Address touched on all these issues.

We look forward to working with you and your Administration in the coming four years in order to achieve these lofty, yet essential goals. 

We give thanks for your service to our country and pray that God will bless you and guide your choices as our leader.

Sincerely,

The Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II

Director of Public Witness

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Feb 12th Second Tuesday Briefing

Come join the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness’

Second Tuesday Briefing and Screening of the PC(USA)

Documentary “TRIGGER”  

Tuesday, February 12, 2013
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, lunch to follow

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness

100 Maryland Ave NE,  Conference Rooms 1 & 2 (Lobby Level)

Washington DC 20002

10am – 11am –   Movie Screening:  TRIGGER: the Ripple Effect of Gun Violence

  

In the US, more than 30,000 people are killed every year by gun violence; many more are wounded. The disaster caused by gun violence is seen in almost every community. TRIGGER: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violenceshares the story of how gun violence impacts individuals and communities, and examines the "ripple effect" that one shooting has on an individual, a family, a community and a society. TRIGGER also addresses the critical issue of gun violence prevention by moving the conversation away from the polarizing extremes that have long dominated the debate and lifting up the voice and experiences of those who seek common ground and a new way forward.

11am – 12pm –   Question and Answer Session with the Director,  David Barnhart

David Barnhart is an award winning Producer, Director, and documentary filmmaker for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Barnhart has developed story and documentary film initiatives with children living on the streets in Argentina; communities displaced by war and natural disasters in Latin America and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; with survivors in South Korea of systematic rape and torture by the Japanese military during WWII; and with survivors of the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia.  Two of his most recent projects, “Kepulihan: Stories from the Tsunami,” and “Coming Home: Hurricane Katrina 5 Years Later” were broadcast nationally on ABC and NBC and were screened at film festivals across the country and internationally.  “Kepulihan: Stories from the Tsunami” also had the distinguished honor of being selected by the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site as part of its D.R.E.A.M Film Series. Barnhart is currently developing long-term story initiatives with survivors from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and has just completed a project that focuses on the ripple effect of Gun Violence that is slated to be on NBC starting in November 2012.

           

RSVP: Annette at 543-1126 x 221 or Annette.Greer@pcusa.org

We look forward to seeing you and your joining us for lunch afterward – all are welcome!

Also, please note that there will be no Second Tuesday event in April.  Instead of 2^nd Tuesday, we hope you and your friends will join us on Friday, April 5^th , for the 3rd Annual CPJ Training Day to educate Presbyterians on the work of the PC(USA) in the face of injustices in global food systems.  Following CPJ Training Day, the ecumenical community will gather during Ecumenical Advocacy Days(April 5 – 8) to seek the abundance and equality that we find reflected in the biblical image of God’s great banquet table. Inspiring speakers will offer a faith-based vision for fair and humane food policies and practices, along with grassroots advocacy training, all culminating with Monday’s Lobby Day on Capitol Hill.  For more information about both events, go to:    www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/washington/

We encourage you to come to CPJ/EAD Advocacy Weekend, and to encourage others to do the same!

Thank you for your faithful witness. 

INTERFAITH FAITH CALL-IN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE

Monday, February 4 - National Faith Call-In to Prevent Gun Violence

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness in Washington, DC is working with an Interfaith Group of Organizations to encourage the United States Senate and House of Representatives to enact gun legislation that will reduce and prevent gun violence in the United States.

 

National Call-In Number

Faiths Calling – Interfaith Call-in to Prevent Gun Violence – February 4^th
www.faithscalling.org 1-888-897-0174
Text "FaithsCalling" to 877877 for a reminder message

Ensure that the voices of faithful Americans ring throughout the halls of Congress.

Call your Senators and Representative and insist that they act to prevent gun violence.

We know that among millions of you in the faith community there are differences in viewpoint and we ask you to convey whichever policies with which you are comfortable. The major components of legislation that Congress is considering are listed below. When you call your Senators and Representative, let them know that you are calling as a member of the faith community, and emphasize those of the policies which you support.

• Require universal background checks for all gun purchases
• Ban semi-automatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
• Make gun trafficking a federal crime
• Improve access to mental health services

Tell them that gun violence prevention laws work.

We need your support on this important issue!

Register Now for Compassion Peace and Justice Training Day and Ecumenical Advocacy Days! April 5-8, 2013

Cynthia E. White, Director of Self-Development of People, and Rev. Noelle Damico, Associate for Fair Food, will be speaking at Compassion, Peace, and Justice Training Day!

Go to http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/washington/
to register and for more information.

Cynthia White

Self-Development of People works with groups of economically poor and oppressed people who have organized to address issues impacting them and their community. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the issues, how communities are coming together, and how you can help. Hear how Self-Development of People, through its many Committees across the country, is engaged with communities of need and how you can become involved in this ministry.

 Noelle Damico

The Rev. Noelle Damico is Associate for Fair Food within the Presbyterian Hunger Program. She fosters the church’s participation in the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Campaign for Fair Food, sits on the GAMC human trafficking roundtable, and writes and speaks on issues related to human rights and the gospel. She is a contributor to “Preaching God’s Transformative Justice, ” a lectionary commentary just published in August 2011 by Westminster John Knox Press

VAWA Reintroduced - Call on Senators to Co-sponsor!

Action Alert: VAWA Reintroduced This Week – Call on Senators to Co-sponsor

On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID) introduced S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)! This bill closely mirrors the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below).

In order to build on our incredible momentum from last Congress, please take action TODAY by contacting your Senators to co-sponsor S. 47. The goal is to get 60 co-sponsors by January 31^st so that VAWA can get to the Senate floor for a bipartisan victory. We need to keep the phones ringing and emails starting right now!

** please check the following list and edit the message to your senators if they are already co-sponsor (or better yet, put in a phone call).  Make sure to thank them for their witness on this issue.

So far, the bill has the following co-sponsors in addition to its chief sponsor, Senator Leahy (D-VT): Senators Ayotte (R-NH),  Baucus (D-MT), Begich (D-AK), Bennet (D-CO), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Casey (D-PA), Collins (R-ME), Coons (D-DE), Crapo (R-ID), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Franken (D-MN), Hagan (D-NC), Heitkamp (D-ND), King (I-ME), Kirk (R-IL), Klobuchar (D-MN), McCaskill (D-MO), Mikulski (D-MD), Murkowski (R-AK), Murray (D-WA), Pryor (D-AR), Reed (D-RI), Shaheen (D-NH), Stabenow (D-MI), Tester (D-MT), Udall (D-CO), Udall (D-NM), Warren (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Wyden (D-OR). (as of 9:30am 1/25/13)

Also on Tuesday, Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI) and John Conyers (D-MI) introduced H.R. 11, a House companion identical to the bipartisan Senate bill.  Call on the House of Representatives to work together in a bipartisan effort reauthorize VAWA as a matter of priority.   This bill has 158 co-sponsors in the House.

Today is OrangeDay,* a monthly action on the 25^th of each month when we lift up issues of violence against women.  Join the global effort to confront violence against women by taking action today!

Action Item:

Send a message to your Senators here; OR

Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here. When you’re connected to their offices, tell the person who answers the phone:

1)            I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

2)            I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor the S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

3)            Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor.

###

Description of legislation: In addition to many important improvements throughout the bill that received bipartisan support last year, this bill also contains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims, which were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and also received bipartisan support last year. Last year’s bill, however, also included a modest increase in the number of U visas (created by Congress in VAWA 2000) available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. Increasing the number of U visas helps both victims and law enforcement.  Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders. 

In the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles.  However, this new VAWA bill does recommit Congress to important immigration provisions so that all victims are protected. Senator Leahy will be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress. The members of the National Task Force likewise commit to support that effort.

* On January 25 – and the 25th of each month – join people around the world in observing an Orange Day to work for an end to violence against women and girls. SayNO – UNiTE toEnd Violence against Women is a social mobilization platform on ending violence against women and girls related to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s campaign, UNiTE to End Violence against Women. The campaign invites us to wear orange and take action on the 25th of each month to end violence against women and girls. Learn more and find ideas for action.

Urge the USDA to help end modern slavery by joining the Fair Food Program

From our Friends at the Fair Food Program and the Presbyterian Hunger Program:

Dear Friends:

As our nation marks the 150^th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, it is appropriate to renew our commitment to ending modern slavery in our own nation.  Since 1997 Florida agriculture itself has seen nine prosecutions of cases of forced labor, involving over 1,200 people.  

The Fair Food Program is a comprehensive, proven model created by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, 11 corporate food buyers and the vast majority of Florida tomato growers that is addressing modern slavery and eliminating the conditions in which it flourishes.   

The US Department of Agriculture has lauded the Fair Food Program but has yet to commit to buying its tomatoes for market stabilization and school lunches from this established, effective program.

You are invited to join national religious leaders, including the Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA),  the Rev. David Beckman of Bread for the World, Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T’ruah (formerly Rabbis for Human Rights-North America), in signing onto a Letter of Conscience urging the USDA to purchase its tomatoes from the Fair Food Program.  

In Deuteronomy 24:18, God implores the Hebrew people individually and intimately saying, “Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there.”  Remember, says God.  This faith imperative to remember has been handed through the generations to us; not in a facile way of cheap identification, but as a persistent, urgent reminder that God works for freedom and wholeness in every generation.  And that we are invited by God to give shape to this work in our own time and place.

Learn more and sign-on to the Letter of Conscience to ensure our federal government upholds the highest standards for human rights and stays true to its commitment of liberty and justice for all. 

Peace,

The Rev. Noelle Damico, PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food

Photo:  Courtesy of Scott Robertson

God is Love: A Statement on Gun Violence in the United States

God is Love

A Statement on Gun Violence in the United States

This statement was given by Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson at a press conference held in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2013. Religious leaders and Faith Against Gun Violence came together to press for tighter gun regulations to stop gun violence in the United States. 

First, let me give honor and praise to our Creator for the opportunity to speak with the press today regarding the eradication of gun violence in the United States. I am the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, Director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness in Washington, DC. I represent nearly two million members of our denomination. I also represent today the National Council of Churches which includes 37 Christian denominations and their over 100,000 congregations and 45 million persons in the United States. Our collective presence of interfaith leaders gathered today is a witness to our belief in the need for faith leaders to bind ourselves together on both national and local levels. We are aware that pressure from the gun lobby and gun owners continues to mount around this issue. But we believe that political leaders in Washington can resolve this problem and achieve meaningful gun reform if only they have the will.

As we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his birthday today, it is imperative for us to be reminded that he was a man who advocated for peace and justice. I am convinced that if he were here today, this issue would be the priority of his leadership. In the United States today, since 1997 we are witnessing gun deaths of more than thirty thousand persons per year. From the Revolutionary War in 1775 to the Persian Gulf War in 1991 which totaled 116 years there were 650,858 persons killed in combat. In the eighteen years from 1979 to 1997 we have experienced 651,697 deaths by guns. There were 839 more persons killed by guns during this 18 year period in the United States than in 116 years of foreign wars involving the United States.[i] No longer can faith communities stand idly by and commit to performing burials while bowing to lobbyists whose motivations are driven by a false standard of profit and power. We stand today on the premise that faith does have something to say about life and death. Therefore, it is imperative that we declare that our Creator affirms life abundantly while giving leadership to those of us who will challenge the false choice between guns and freedom.

We have gathered to call for 1) a ban on all assault weapons. These are weapons of war and there is no reason for common citizens to purchase or possess them. We do not use AK-47’s to hunt deer! Therefore, we are calling for the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban which lapsed in 2004. 2) We are calling for universal background checks. Presently, there is no federal provision for background checks and some states that do not require them at all. Therefore, persons that are mentally ill or do not know how to fire a gun or possess criminal records can make gun purchases. 3) Gun trafficking should be made a federal crime. Currently, prosecutions only happen through a law that prohibits selling guns without a federal license, which carries the same punishment as trafficking chicken or livestock. We must empower law enforcement to investigate and prosecute straw purchasers, gun traffickers, and their entire criminal networks.

We must not minimize the struggle of families who mourn the loss of those children and teachers killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The Newtown community tragedy brought this issue of gun violence to the forefront in public debate. However, it is a greater tragedy that we live in a culture of violence that self-perpetuates and makes gun violence acceptable.  According to one journalist, each evening on the eleven o’clock news many television stations wait until two to three minutes before the broadcast to determine the lead story, because they are waiting for the possibility of a late night shooting. The common term in the media for this is “if it bleeds, it leads.” Newtown is representative of a long list of tragic community killings through gun violence. Our purpose here today is to declare that our faith perspectives and holy books call us, first and foremost, to love one another, not to protect ourselves against one another.

In inner city and some rural communities today, the criminal element connected to guns is rampant due to a lack of economic opportunity – dismal job prospects; low wages; and historic, flawed, and failing public education. Without opportunities, children are forced to choose gangs, guns, and incarceration over graduation. All of these dismal realities of community life are perfect for drugs, trafficking, prostitution, and other public safety issues stemming from illegal activities that create an environment for guns to neutralize the affects among criminals in a community. If the real truth is exposed, we would realize that none of us are safe in this country. Shopping malls, political rallies, temples, mosques, churches, schools, including college campuses, and a host of other public venues are all potential sites for gun violence at any given time. The challenge of eradicating gun violence is that there must be a change of heart and Spirit in our nation. This issue of creating peace for our nation is tied to justice and how we treat our neighbors and whether each person has an opportunity for economic livelihood.

If Dr. King were alive today, he would remind us that the United States is a great nation, when it measures its greatness on its moral and ethical actions. “Let us be first in love,” he would declare. Guns must be brought under tighter legislative restrictions for the purpose of saving lives and restoring the integrity of our commitment to promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We stand together today, because we know beyond all else that God is love. Let our love bind us together to challenge the onslaught of gun violence in our nation. Tell Congress and our President to pass legislation that will tighten gun laws in this country. God is love!

View the video of this morning's remarks: 

---

[i] James Atwood, America and It’s Guns: A Theological Expose (Eugene Oregon: Cascade Books, 2012) Appendix p. 227-228.

Tell NBC to Air PC(USA) documentary: TRIGGER

TELL NBC TO AIR PC(USA) GUN VIOLENCE DOCUMENTARY – TRIGGER

IN PRIME TIME

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons (daughters) of God. (Matthew5:9)

The 219^th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) adopted a policy statement: Gun Violence, Gospel Values: Mobilizing in Response to God’s Call. The policy called for “the church [to] take responsibility to build public awareness of gun violence and the epidemic of preventable gun-related deaths, totaling more than 620,000 over the past twenty years, with hundreds of thousands more wounded. Even while taking the focused and urgent efforts below to achieve practical solutions, that the councils and congregations welcome discussion from all viewpoints, and that the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy review and summarize responses for the 220th General Assembly (2012).”

Trigger Documentary – Produced by the PC(USA)

NBC has first dibs through May, 2013, on airing a PC(USA)-produced documentary on gun violence. The documentary named TRIGGER:The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence is produced by award-winning producer David Barnhart. Our latest inquiry reveals that many of the local NBC affiliates are not even aware that the documentary exists. We need your help! Pleasecall your local NBC affiliate today and request that the documentary be aired in prime time given the recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, and more than 30,000 people killed in the U.S. every year by gun violence.   

To find your local NBC affiliate, go to NBC’s website, search by state and choose your local station.  Once on the right website, look for a “contact us” or “feedback” link. Ask them to air TRIGGER in prime time.

Gun violence daily affects communities on levels equivalent with major natural and human disasters, and it is seen in almost every community. We may hear briefly about the victims and survivors of these shootings, but what happens after the media attention moves on and the wider public becomes numb to "just another shooting"? Drawing upon conversations with lawmakers, emergency room chaplains and surgeons, survivors and victims' families, former ATF officials, police officers, community leaders and others, this documentary shares the story of how gun violence impacts individuals and communities and examines the "ripple effect" that one shooting has on a survivor, a family, a community, and a society. TRIGGER also addresses the critical issue of gun violence prevention (such as keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill) by moving the conversation away from the polarizing extremes that have long dominated the debate and by lifting up the voice and experiences of those who seek common ground and a new way forward. View the documentary trailer. Please call today!  Encourage your friends and church members to do the same.

Resources for responding to gun-related tragedy:

In the Aftermath of Two Mass Shootings this Week: a statement from Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons and Presbyterian Mission Agency Executive Director Linda Valentine

J. Herbert Nelson’s statement in response to the same

PC(USA) Resources on GunViolence

UNBOUND

Prayer Litany for vic­tims of gun violence

Gun Vio­lence Pre­ven­tion Cur­ricu­lum: Sup­port­ing Those Who Grieve

Gun Vio­lence Pre­ven­tion Con­gre­ga­tional Toolkit

Other Resources, including hymns

Worship Resources

Liturgical Resources

Children’s Message strategies

God Not Guns Sabbath Worship Guide from the Brady Campaign

Hymns in response to Gun Violence by Presbyterian Pastor Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

On Gun Violence

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness (OPW) extends its sympathy to the students, faculty, staff and families affected by the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  This shooting represents another mass shooting leading to the senseless killing of twenty-seven people, including 18 children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.

OPW Director, J. Herbert Nelson reissued the call for all people to take seriously a movement to eradicate gun violence in the United States. “We are living in a society in which random gun violence is making everyone vulnerable to premature death. Whether it be the movie theater, houses of worship, college campuses or elementary schools, none of us are safe with automatic weapons; illegal sales of guns; limited background checks; and a host of inconsistencies that exist in present gun laws. We must call on our elected officials to committed action to stiffen gun laws in this country.”

(See the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) policy entitled GunViolence, Gospel Values: Mobilizing in Response to God’s Call approved by the 219^th General Assembly (2010).

Unfinished Business – What the President and Congress have yet to do

Earlier this week, Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons released a statement calling for “principle, not politics” in the so-called fiscal cliff negotiations, and in a recent OPW blog post, we reviewed the major concerns surrounding the fiscal cliff and its economic justice implications.  But it is not only the fiscal cliff that raises our concern at this time.

As the year and the Congressional session draw to a close, there is so much left to do.  In addition to a remedy for the fiscal cliff, Congress has also failed to take action on two of the PC(USA)’s domestic legislative priorities for the year: reauthorizations of the Farm Bill and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). 

Because of the way negotiations are moving forward, it is with President Obama and Speaker Boehner that the final decisions rest about what will get done and what will wait.  Despite the fact that it is Congress’ job to complete legislative reauthorizations like the Farm Bill and VAWA, we invite you to contact President Obama to ask him to ensure that these essential reauthorizations are included in his final bargain with Speaker Boehner.

The Farm Bill – Just and Sustainable Food Policy

The Farm Bill expired on October 1, 2012.  Just and sustainable food policy has long been a priority of the PC(USA), whose Presbyterian Hunger Program is a leading force demanding justice in the U.S. food system. We have been calling for a Farm Bill that will:

• Reduce hunger and improve nutrition in the United States.
• Strengthen rural communities and combat rural poverty.
• Provide a fair and effective farmer safety net that allows farmers in the U.S. and around the world to earn economically sustainable livelihoods.
• Promote conservation and protect creation from environmental degradation.
• Protect the dignity, health, and safety of those responsible for working the land.
• Promote research related to alternative, clean, and renewable forms of energy that do not negatively impact food prices or the environment.
• Safeguard and improve international food aid in ways that encourage local food security and improve the nutritional quality of food aid.

(excerpted from Principles for a Faithful Farm Bill, an interfaith statement)

We must not let Congress ignore the Farm Bill reauthorization. Already the Farm Bill’s expiration has thrown even more uncertainty into an inherently risky profession.  But even without considering the costs to U.S. farms, both small and large, the Farm Bill’s impact on hunger and nutrition at home and around the world is tremendous.  It contains too many vital programs to be left for a new Congress. Furthermore, with the Fiscal Cliff looming ahead, there are serious concerns that lawmakers will find significant deficit reduction by cutting or making structural changes to the Farm Bill’s most important anti-hunger program: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as Food Stamps).

SNAP is one of the most effective programs for reducing hunger and poverty.  In 2011, when the sluggish economy and high unemployment continued to plague workers in this country, SNAP kept 3.9 million people above the poverty.[1] SNAP’s structure makes it an elastic program that can automatically respond to fluctuations in the economy.  When times are bad and more people are eligible for help, the program expands to provide needed assistance.  When the economy improves, people go back to work, and the number of eligible people falls, the SNAP rolls contract, reducing the cost and size of the program.  The counter-cyclical nature of SNAP is precisely the reason it is so good at reducing hunger – its very design makes sure that it serves more people when times are hardest.  Now is not the time to change that fundamental structure.  In the church, we see the faces of hunger every day in our soup kitchens, food pantries, and other ministries of mercy.  We cannot meet the need alone – only a public-private partnership where the government provides robust assistance, will respond to the current need.

Make sure the President knows that you support a year-end deal that includes a Farm Bill reauthorization that reflects the Senate-passed bill and that protects SNAP from further cuts.

Violence Against Women Act – Protection for ALL Victims of Violence

The Violence Against Women Act, enacted in 1994, recognizes the insidious and pervasive nature of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and it supports comprehensive, effective, and costs saving responses to these crimes.  VAWA programs, administered by the Departments of Justice and Health & Human Services, give law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges the tools they need to hold offenders accountable and keep communities safe, while supporting victims.  The current authorization of VAWA expired on Oct. 1, 2011.

On April 26, 2012, the Senate passed a bill (S. 1925) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act with bipartisan support. This bill strengthened protections for all victims, including immigrants, Native women, and gay and lesbian victims. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives passed a version of this bill that turns back the clock on VAWA. The House bill lacks several of the protections included by the Senate - in fact, some of the differences in the House bill would actually increase the risk faced by some women. 

So, before the end of the year, Congress must enact a VAWA reauthorization that includes the important improvements contained in the bipartisan Senate bill.  Again, because the final deal of the year will be hashed out between President Obama and Speaker Boehner, it is imperative that the President hears about the need to include VAWA reauthorization, with language from S. 1925, in the final deal.  VAWA has never been a partisan issue and it should not be held hostage by vitriolic political rhetoric. Our commitment to ending domestic and intimate-partner violence goes beyond partisan politics or the ideological divide.

Send a message to President Obama about your priorities for the end of the year.

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[1] "As Poverty Remains Unacceptably High, Coalition on Human Needs Calls on

Congress to Preserve Programs Proven to Lift Families out of Poverty." Coalition of Human Needs. September 12, 2012.

Call Speaker Boehner - Agreement on VAWA is Possible!

Possible agreement on VAWA just hours away

Urgent that all VAWA advocates make one more phone call!

Call immediately and talk to Speaker Boehner’s 202-225-0600 or 202.225.6205 and House Majority Leader Cantor’s office 202-225-2815 or 202. 225.4000 and emphatically urge them to “Be a hero and help pass a VAWA that includes ALL victims and survivors. Your leadership can make this happen.” Then let them know that a final VAWA must protect Native women and hold perpetrators accountable. 

The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a legislative priority of the PC(USA), has been held up in Congress over technicalities.  Earlier this year, the Senate passed a VAWA reauthorization that improved protections for immigrants, Native women, and LGBTQ victims of violence.  The House bill did not include these protections, and in fact, rolled back important confidentiality protections for immigrant women.  The PC(USA) supports the Senate-passed bill and urges Congress to complete a VAWA reauthorization this year that protects ALL victims of violence.

Right now, House leadership is in talks with VAWA’s Senate champions to discuss the reauthorization, but House leaders are hesitating about the provisions to protect Native women.  There is a path to bipartisan passage that protects and provides justice for all victims – including Native American women. Under current law, Native victims face dire and life-threatening violence on Tribal lands at the hands of non-Native offenders who cannot be prosecuted by tribal courts.  Neither can these perpetrators be prosecuted in non-Tribal courts because the offense took place on Tribal lands.  The House must agree to include new protections for these victims and ensure that perpetrators of violence can be held accountable.  It’s important for us to tell House leaders that we will stand with them if they do the right thing.

VAWA has bipartisan support and in recent days, dozens of Republican members of Congress have offered real solutions and solid support for the provisions that include all victims.  Last week, Congressmen Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced H.R. 6625, a stand-alone bill which contains compromise language to address Republican concerns that the tribal jurisdiction over non tribal defendants is unconstitutional. These good faith efforts to find common ground and a path forward must not be dismissed. 

CALL immediately to Speaker Boehner’s 202-225-0600 or 202.225.6205 and House Majority Leader Cantor’s office 202-225-2815 or 202. 225.4000 and strongly urge House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Speaker Boehner to seize the moment and get this bill done with the compromise tribal jurisdictional provisions intact.  This is their opportunity to stand firm with victims of violence and we are prayerful and optimistic that they will put politics aside and pass a VAWA inclusive of those who have been left behind so far.  House leadership needs to hear loud and clear that now is the time to pass a VAWA for all victims—Native women included.  And they need to also hear that a VAWA which does not protect Native women and does not hold perpetrators accountable is unacceptable. 

All victims of violence – including Native Women - cannot afford to wait another year for justice.

See previous posts about the Violence Against Women Act:

Sept. 24 - Orange Day: Say NO to Violence Against Women

July 24 - Stand with Presbyterian Women: Take Action for Peace and Justice

May 11 - House Bill (HR 4970) is NOT the Real VAWA

April 24 - Tell the Senate: Vote YES on the Reauthorization of VAWA (S. 1925)