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Bishops Work on Key Policy Issues During Stint in Washington

Episcopal News Service. October 8, 2003 [031008-2]

With members of Congress working to end the first session of the 108th Congress by mid-November, 13 Episcopal bishops came to Washington to discuss two key policy issues for the church - full funding for President Bush's Global AIDS initiative and increased funding for child care in welfare authorization.

The key part of the week was visits with their senators and members of Congress during which the bishops communicated their concerns for children and for the devastating global AIDS pandemic. "The bishops spoke eloquently about child care issues in their own communities and the affects of AIDS on the Anglican Communion in sub-Saharan Africa, where 95% of the 15 million children orphaned by AIDS reside," said Maureen Shea, director of Office of Government Relations for the Episcopal Church. The 13 bishops represented 11 states and met with 37 Members of Congress and/or their key staff.

Bishop Thomas Shaw of Boston, who served as an intern in the office of Representative Amo Houghton (R-NY), Bishop Neff Powell of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, who was an intern in the church's Office of Government Relations, and Bishop Herb Donovan, coordinator of the College for Bishops, were inspired by their own experience with public policy advocacy to develop this session entitled, Public Issues, Public Figures. The week featured presentations by key church-advocacy partners such as Paul Zeitz, M.D., and David Gartner of the Global AIDS Alliance and Shelley Waters Boots of the Children's Defense Fund.

When the Senate returns October 13, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) will offer an AIDS amendment to the $87 billion Supplemental Budget for military and reconstruction in Iraq. The bishops expressed their support for Durbin's amendment which would divert $880 million of the proposed reconstruction money to AIDS education, treatment and awareness programs in 14 countries in Africa and the Caribbean, and therefore fully fund the promise to provide $3 billion for global AIDS spending for 2004.

Child care issues

The bishops also voiced their concern about the need for increased child care funds for the working poor, particularly in light of additional work requirements in the welfare reauthorization bill (known as TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). "Child care issues are near and dear to my heart. My own daughter is a childcare provider," Bishop Thomas Ely of the Diocese of Vermont told Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT) during a meeting with him and senior staff. Bishop Ely is a point person for the House of Bishops' advocacy concerning the protection of children.

The topic of accessible, affordable child care was further explored in a roundtable with Episcopal members of Congress, which included a discussion about Congressional initiatives with Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, a leading sponsor of legislation calling for increased spending on child care programs. Ten of the Episcopal Members of Congress met with the bishops during a reception that followed, hosted by Representative Houghton.

This month's College for Bishops' session, held on Capitol Hill and at the Virginia Theological Seminary, was its fourth annual meeting and the first on their role in public policy. The program is designed to provide opportunities to hear from expert opinion-makers, to engage in theological reflection, and to attend skill-building workshops in a variety of areas. The bishops started each day with bible study, and used the week for extensive meetings with the Government Relations staff as well as for participating in a media training session.