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Resolution Number: 2003-A124
Title: Reestablish a Standing Commission on Health
Legislative Action Taken: Concurred as Substituted
Final Text:

Resolved, That the 74th General Convention reaffirm the commitment of The Episcopal Church in providing a Christian response to the health care needs of those within our nation, as expressed in the 1991 and 1994 Blue Book reports of the Standing Commission on Health and the 2000 Blue Book Report of the Standing Commission on National Concerns; and be it further

Resolved, That the 74th General Convention reestablish a Standing Commission on Health and that it direct Executive Council to appoint a person to the staff at The Episcopal Church Center with background in and knowledge about health care policy to assist this commission, and that their joint duties include:

  • Articulating and communicating positions adopted by The Episcopal Church on health care policy to Episcopalians, the public, and public policy makers;
  • Advocating, in cooperation with the Office of Government Relations, for a health care system in which all may be guaranteed decent and appropriate primary health care during their lives and as they approach death;
  • Bringing together those within The Episcopal Church who develop, provide, and/or teach health care and health care policy to continue to develop a Christian approach to pressing issues that affect the health care system of this nation;
  • Understanding and keeping abreast of the rapidly changing health care market and developments in biomedical research that affect health policy;
  • Collecting and developing resources and teaching materials related to access to health care for the use of dioceses, congregations, and individuals;
  • Advocating health ministry in and through local Episcopal congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That the 74th General Convention direct the Executive Council to report to the 75th General Convention about this appointment; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $200,000 for implementation of this resolution; and be it further

Resolved, That Canon I.1.2(n) be amended to add a subsection (6), appropriately renumbering the renaming [sic] subsections thereafter, reading as follows:

(6) A Standing Commission on Health consisting of 11 members (3 Bishops, 3 Priests and/or Deacons, and 5 Lay Persons). It shall be the duty of the Commission to:

(i)Articulate and communicate positions adopted by the Episcopal Church on health care policy to Episcopalians, the public, and public policy makers;
(ii)Advocate, in cooperation with the Office of Government Relations, for a health care system in which all may be guaranteed decent and appropriate primary health care during their lives and as they approach death;
(iii)Bring together those within The Episcopal Church who develop, provide and/or teach health care and health policy to continue to develop a Christian approach to pressing issues that affect the health care system of this nation;
(iv)Understand and keep abreast of the rapidly changing health care market and developments in biomedical research that affect health policy;
(v)Collect and develop resources and teaching materials related to access to health care for the use of dioceses, congregations, and individuals;
(vi)Advocate health ministry in and through local Episcopal congregations; and
(vii)Discharge such other duties as shall be assigned by the General Convention.
Citation: General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Minneapolis, 2003 (New York: General Convention, 2004), pp. 689-691.