President Obama Signs the Ryan White Act of 2009

President Obama yesterday signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. According to the White House, "It represents our ongoing commitment to ensuring access to needed HIV/AIDS care and treatment."

The Ryan White Program is the largest federal program specifically dedicated to providing HIV care and treatment. It funds heavily impacted metropolitan areas, states, and local community-based organizations to provide life-saving medical care, medications, and support services to more than half a million people each year: the uninsured and underinsured, racial and ethnic minorities, people of all ages.

Jeanne White-Ginder, Ryan White’s mother, was present at the bill signing.

The President also announced the elimination of the HIV entry ban. (Since 1987, HIV-positive travelers and immigrants have been banned from entering or traveling through the United States without a special waiver).

Pelosi Unveils House Health Care Bill

On Thursday, October 29th, Speaker Pelosi, House Democratic Leaders, Committee Chairs, Members of Congress and Americans who are struggling under the current health care system held a rally on the West Front of the Capitol to unveil the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).

The three panels with jurisdiction over health policy in the House have been working together as one committee to develop a single bill that fulfills President Obama's goals of reducing health care costs, protecting and increasing consumers' choices, and guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

On July 14, 2009, House Democrats introduced the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 and on July 17th, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Education and Labor Committee approved the health insurance reform legislation. On July 31st, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed the legislation out of committee. House leadership and Tri-Committee Members have worked together with Members to prepare the legislation for the House floor, atempting to ensure that the principles of reducing health care costs, protecting and increasing consumers’ choices, and guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans are met.

To watch a video clip of the announcement, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

This Halloween Children Will Focus On Chocolate Industry's Use Of Child Labor

Disciples News Service - The cocoa trade is a vital component of West African economies. Because 70 percent of the cocoa found in stores comes from West Africa, buying chocolate known as “Fair Trade” chocolate is an excellent way to eliminate the chocolate companies’ practice of relying on child labor, according to Global Ministries. Through “reverse trick-or-treating,” children will give Fair Trade chocolate back to adults while they are out on Halloween.

Nearly a quarter-million people distributing candy on Halloween evening will be greeted by a surprise at their door, when, instead of demanding candy, youth will hand adults a sample of Fair Trade dark chocolate. The chocolate will be given out along with a card with information about social and environmental justice issues in the cocoa industry and how buying Fair Trade certified chocolate provides a solution.

To learn more about this justice initiative, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

U.S. Senate Passes Defense Authorization Conference Report, Including Hate Crimes Provision

Hate crimes legislation moved one step closer to becoming law when the U.S. Senate, by a vote of 68 to 29, passed the Defense Authorization Conference Report which included the Hate Crimes Provision. Now, this legislation moves to President's desk for signature. This vote was the 14th and final time there has been a floor vote on this historic legislation.

The U.S. House on October 8 successfully passed the conference report including the hate crimes provision. In July, the Senate voted to attach the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act to the Defense Authorization measure. President Barack Obama has repeatedly pledged to sign the bill when it reaches his desk.

For a retrospective of hate crimes advocacy, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

KYOTOplus coalition delivers petition to Harper demanding climate action

Canada's KYOTOplus climate coalition today raised giant banners on Parliament Hill displaying names from petitions signed by 100,000 Canadians demanding action from the Harper government on the climate crisis.

The coalition, representing 100 groups, raised two banners, totalling 220 feet in length, as a backdrop for a news conference demanding Canadian climate action. The banners dramatically displayed the names of signatories to the KYOTOplus petition that calls on the Harper government to meet science-based targets for reducing Canada's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Following the news conference, representatives of the coalition delivered a list of petition signatories to the Prime Minister's office.

"Canadians will no longer tolerate the Harper government blocking progress at climate change negotiations, and refusing to take the climate crisis in Canada seriously," said Dave Martin, Greenpeace climate and energy co-ordinator. "With the most important climate talks in history in Copenhagen less than two months away, it's time for Stephen Harper to lead, follow, or get out of the way."

To read more, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

CWS honors lawmakers as 'champions' of humanitarian concerns

A select group of lawmakers were honored on Wednesday by global humanitarian agency Church World Service as champions of concerns vital to poor people around the world and to the interests of the ecumenical faith community.

The October 21 reception on Capitol Hill also paid special recognition to the United States Agency for International Development for its collaboration with CWS and other non-governmental organizations in serving victims of disasters around the world, including USAID's support for the 2008 emergency response to Cyclone Nargis in Burma.

Honorees at the reception were joined by senior Congressional staff members, representatives of the faith community (including DJAN Director Ken Brooker Langston, coordinator of the Disciples Center for Public Witness), USAID officials and the Church World Service board of directors.

"We celebrated the collaboration between the ecumenical faith community and Congress in the pursuit of a more just, peaceful and ecologically sustainable world," says the Rev. John L. McCullough, executive director and CEO of Church World Service, who presented the awards.

Lawmakers honored included Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), and others.

To read more, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Religious Leaders Speak Out and Pray for Health Care Reform

Prominent clergy and faith leaders from key states, including Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, Colorado, Louisiana, Florida and Missouri, gathered on Capitol Hill today to pray and proclaim the moral case for improvements to health reform legislation that will make coverage affordable for lower-income families.

The clergy and faith leaders who gathered outside the Capitol Building sent a clear message to Senate leaders inside who continued negotiations today to merge the chamber's two reform bills. Religious leaders pointed to a recent report from Community Catalyst and PICO National Network for solutions to inadequacies of the Senate Finance Committee bill.

The press event was followed by an Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Hope at the National City Christian Church in Washington, DC. Dr. Stephen Gentle, senior pastor of National City Christian Church, who hosted the service, said, "We are gathering in this sacred space because... the 45,000 people who die each year are invisible... they are not statistics. They are mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, children, neighbors, and even co-workers."

In the service, bells were tolled for lives lost for lack of needed health care, and interfaith leaders shared the stories of those who fell through the cracks of a broken health care system. "We are called to remember them when we as a nation have not accepted our shared responsibility to provide healing and compassionate care for all," said Dr. Gentle.

Both the interfaith service and the press conference were part of a larger faith-based day of action, with efforts organized nationwide by congregations and faith-based organizations, including Faithful Reform in Health Care, Interfaith Worker Justice, Catholics United, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and PICO.

Over 50 Christian, Jewish, Muslim Leaders Urge President Obama: Make Poverty, Climate and Coastal Restoration Priorities in Gulf Coast Communities

As President Barack Obama arrived in New Orleans for this first visit since his historic election, over 50 leading religious officials and faith-based organizations urged the President for robust long-term hurricane recovery policy to tackle poverty, coastal erosion and climate change.

The signers include Rabbi Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, National Council of Churches; Sayyid M. Syeed, Islamic Society of North America; Sister Simone Campbell, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; Bishop Charles E. Blake, Church of God in Christ; Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, The Episcopal Church; Dr. Joel C. Hunter; Nancy Ratzan, National Council of Jewish Women; Rabbi David Saperstein, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Rev. Jim Wallis, Sojourners; and Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The letter explains, "Four years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck and the levees were breached, the slow pace of recovery, persistent poverty, climate change and coastal land loss have created a moral crisis across the region that demands a powerful response from people of faith and our elected officials."

Organized by Louisiana-based interfaith groups All Congregations Together (ACT) and Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing (BISCO), the letter urges President Obama to look to a bipartisan bill, HR 2269, the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act, as a model for resident-led recovery policy to "ensure just and sustainable recovery for all Gulf Coast communities". HR 2269 would create 100,000 green jobs for hurricane survivors rebuilding affordable housing and infrastructure, restoring wetlands and promoting energy efficiency and climate change resiliency.

For more information, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

DHM President Joins Center's Leadership Team

The Reverend Ronald Degges, President of Disciples Home Missions (DHM), is the newest member of the Council of Governors of the Disciples Center for Public Witness.

The mission of the all-volunteer Center—which works closely with our ecumenical and interfaith partners—is to inform, connect, and empower Disciples for advocacy in the United States and Canada.

"I’m happy to be a part of the Center and its important ministry,” said Rev. Degges. “I look forward to working closely with the coordinator and the other members of the Council of Governors." He added, "If ever there were a time to increase our advocacy ministry in the life of the church and for sake of the world -- the time is now!"

The Council—which provides the Center with leadership, advice, and support—includes co-founders William Chris Hobgood (Bethany Beach) and Alvin Jackson (Park Avenue), T. Garrott Benjamin, Jr. (Light of the World), Cynthia Hale (Ray of Hope), Lari Grubbs (Capital Area), Oscar Haynes (United Christian Parish), and the following pastors of DC congregations: Delores Carpenter (Michigan Park), Stephen Gentle (National City), Marcus Leathers (Shepherd Park), Noemi Mena (Iglesia Cristiana Nacional), and Paul Saddler (Twelfth Street). GMP Sharon Watkins is an ex officio member of the Council, and DJAN Director Ken Brooker Langston is the coordinator of the Center.

"We welcome Ron to the leadership team and welcome his active involvement in this ministry,” said The Rev. Dr. William Chris Hobgood, President and co-founder of the Center. “His decision to join us will help promote more collaborative and effective social witness in and by our denomination."