Catholic Relief Services urges support of Farm Bill
During Easter, we are reminded of the many blessings we have, including an abundance of food. We also should be aware that around the world, 828 million people go to bed hungry every night.
In the coming months Congress will be addressing the 2023 Farm Bill. The 2018 Farm Bill, set to expire in September, provides assistance to farming communities and those who live in poverty in our country and critical international assistance.
While only a very small percentage of the Farm Bill’s funds go to international programs, they are important. COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and climate change have all contributed to a global food crisis.
Farm Bill programs like Food for Peace Title II not only provide emergency food assistance to impoverished communities worldwide, but also fund long-term sustainable development projects that work holistically with communities recovering from disaster to build back their systems, reduce the impact of future shocks, and promote more resilient communities.
Congress can continue to support programs like this by reauthorizing and increasing funding for the programs and improving their efficiency and flexibility.
Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are supportive of international poverty-focused programs. Given her membership on the House Agriculture Committee, Virginia Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger can help shape this important legislation.
We urge all Virginians to become familiar with the Farm Bill by visiting https://support.crs.org/act/farm-bill and then contacting our senators and your representative, imploring them to support this legislation. – Jimmy Culpepper, Stephen Knippler, Co-chairs, Virginia Chapter of Catholic Relief Services
Let’s fight the war on religion
War has been declared on religion. Some are fighting back:
• Bud Light boycott for using a transgender spokesperson.
• Franklin Graham calling out the transgender mob for attacking Riley Gaines.
• Gerald Groff suing the post office after being fired for refusing to deliver mail on Sunday.
• CatholicVote.org and Judicial Watch suing the Justice Department for information on FBI spying on Catholic churches.
Other recent religious discrimination includes:
• Termination of Catholic contract at Walter Reed hospital.
• Widespread denial of religious accommodation requests in the military, private sector and in government for the COVID-19 shots.
• Government banning of in-person Mass during the pandemic while allowing in-person shopping.
• FBI SWAT raided the home of Catholic Mark Houck for shoving a Planned Parenthood escort away from his 12-year-old son.
What can the Church do to fight back?
• Sue corporations, government and schools that discriminate against religion. Create an army of Catholic lawyers and put them to work.
• Grade politicians based on their actions pertaining to abortion and homosexuality. Joe Biden gets an “F” or Rachel Lavine and Pete Buttigieg, men playing women’s sports, and using federal resources for abortions.
• Excommunicate Catholics in positions of power who enable the culture war against our Church and our country. Hold Catholics in positions of power accountable.
Catholics are being targeted; we need to fight back. – Rick Kurek, Yorktown