Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Catholics in Congress - How They Have Voted

The Catholics in Congress blog has published a "Report on Catholic Members of the House of Representatives":
I chose 14 actions to point out where these Catholic House members stand in regards to the non-negotiables. Of these 14 actions, 10 were votes, three are co-sponsorship status on legislation, and one was the co-signing of a letter of support. One occurred during the 105th Congress (1997-1998), one occurred during the 106th Congress (1999-2000), nine occurred during the 108th Congress (2003-2004), and three are occurring now during the 109th Congress. I chose these actions. I based their selection on my own understanding of the House and my own observations of how representatives have been presented opportunities to affect the non-negotiable issues. In my heart and mind they seem the ones which not only give an understanding of where these Catholics stand, but more importantly, these are actions which did, or could very well, make a difference in changing federal law, influencing the debate, and furthering the causes addressing these issues. The representatives' positions on some of these actions make it very clear whether or not they bridge the gap between their Faith and their decisions as lawmakers. And though some of these actions may not have been successful in passage, the attention and national discussion brought about by them, have been important for Catholics in understanding Church teachings on the issues. Given this, Catholic representatives actions, when not adhering to Catholic teachings, can be confusing and disheartening to many Catholics.

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