Advocacy

Join us for a webinar on April 30, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, "We passed the ABLE Act - What's Next?"

Attention continues to be given to the influx of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) crossing the borders into the United States. This year, more than 60,000 refugee minors are expected to enter the U.S. from Central America and other regions, and that number is expected to double in 2015.

The charitable and philanthropic sector achieved a victory today with the House approving legislation (H.R. 4719) that would significantly increase charitable giving in the United States.

The Lutheran Services in America Disability Network (LSA-DN) held its 2014 Summer Meeting in Columbus, OH from August 5-8. They gathered the LSA-DN Policy Advisory Team (PAT) and Housing Forum.

LSA would like to thank all who participated in our #ThanksBob campaign. We received dozens of messages and well wishes through our Facebook and Twitter pages for Bob Francis, LSA’s outgoing Public Policy and Advocacy Director. LSA joins you in thanking Bob for his services and wishing him well in his next chapter!

The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships held an Affordable Care Act Briefing for Faith and other Community-based Organizations. The White House and HHS thanked community leaders from across the United States for their efforts to educate and enroll people in the Health Insurance Marketplace, as giving information on funding opportunities and announcing a new initiative from HHS called “Coverage To Care”.

Lutheran Services in America issued the following statement in response to Congressman Paul Ryan's (R-WI) release of his "Expanding Opportunity in America" discussion draft: Lutheran Services in America (LSA) welcomes the contribution made by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) to our national dialogue about poverty and opportunity with the recent release of the “Expanding Opportunity in America” discussion draft.

A representative from LSA's member Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, Sheri Ekdom, testified at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Sept 18, 2014, on the topic of consumer financial services protection. Sarah Meek, the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for LSA's Disability Network (LSA-DN) also attended the hearing and provided us with photos.

In late October, LSA sent letters to key House and Senate appropriators, urging them to pass a full Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations bill with funding levels sufficient for states, communities, and providers to maintain and expand affordable housing options that serve the most vulnerable, and to stimulate community revitalization.

On October 23, 2014 1,200 leading national, state, tribal, and local organizations wrote to Congressional leaders, asking them to provide continued funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Congress must stabilize CHIP funding this year so that states can continue to operate these programs without interruption.