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New Policy & Advocacy Subcommittee Structure

September 15, 2026

BY: Bill Kallestad

Lutheran Services in America is launching a new subcommittee structure to expand upon our current Policy & Advocacy Committee to further develop our federal policy and advocacy priorities to ensure they are grounded in the experiences and expertise of our network.

The new structure will include three issue-focused subcommittees:

NOTE: AI, technology, and data will be explored as a cross-cutting issue across all three areas.

The subcommittees will create a regular forum for Lutheran Services in America members to share what they are seeing in their communities, identify emerging policy challenges and opportunities, and help shape Lutheran Services in America’s policy priorities and advocacy strategies. Members will also have opportunities to highlight innovative approaches and bring state and local experiences into our federal policy conversations.

Each subcommittee will be co-chaired by members of the Policy & Advocacy Committee and supported by Lutheran Services in America policy staff. The groups will meet between full Policy & Advocacy Committee meetings, with key recommendations and issues brought forward for broader discussion and alignment.

This is an important step toward a more member-driven policy and advocacy model—connecting the expertise of our members directly to the work of the Lutheran Services in America Policy & Advocacy team and strengthening our collective voice in Washington and across the network.

If you have questions, please contact Sarah Dobson at SDobson@lutheranservices.org or Bill Kallestad at BKallestad@lutheranservices.org.

Bill Kallestad is Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Lutheran Services in America Disability Network.

Announcing Our New Standing Public Policy and Advocacy Committee

October 21, 2025

BY: Sarah Dobson

We’re pleased to announce the formal launch of our Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, transitioning from a successful one-year pilot into a permanent body that will guide and elevate our network’s federal policy agenda.

This marks a key step in advancing our shared mission. Building on the “Here We Stand” campaign, the committee will amplify our national advocacy efforts and reflect the diversity and expertise of our network, bringing together 20 leaders from across our network working in health, housing, aging, child and family services and disability.

The committee will focus on priority issues like Medicaid, affordable housing, and workforce development, while also exploring how data, AI, and emerging technologies can strengthen service delivery. It will help shape our federal policy positions and support coordinated advocacy across member organizations.

We’ll also leverage members’ connections to anchor strategic meetings with lawmakers, especially those in leadership or on key committees, alongside network members from the same states or districts. These engagements will support both federal and state-level advocacy.

At a time when public trust in institutions is waning, our “Here We Stand” polling offers both encouragement and direction: a majority of Americans trust faith-based providers to deliver high-quality care. This committee will help us lean into that trust by lifting up our collective voice, demonstrating impact, and deepening our commitment to the people and communities we serve.

The committee consists of:

  • Michelle Angalet, Chief Operating Officer, Inspiritus
  • Salah Ansary, Regional Director, Lutheran Community Services Northwest
  • LaSharnda Beckwith, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Southern California
  • Murray Chanow, Sr. VP of Brand & Public Affairs, Upbring
  • Stephanie Chedid, President & CEO, Luther Manor
  • Héctor Colón, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan
  • Anne Dennis-Choi, President & CEO, AK Child & Family
  • Maria Foschia, CEO, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry
  • Shelly Griffith, CEO, Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center
  • Chris Koenig, President & CEO, Niagara Lutheran Health System, Inc.
  • Adam Marles, President & CEO, Lutheran Senior Services
  • Amy Moore, VP of External Relations , Ascentria
  • Tara Muir, Advocacy & Government Relations Coordinator , Immanuel
  • Margaret Nimmo, Chief Strategy Officer, enCircle
  • Joan Plump, Chief of Staff, Gemma Services
  • Mark Stutrud, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
  • Erin Sutton, Senior Director of Advocacy, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
  • Tom Syverson, Director of Government and External Affairs, Good Samaritan
  • Linda Timmons, President & CEO, Mosaic

We’re excited to grow this committee into a cornerstone of our advocacy efforts, ensuring our values are reflected in the lives we touch and the communities we serve.

Sarah Dobson is Senior Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Lutheran Services in America.

Leadership of Key Congressional Committees Comes into Focus

December 19, 2024

BY: Sarah Dobson

All House and Senate election results have been finalized and it is clear that Republicans will control the Senate and also lead with a slim majority in the House of Representatives. Party leaders have begun to finalize which lawmakers will lead key committees with jurisdiction over health and related workforce issues. Retirements, limits on length of service in leadership roles, and preference of party leaders will all result in changes to committee chairs and ranking members.  The work of our policy team and our network with these committees will be crucial to advancing our advocacy priorities for the coming year during the 119th Congress.

Several committees in each chamber have jurisdiction over various elements of health care. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee plays a crucial role in shaping national policies related to healthcare and the workforce, while the Senate Finance Committee oversees health programs under the Social Security Act, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), along with their role in shaping tax policy, which will be key in 2025 with the expiring Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is poised to lead the HELP Committee, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) expected as lead Democratic caucus member. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) is in line to lead the Finance Committee.

In the House, the Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee has broad jurisdiction over healthcare and the regulations and laws that govern the sector, while the Ways and Means Committee has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of the Social Security system, Medicare, and social services programs, including foster care and adoption programs—and like Senate Finance, also has a key role in shaping tax policy, including an expected 2025 tax bill. Finally, the House Education and Workforce Committee has jurisdiction over education, workforce development, and workforce policy.

Here is where things stand with key House committees:

  • Energy & Commerce: Brett Guthrie (R-KY) was elected as chair while Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) will serve as ranking minority member for Democrats.
  • Ways & Means: Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) will hold the top spot at Ways & Means (W&M). Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) will remain in his role as the committee’s top Democrat.
  • Education and Workforce Committee: Rep.  Tim Walberg (R-MI) will be the new Republican chair.

We look forward to leveraging the power of our network to strengthen relationships with these key members of Congress.

Sarah Dobson is Senior Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Lutheran Services in America.

Housing Issues to See New Leadership in Congress, Administration

December 19, 2024

BY: Sarah Dobson

Across the Lutheran Services in America network, we are committed to addressing housing insecurity as an economic and health crisis, advocating for affordable housing not only as shelter but also to ensure that members of the community are healthy and connected to the supportive services—food, social connection, transportation and mental health care—that are necessary to thrive. Therefore, we are carefully tracking announcements on who will be moving into leadership roles in Congress and the new administration on these issues.

President-elect Donald Trump announced he will nominate former Texas state Rep. Scott Turner to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Turner was twice elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving from 2013 to 2017. In 2019, during his first term, Trump appointed Turner to lead a council tasked with turning around distressed communities, including directing private investment money toward “Opportunity Zones.” Turner now chairs the Center for Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former staffers from Trump’s first presidency.

In Congress, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has signaled his desire to chair the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which holds jurisdiction over key housing policy. Former ranking member Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) lost his bid for re-election, and as such, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is expected to take his place as top Democrat on the panel. Sen. Brown was the champion of S. 3910, the “Yes in God’s Backyard” (YIGBY) Act. The legislation seeks to break down regulatory and zoning barriers for churches and other faith-based institutions to use existing land and property to develop housing. Having endorsed the bill, we will be working to help identify a new lead senator to move this effort forward.

In the House of Representatives, the Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction on housing-related issues. The new ranking chair is Rep. French Hill (R-AR), while Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) will retain her role as the ranking members for Democrats.

Our staff is working across our network to strengthen and develop relationships with these key stakeholders to advance our key policy priorities:

  • Grow our collective capacity to increase the availability of affordable housing within communities.
  • Expand the integration and reach of effective models of supportive services in housing for older adults and people with disabilities.
  • Advocate policies and funding to advance affordable housing, reimbursement for social determinants of health services and ultimately, improve health equity.

If you are interested in engaging in advocacy with the network on housing and services issues, please contact Sarah Dobson.

Sarah Dobson is Senior Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Lutheran Services in America.

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