Lobbying for God
Lobbyists with lots of money, like Jack Abramoff, give advocacy a bad name. Lobbyists with no money, on the other hand, strive to give the church a good name.
If that sounds a little obscure, let me explain.
The Catholic Church has “lobbyists,” but nothing like the politically-connected, glad-handing, bribe-passing Abramoff who faces big-time punishment for his actions. Abramoff’s counterpoint is the Catholic Conference of Illinois, the public policy arm of the six dioceses in our state.
CCI staff, directed by Robert Gilligan, steadfastly presents the church’s position to lawmakers in Springfield and encourages legislation that supports good—and faithful—policy for all citizens. CCI also finds itself promoting involvement in the political process by people of faith and informing us all of what’s happening with legislation.
And, considering the current culture, that’s sometimes a very difficult job.
Here are a few examples:
CCI has been helping organize the planned rally Feb. 22 at the Capitol in Springfield to demonstrate support for the Opportunity Scholarship Act, which has gained House committee approval. The bill would create a pilot school choice program for low-income parents and offer funding for both after-school tutoring and tuition assistance at a qualifying public, parochial or private school.
The rally, called All Kids Count: Give Us a Choice, will gather supporters of non-public schools in the Capitol Rotunda. CCI has already distributed more than 13,000 postcards collected through our schools to lawmakers. For information, call (312) 368-1066.
CCI is also opposing a proposed change which would eliminate Good Friday as a holiday.
Schools are an important part of upcoming legislation, but that’s not all.
CCI staffers also helped coordinate a visit by about 70 board members and staff from statewide Catholic Charities agencies on Feb. 8, to seek legislators’ support for House Bill 4543 which asks a 3 percent cost-of-doing-business increase for the many agencies which handle state contracts to provide human services. Lawmakers typically short-change these agencies for their contracted services despite the fact that using them saves the state money.
CCI sometimes finds itself in the position of making sense … even when no one else seems to be.
Consider a rule proposed by the state Board of Education which certainly seemed innocuous enough. It would address concerns over childhood obesity by banning junk food in public and private schools participating in the Federal School Lunch and Breakfast Program.
Except, as written, said CCI associate director for education Zach Wichmann, the proposed rule “would even ban whole milk.”
He said the rule seeks to determine what it considers “minimally nutritious foods” by calories and percent of calories from fat. Skim milk would be OK, Wichmann said, but whole milk wouldn’t. Among other things, he said, such rules shouldn’t be used to determine public policy; that’s the role of the Legislature.
Perhaps more important, “the rule fails to recognize the special nature and needs of private schools” he said, “many of which rely on in-school bake sales for funding. The rule would prohibit these. A stricter definition and a clearer explanation are required. It’s totally unworkable,” he said.
CCI took part in a public hearing in February on the bill. Wichmann said he expects the rule to be rewritten, but anticipates it will “still have a large impact” on private schools.
For more of how the Catholic Conference seeks to put a faith “spin” on society’s issues, read Msgr. Stewart Swetland’s column on Page 11. He writes about the current efforts to support marriage.
Nor is CCI the only shallow-pockets lobby group.
Network, a national Catholic social justice lobby run by religious orders, works to influence federal legislation to promote economic and social justice. Read a letter to the editor on Page 11.
Tom Sheridan
Editor and General Manager
