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Catholic letter and coordinated Catholic call-in seek support for Inflation Reduction Act
Washington, DC – Today more than 250 U.S. Catholic institutions sent an open letter to each member of Congress in support of climate legislation for our common home, asking leaders to support climate investments both now and in the future to protect natural resources and promote human dignity as the climate crisis unleashes historic heatwaves, flooding, and forest fires across our nation and world.
With more institutions still joining, the open letter has been signed by more than 250 U.S. Catholic institutions and organizations, including dioceses, parishes, universities, religious orders, and other lay apostolates. The Archdiocese of Dubuque and the Dioceses of Davenport, Fresno, Lexington, San Diego and Yakima have signed the letter thus far.
The letter opens with: “Dear Member of Congress, Catholics in our nation and world pray, advocate and work for solutions to the climate crisis. We do so because care for creation is an integral aspect of our faith” and continues: “Today, much of the country is experiencing the hottest temperatures on record. Droughts, water shortages, forest fires, torrential flooding, and other extreme weather events worsened by climate change are harming people, infrastructures, and economies right now. The U.S. Congress can still pivot our nation and world away from this precipice with ambitious climate solutions.”
The letter and a national Catholic call-in to Congress this week are timed to express U.S. Catholic support for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. While the legislation is not perfect and is still being negotiated, groups said, it contains the most significant climate solutions seen in a generation and that our planet urgently needs now.
U.S. Catholic organizations which initiated this letter under the ongoing Encounter for Our Common Home campaign are the Catholic Climate Covenant, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Franciscan Action Network, Laudato Si' Movement in the U.S., Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, St. Columban Mission for Justice Peace and Ecology, Sisters of Mercy, and Society of the Sacred Heart.
The letter and call-in follow a Spring U.S. Catholic climate campaign, which is expected to continue: Encounter for Our Common Home, part of Laudato Si’ Action Platform activities in the U.S.
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