NETWORK Releases Annual Catholic Social Justice Scorecard for Congress

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For Immediate Release: January 25, 2018
Contact: Ashley Wilson, awilson@networklobby.org, 202-601-7856
Download as a PDF.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice announced the release of its 2017 Voting Record. This annual scorecard reflects how Members of Congress voted in accordance with Catholic Social Justice and evaluates if they worked to mend the gaps in economic and wealth inequality.

From Sister Simone Campbell, SSS, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice:

“The unfortunate reality of 2017 was that nearly all the most critical congressional votes represented serious setbacks to mending the gaps in our nation. The Catholic Sisters and activists of NETWORK strive for positive priorities that we can support. However, in 2017, legislative attempts to undermine healthcare, institute harsh immigration and refugee policies, and exacerbate economic inequality through a regressive tax overhaul, dominated the legislative agenda.

“The votes represented in this year’s Voting Record highlight the challenge of advancing NETWORK’s Mend the Gaps agenda under the Trump Administration. Republican leadership’s single-minded focus on partisan priorities continually got in the way of bipartisan legislation that would have advanced the common good. We hope that this voting record will help to change this reality.

“The good news is that 167 House Members and 48 Senators voted 100% in alignment with NETWORK’s Catholic Social Justice vision.  These 100% voters demonstrate a solid resistance to measures that would hurt the common good and disproportionately negatively affect the wellbeing of women and/or people of color in our nation.

“In the coming months, NETWORK members will continue to lobby on Capitol Hill and across the country for policies that mend the gaps. We know communities are better when people have access to jobs with living wages, healthcare, safe housing, and quality food.  We live up to our nation’s founding promise when no one is forced to live in the shadows as a second-class citizen and when democracy is protected.  We commit ourselves to continuing our work to mend the gaps for the benefit of the 100%.”
Voting Record by the Numbers:

• Votes Scored: 7 (Senate) 8 (House) 15 (total)
• NETWORK recommended ‘No’ votes: 14
• NETWORK recommended ‘Yes’ votes: 1
• States with perfect scores: 5 (Connecticut, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
• States with all zero scores: 5 (Idaho, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming)

NETWORK prioritized the most important votes from the past year that fit with its 2020 policy vision to Mend the Gaps, which include tax justice, living wages, family-friendly workplaces, democracy/voting rights, healthcare, citizenship/immigration, and housing.

The voting records and each member’s score is online at http://www.networklobby.org/votingrecord2017

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NETWORK – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a 45-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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