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November 21, 2025


 

Overview: This week at the offices of ArentFox Schiff ([link removed]) in Washington D.C., CCUSA's Government Relations team hosted a daylong summit exploring solutions to rising rates of homelessness ([link removed]) and the national affordable housing crisis. The summit, which featured top policymakers, local practitioners, leading philanthropists and CEOs of Catholic Charities agencies, was the culmination of a series of local advocacy forums on this issue that CCUSA held around the country over the past two years. Click here for a recording of the summit ([link removed]).

The Government Relations team wishes you a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving holiday for you and your friends and families. (Please note that the Washington Weekly will not be published next Friday but will return on December 5.)

Economy: "The Labor Department announced ([link removed]) Wednesday that it will not release monthly jobs numbers for October due to complications from the government shutdown, though it intends to include some data in November's report."

Public Charge: The Department of Homeland Security published the new Public Charge rule to rescind the 2022 regulations. There will be a 30-day comment period. "Public Charge" refers to a test immigration officials use to see if a person seeking admission in the country can support him/herself financially without government funds. See the proposed rule here: Federal Register : Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility ([link removed])

Unions and collective bargaining: The Protect America's Workforce Act ([link removed]) (H.R. 2550) will be voted on by the House of Representatives in the next few weeks. The Act would reverse President Trump's executive order that strips collective bargaining rights from federal workers. The Catholic Church teaches that workers should be able to form unions, which represent the members, protect their rights, and can serve as a space for dialogue between owners and employees. Please consider asking your representative to support the Protect America's Workforce Act. (You can find your elected officials on CCUSA's website at the bottom of the Action Center page ([link removed]).)

Reducing homelessness: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plans to cut funding for a permanent housing program (See here: FY 2025 Continuum of Care Competition and Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Grants NOFO ([link removed])), which will affect people experiencing homelessness, whom Catholic Charities and other organizations serve. The application for the next grant cycle will close on Jan. 14, 2026, leaving little time for projects to apply for funding. Please consider contacting your members of Congress ([link removed]) and ask them to tell the administration to renew grants that were previously planned under a Congressionally authorized two-year notice of funding opportunity. Also, please consider contacting your members of Congressto ask for their support of the ROAD Act (House version ([link removed]); Senate version ([link removed])).

 

"...how can we rejoice in the Lord if he is far from us? Pray God he may not be far. If he is, that is your doing. Love, and he will draw near; love, and he will dwell within you. The Lord is at hand; have no anxiety. Are you puzzled to know how it is that he will be with you if you love? God is love.

"'What do you mean by love?' you will ask me. It is that which enables us to be loving. What do we love? A good that words cannot describe, a good that is for ever giving, a good that is the Creator of all good. Delight in him from whom you have received everything that delights you. But in that I do not include sin, for sin is the one thing that you do not receive from him. With that one exception, everything you have comes from him." From a sermon by St. Augustine, bishop

 

Q. This Sunday the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or Christ the King. When was the feast established and by whom?

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