Texas Impact's First Annual Interfaith Sermon Contest

Printable Flyer (PDF)

Texas Impact’s Statewide Sermon Contest 2009

Topic: Health Justice     Prize: $500

Submit up to 10 minutes of video of your sermon/homily/other “pulpit presentation” for a chance to win cash, have your entry showcased on YouTube and be part of the national interfaith conversation about health care in America.

 

Representative Turner Proposes Utility Disconnect Moratorium

As the temperature has risen in Texas this year, so has the financial hardship faced by many Texans caught in the midst of the current economic recession. With millions of people across the state living under repeated Heat Advisories and many finding themselves victims of a struggling economy, Representative Sylvester Turner has petitioned the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to temporarily cease disconnecting the electricity service of clients who are unable to pay their bills in full this summer. PUC will consider Representative Turner's proposal during a public hearing in Austin on Thursday, July 2. As utility bills rise this summer, the proposal would especially help the vulnerable populations that are most at risk of non-payment disconnects such as low income families, the sick and the elderly. See Texas Impact's letter of support for measure here.

PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS
OPEN MEETING AGENDA
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009, 9:30 A.M.
Commissioners' Hearing Room
7th Floor, William B. Travis Building

Check back here throughout the summer, as Texas Impact plans more analysis on this and other issues related to public utilities in the state.

Congressional Action Alert: Support Climate and Energy Legislation

UPDATE: US HOUSE PASSES H.R. 2454 American Clean Energy and Security Act 219-212.

All Texas Republicans voted NO

Three Texas Democrats voted NO: Edwards, Ortiz and Rodriguez.

All other Texas Democrats voted YES.

See the whole vote count here

Find out about the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) here

Rev. Dr. Robert Linthicum to Speak in Austin

Linthicum Rev. Dr. Robert Linthicum will be the keynote speaker at the My Job- Risktaking Justice and Mercy Workshop on June 27, 2009 at Memorial United Methodist Church in Austin. Rev. Linthicum is the founder of Partners in Urban Transformation, a group of clergy and lay leaders that provides resources, support, and practical strategies for those engaged in urban ministry.

The workshop, hosted by the Austin District Amos Commission, will focus on poverty, healthcare, and environmental issues at the global, urban, and rural levels. The workshop will place a special emphasis on how churches can develop the skills they need to become active and engaged in these areas.

Great Letter to the Editor by Texas Impact Member

United Methodist Peace and Justice Educator and Texas Impact member Bren Hardt was published this morning in the Houston Chronicle! Her letter, linking national efforts to address climate change to the weather damage seen in her garden, can be found here.

Congressional Update: National Health Care Legislation

Congress is considering major health care legislation that would make health insurance more available, affordable and secure for millions of Americans, many of them Texans.

In the US Senate, the Senate Finance Committee under the leadership of Chairman Max Baucus is taking the lead on health care legislation along with the Health, Education and Labor Committee, while on the House side three committees--Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means--are working together to develop legislation.

National health care advocates anticipate floor votes on health care legislation by the end of the summer.

Learn more about the Senate's progress

Father Thomas Berry Passes Away

 
Thomas Berry; Roman Catholic priest, author and ecological thinker; passed away on June1st in Greensboro, N.C.  In the tradition of  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Dr. Berry was instrumental in making the case that ecology and faith are connected --and a healthy environment should be a priority issue for faith communities. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Here is a New York Times obituary.

More about the Thomas Berry Foundation, here.

Post-session Wrap-up: The Legislature and the Recovery Act

Legislators began the 81st Legislative Session with the knowledge that an unprecedented influx of federal money was coming, and Texas Impact was there from the beginning, urging the Legislature to take proactive steps that would increase the likelihood that this windfall would provide the maximum benefit to the state. House Gallery

At issue was how best to ensure that funds from the Recovery Act would be spent not just in a transparent manner, but in a way that was transformative as well. Now that the session has ended, we can summarize and assess the Legislature's response to the $15 billion in federal stimulus funds, not to mention the hundreds of billions in additional federal dollars that will be available in the form of nationwide competitive grants. In short, the Legislature failed to take proactive steps, opting to end the session without enacting any special measures to accommodate such an extraordinary amount of federal dollars and without passing a single piece of significant legislation related to implementing or tracking Recovery Act funds.

Continue reading for more about the Legislature's actions in full.

A Faith-Inspired Vision of Health Care

 

vision logoSign the Vision Statement

As people of faith, we envision a society
where each person is afforded
health, wholeness, and human dignity.
That vision embraces a system of health care that is
inclusive... accessible... affordable... and accountable.

Texas Legislature Adjourns Sine Die

The 81st Regular Session of the Texas Legislature has adjourned "sine die"--"without a day."

Barring a special session, lawmakers will not be back in session until January 2011.

Texas Impact thanks all the members of both chambers, their staffs, and the leadership for their hard work on behalf of the people of Texas. The Legislature made meaningful progress on a number of issues of concern to people of faith in Texas. In particular lawmakers are to be commended for many important improvements in criminal justice.

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