Church Resolutions, Advocacy and ECSA

Expanding Health Care and Fighting Drug Dependency

• Call on dioceses to establish Committees on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency to provide educational programs, and address problems related to alcohol or drug dependency in clergy, church staff, and, when requested, laypersons. (GC 2003)
• Call upon federal and state lawmakers to remove obstacles to hospice and palliative care. (GC 2000)
• Urge the Church at every level to give high priority to suicide prevention. (GC 2000)
• Urge that all interior space under the jurisdiction of the Church be declared [base "]Tobacco-free zones." (GC 2000)
• Call upon the President, Congress, Governors, and leaders to devise universal access to health care for the nation[base ']s people. (GC 1991)
• Adopt policy that national Church will not hold shares in companies which manufacture or sell tobacco products. (EC 06/90)

Preventing Violence and Physical Abuse

• Call on state governments to enact legislation to reduce domestic violence. (GC 2000)
• Call on congregations to make an active and ongoing response to problems of sexual or domestic violence in their communities. (GC 2000)
• Identify and communicate resources on combating pornography. (GC 1997)
• Oppose violence and educate at every level of the Church to build just and non-violent relationships. (GC 1994)
• Condemn violence against women in all its forms. (GC 1994)
• Renew commitment to address violence in every sector of society especially domestic violence and hate-based violence. (GC 1991)
• Work to prevent violence against women and children. (GC 1988)

Promoting Women's Rights

• Endorse the U. N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). (GC 1991)
• Eradicate institutional sexism. (GC 1985)
• Support Equal Rights Amendment. (GC 1982)

Advocating for Children

• Affirm that children are central to the mission of the Church. (GC 2000)
• Ask each diocese to increase awareness and implementation of the Children[base ']s Charter. (GC 2000)
• Affirm value of adoption and ask U.S. Congress to pass legislation making adoption counseling available. (GC 2000)
• Support crime prevention programs that provide recreation, education, and other activities to discourage youth from gangs and crime. (EC 02/95)
• Encourage the Church to address issues of youth suicide and throwaway youth, especially concerning conflict over sexuality. (GC 1994)
• Call on the U.S. Senate to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. (GC 1994)
• Support legislation providing expanded services, funding and financial accountability for children in our nation. (EC 02/93)
• Call on congregations to encourage and enable youth and children[base ']s ministry. (GC 1991)

Seeking Economic Justice

• Urge the President and Congress to establish a living wage including health benefits as the standard of compensation for all workers in the U.S. (GC 2003)
• Urge Congress to support legislation raising the federal minimum wage to the hourly equivalent of an annual wage at the current federal poverty line for a family of four. (GC 2003)
• Affirm support for and advocacy regarding social and economic problems facing farming and rural communities. (GC 2000)
• Encourage awareness of past and present discriminatory practices in granting of federal subsidies and loans to African American and other minority farmers. (GC 2000)
• Instruct the Treasurer to vote in favor of all shareholder resolutions asking financial companies to avoid underwriting and securitizing predatory loans. (EC 02/01)
• Challenge every congregation to develop at least one direct, person-to-person ministry to and with the poor. (GC 1997)
• Charge Dioceses and Provinces with greater responsibility in sustaining and developing ministries to migrant and seasonal farm workers. (GC 1997)
• Reaffirm support for affirmative action and fair employment practices. (EC 11/95)
• Reaffirm Jubilee as model for ministry and outreach, and urge dioceses and congregations to re-examine mission statements re: outreach. (GC 1994)
• Support affirmative action in Church organizations. (GC 1985)

Supporting Human Needs

• Support for and improvement of the federal government[base ']s network of programs to reduce the numbers of those living in poverty, support workers[base '] efforts to achieve self-sufficiency and ensure continuing benefits for those who require a safety net to feed their families. (EC 03/02)
• Support the longstanding practice of receiving public funding for faith-based social service programs so long as such programs maintain all historic separation of Church and State (EC 06/01)
• Support increased public funding for programs addressing critical human needs at the local, state, and federal level through both secular and faith-based providers, support proposals to use the tax code to create incentives for increasing charitable giving, and encourage Episcopalians to be active in supporting such proposals through advocacy. (EC 06/01)
• Encourage Dioceses and Congregations to collaborate with state and local governments to address negative effects of welfare reform. (GC 1997)
• Support a welfare system that does not discriminate on the basis of marital status, age, legal immigrant status, or ability to identify other parent. (EC 02/95)
• Support a welfare system that holds families together. (EC 02/95)

Ending Hunger

• Support federal nutrition programs. (EC 03/95)
• Support increased funding for the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. (GC 1991)
• Reaffirm commitment to eradication of hunger and poverty domestically and worldwide. (GC 1988)
• Observe October 16 of each year as World Hunger Day. (GC 1985)
• Support federal budget priorities on food and nutrition programs. (GC 1985)

Expanding Housing

• Reaffirm our commitment to providing rental and owner-occupied, housing that is safe, accessible and affordable for low-income persons and their families, including persons with disabilities. (GC 2003)
• Support homeless people. (GC 1985)