Legislative Priorities

Previous Legislative Priorities

2009 Legislative Priorities

2008 Legislative Priorities

2007 Legislative Priorities

The General Board of Church and Society legislative priorities represent the current issues of the day that need to be addressed as they relate to the United Methodist Church's Social Principles. Each priority includes a call to action. Please take a moment to contact your representatives regarding these important issues.

To take action, visit our Action Center today!

• Healthcare

  • Reform U.S. health-care system
    A health-care system that is inclusive, accessible and available to all lives out God’s intention for wholeness and abundant life. Every day, people’s health is jeopardized because they face limited access or gaps in their insurance coverage. 45.7 million people are without health insurance in the U.S. We are close to major reform, but we haven’t lived completely into God’s vision that no one is left out.

  Alcohol and Other addictions

  • Support and fully fund ‘The Stop Act II’ to curb underage drinking of alcohol
  • Oppose repeal of the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act”

  Related topics: Health Care, Gambling and Alcohol

  Contact: Cynthia Abrams

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• • Just, humane immigration reform
    Scripture calls us as people of faith to welcome the Sojourner. Common sense tells us that the immigration system is badly in need of reform. This reform must entail a path to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, protection of the rights of workers, and the reunification of families.
  • Eliminate sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine
  • Pass the “National Criminal Justice Commission Act”
   

  Related topics: Immigration, Criminal and Restorative Justice, and Death Penalty

  Contact: Bill Mefford

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• Economic Justice

  • Eliminate child hunger
    Today, 1 in 4 children in the United States lives in a home suffering from food insecurity. As part of our denominational emphasis on eradicating poverty, GBCS will work to strengthen and expand child nutrition programs with the goal of eliminating child hunger
  • Expand economic and employment opportunities for under-resourced and marginalized communities
  • Prioritize the needs of the poor in budget and tax policies 
    

  Environmental Justice

  • Address the Global Climate Crisis
    2010 provides a critical window of opportunity to enact energy reform and climate justice legislation. The United States must take strong action to invest in a green, low-carbon energy future, reduce global warming pollution, and protect those living in poverty in the U.S. and around the world.
  • End mountain-top removal coal mining
  • Eliminate toxic exposures for vulnerable populations and communities

  Related topics: Budget and Taxes, Global Warming anad Energy, Labor and Worker Justice, Sustainable Living

  Contact: John Hill

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• • Overcome global poverty
    GBCS supports legislation that helps to end global poverty. Foreign aid reform, fair trade, debt cancellation, and major reform of international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, are instrumental ways the United States can lead to end poverty on God’s world.
  • End the war in Afghanistan and promote a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine
  • Senate ratification of the ‘Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty’ and a nuclear weapons reduction treaty between the U.S. and Russia

  Related topics: Global Poverty and Hunger, Middle East, Nuclear Weapons, Peace with Justice, United Nations

  Contact: Mark Harrison or Levi Bautista

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• • Increase levels of U.S. spending for international family planning
    More than 200 million people worldwide lack access to information and services for family planning. This critical health provision will reduce the spread of AIDS, allow couples to space their children, reduce the need for abortion, and reduce child and maternal mortality. Advocacy efforts will focus on increased funding levels, including support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) which provides family planning services and AIDS prevention education.
  • Pass and fund "International Violence Against Women’s Act"
  • Ensure highest levels of funding for global and domestic AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

  Related topics: Family Planning, Domestic Violence, HIV/AIDS

  Contact: Linda Bales

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