Supreme Court Seems Favorable to Religious Education Funding
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared ready Wednesday to reinvigorate a Montana scholarship program and make it easier to use public money to pay for religious schooling in many states.
White House Considering Dramatic Expansion of Travel Ban
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is considering dramatically expanding its much-litigated travel ban to additional countries amid a renewed election-year focus on immigration by President Donald Trump, according to six people familiar with the deliberations.
Most States Agree to Admit Refugees as Judge Hears Lawsuit to Stop Resettlement Order
(RNS) — A federal judge in Maryland heard arguments Wednesday (Jan. 8) in a lawsuit by three faith-based organizations against the U.S. government over a recent executive order allowing state and local officials to block refugee resettlement.
Churches, Send Relief Serve Survivors After Puerto Rico Quake
YAUCO, Puerto Rico -- "People are still very scared," Jonathan Santiago said of residents in Puerto Rico who endured a 6.4 magnitude earthquake early Tuesday morning (Jan. 7). The ensuing aftershocks and tremors have been ongoing.
As Iowa Caucus Nears, Candidates Ramp Up God-Talk
(RNS) — Democratic presidential hopefuls ramped up the God-talk while criss-crossing Iowa over the weekend, invoking the Bible and meeting with religious leaders while their Republican opponent President Trump worked to bolster support among evangelical Christians.
On Most Issues, Majority Says ‘No’ to Religion Swaying Gov’t Policy
A majority of U.S. adults don’t want religion influencing government policy, with few exceptions, according to a new report from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published on Jan. 2.
Impeachment Debate Suggests Shifting Religious and Political Winds
(RNS) — Several recent examples demonstrate an atypically religious — and particularly Christian — impeachment process, with lawmakers, faith leaders and even members of the same famous evangelical family invoking the Almighty while making the case for and against the president.
Report: Social Safety Nets Effective in Reducing Poverty
Economic security programs, also known as social safety nets, have been vital in efforts to reduce poverty over the past 50 years, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report published in late November.
Medical Costs Cause One-Third of Adults to Delay Treatment
Record numbers of U.S. adults report delaying medical treatment due to the cost, according to a Gallup report published Dec. 9.
Cuts Weaken Effectiveness of State Environmental Agencies
The capacity of state environmental agencies to assess and enforce environmental protection policies is being diminished by funding and staff cuts, according to an Environmental Integrity Project report published Dec. 5.