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Call to Action: Ask Your State to Apply for Federal EV Infrastructure Funding
“Governments and members of society have an obligation to exercise responsible stewardship of the earth, thereby protecting not only the wellbeing of their citizens, but also that of both future generations and other citizens of the planet (see D&C 59:18-21 and D&C 104:13-15).” MWEG’s Principle of Ethical Government 2(f) For Earth Day this year, ask your state to apply for federal funding for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure that is available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (the BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA) after lawmakers on both sides of…
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Call to Action: Ask Your Members of Congress to Support the Child Tax Credit
When the expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) expired at the end of 2021, nearly 19 million of the poorest children stopped receiving aid because their parents’ income was too low to qualify for the tax credit. The expiration of the credit functioned as a de facto tax increase for our most vulnerable families, just as they were struggling to manage the ramifications of significant inflation. Meanwhile, parents earning up to $400,000 per year continued to receive up to $2,000 per child per year. Negotiations are currently underway to reinstate some provisions of the expanded tax credit and again make it fully refundable — meaning families could receive the…
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Call to Action: Ask Your Senators to Support a Legislative Update of the Electoral Count Act of 1887
The Electoral Count Act (ECA) of 1887 sets out the process of casting and counting electoral votes after a presidential election. It is intended to encourage states to resolve controversial electoral outcomes prior to sending results to Congress in order to avoid the conflicts of interest and pursuit of partisan power that would likely occur if Congress were charged with resolving every election dispute. Unfortunately, the text of the ECA is confusing and antiquated, which means the counting of electoral votes remains vulnerable to abuse by partisan actors. The ECA should be updated to provide clarity and security to this process. This should be a bipartisan priority, as such a…
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Call to Action: End Using Title 42 as Border Immigration Policy
In March 2020 the Trump administration implemented Title 42, part of the 1944 Public Health Service Act, which “allows the government to prevent the introduction of individuals during certain public health emergencies.” This policy was not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and has enabled both the Trump and Biden administrations to ignore long-standing norms and laws related to the processing of asylum seekers at the U.S. border. TO DO Contact your members of Congress requesting their support for our administration’s plan to end the use of Title 42 at the border on May 23. You can find instructions and…
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Earth Day Call to Action: Thank Elected Officials for the Environmental Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
As women of faith, our ethic of environmental stewardship is informed by scripture and prophetic counsel. President Russell M. Nelson proclaimed: “We should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations.” MWEG’s Principle of Ethical Government 2f states: “Governments and members of society have an obligation to exercise responsible stewardship of the earth, thereby protecting not only the wellbeing of their citizens, but also that of both future generations and other citizens of the planet (see D&C 59:18-21 and D&C 104:13-15).” We are at a critical juncture for taking effective action and implementing policy to mitigate the effects of climate change. The climate…
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Call to Action: Ask the Utah Legislature to Require Transparency, Accountability, and Legality in Projects Seeking to Restore Utah Lake by Passing HB240
Utah Lake is a treasured and priceless resource in the state of Utah. In 2018, the Utah Legislature passed HB272. This legislation gave a body of non-elected officials power to dispose of sovereign lakebed and lakeshore properties for development projects that would promise to restore the lake. Concerns about the lack of accountability and transparency of this process have led legislators to propose HB240 Utah Lake Amendments. This amendment would require that any such disposal of properties be approved by the Utah Legislature and the governor, who must first determine that restoration projects are practically, fiscally, and constitutionally sound. TO DO Contact your Utah legislators to encourage them to pass…
