Washington, D.C.: As the U.S. Congress prepares to reconvene next week after its August recess, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a strong call for legislative action on a broad spectrum of issues that touch on the dignity of human life, justice for immigrants, protection for families, and support for the poor. The bishops have framed their advocacy in moral and pastoral terms, urging lawmakers to recognize their responsibility to safeguard the most vulnerable in society.
Chieko Noguchi, executive director for public affairs at the USCCB, stressed that the bishops’ agenda is not partisan but rooted in Catholic social teaching. “The care for immigrants, refugees, the poor, unborn children, the elderly, and the infirm all flows from the same teaching of the Church,” she said, underscoring that the Conference’s mission is to advance the common good while upholding the sacredness of human life.
The priorities highlighted by the bishops cover a wide field: immigration reform, protection of federal safety net programs, affordable housing, healthcare rooted in pro-life principles, digital safety for children, and sustained support for international humanitarian aid. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, USCCB president, had earlier written to Congress warning against policy decisions that undermine the poor, citing this summer’s passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which he criticized for cutting food and healthcare assistance, harming families through restrictive immigration provisions, and weakening programs meant to protect the environment.
A newly emerging policy front for the bishops is online safety. The USCCB recently joined other family and faith-based organizations in backing the Kids Online Safety Act, a proposal that would compel technology companies to take greater responsibility in protecting children from harmful content and addictive platform designs. The bishops framed this as part of their ongoing commitment to safeguarding families and ensuring that young people grow in healthy environments.
Immigration remains a central theme in the bishops’ fall advocacy. They have repeatedly called for permanent protections for “Dreamers” individuals brought to the United States as children under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The bishops argue that continued legal uncertainty is unjust, depriving hardworking individuals of full participation in society. They also oppose proposals that would restrict benefits such as the Child Tax Credit to certain families, saying such measures unfairly penalize children in mixed-status households.
Another pressing concern is the protection of religious workers. The bishops are lobbying for passage of the Religious Workforce Protection Act, which would extend lawful nonimmigrant status to international clergy affected by the backlog of religious worker visas. With many parishes and schools dependent on these religious personnel, the bishops insist that resolving this backlog is crucial to the Church’s ministry and service in the United States.
Despite the end of the USCCB’s long-standing refugee resettlement partnership with the federal government earlier this year due to funding challenges, the bishops continue to advocate for generous resettlement policies and humane border management. Housing has also emerged as a focus, with an August letter urging Congress to boost funding for affordable housing and community development in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process.
On healthcare, the bishops remain clear: federal funds should never support abortion. While welcoming efforts to expand access to maternal, pediatric, and palliative care, they continue to resist attempts to redirect taxpayer money toward abortion providers. The issue remains live in Congress, as recent legal challenges have forced the federal government to restore Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood despite earlier legislative efforts to suspend them.
Internationally, the bishops are asking for robust commitments to humanitarian and development aid, noting the urgent global crises that require U.S. leadership. They argue that the federal budget should reflect Catholic principles of solidarity, ensuring that those in need both at home and abroad remain at the center of policy decisions.
In a recent message to lawmakers, Archbishop Broglio reminded Congress that their decisions “will have a lasting impact on the well-being and common good of many people.” With Congress returning on September 2, the bishops are making it clear that they intend to keep the moral dimension of legislation firmly in front of the nation’s leaders.