Public Policy Office of the Archdiocese of New York
The Public Policy Office works to influence legislation on the national and state levels in order to promote the cause of human life and family life. Our mission is to transform our society in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For more information on current public policy issues click here or contact Ed Mechmann, Director of Public Policy, at (646) 794-2807 or edward.mechmann@archny.org.
The office coordinates all efforts with the New York State Catholic Conference to implement the Bishops’ legislative advocacy strategies. In particular, they rely on the Conference’s Catholic Action Network, which organizes and mobilizes grassroots e-mail advocacy in support of the positions of the Church on public policy matters. They also cooperate with legislative initiatives from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Secretariat, and the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment.
Ulster Deanery Respect Life Committee
For local public policy efforts in Ulster County and more ideas on how to get involved, please see the website for the Ulster Deanery Respect Life Committee.
Equality Act
The Equality Act may sound harmless but its dangerous implications are broad and far-reaching. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith. It has already passed in the House and will soon be voted on in the Senate.
Learn more about the Equality Act and its implications for people of faith here.
Take action: learn how to contact your Senators here.
Pastoral resources:
- Learn how to respond to the challenges of gender ideology here.
- Resources for families with school-aged children are available here.
Equality Act & What it Means for Catholics: Webinar
If you missed this important and informative webinar on the Equality Act, you can watch it below. Featuring presentations from knowledgeable speakers including Mary Hasson, Susan Muskett, and Gregory Baylor.
Catholic Action Network – reach your legislator today!
The most effective tool we have to influence our legislators is the Catholic Action Network. The Network was established by the Bishops of New York State to provide Catholics with a modern, effective way to contact their representatives about issues of concern to the Church. It uses the convenience of email to alert you of important issues that are before our State Legislature, and lets you lobby your legislators from your own home, with just a few clicks of the computer mouse.
Here is a link to a page of resources on the NYSCC website regarding the issue of Physician Assisted Suicide, including an Action Alert, a bulletin insert, a flyer, and a concise Issue in Brief.
Parish Resources for Public Awareness
Encourage your parishioners to sign a petition to repeal the RHA. Click here for a pre-written petition. (simply add more pages for signatures).
As one life leader shared with us, “It is not solely for the legislators that petitions matter, it is for the people to decide where they stand on abortion and sign their name to it.“
We have been challenged to substantiate our arguments about the Reproductive Health Act. Here is an explanation of how the bill (now the law) does precisely what we have said.
Great resource for bulletins, tabling, or pro-life resource racks. Click here.
Late Term Abortion: Resources for Education
Tools organized by the New York State Catholic Conference to your parish educated, organize, and and spread the pro-life message.
Reproductive Health Act – what to read
- The Battle is Far from Over
- What the Reproductive Health Act really says…
- The Truth About Late-Term Abortions
Abortion Expansion – information and flyer
The “Reproductive Health Act” (RHA) was signed into law on January 22, 2019, and is available here.
Proponents of the Reproductive Health Act frequently frame it as a simple codification of Roe v Wade, saying it merely updates New York’s laws to reflect the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision. But this is not true.
The Reproductive Health Act allows abortions for virtually any reason in the third trimester of pregnancy–when a child is viable in the womb. The bill also permits non-doctors to perform abortions, a permission Roe v. Wade never made. Additionally, the bill repeals protections that are currently in our law for babies that are accidentally born alive during an abortion, and it removes abortion from the state’s penal code, which closes a criminal avenue to pursue if a baby dies in the womb through an act of domestic violence or another crime.
Additionally, this law has language that seems to be a direct threat to pro-life pregnancy centers and health facilities who offer women resources and support when choosing life for themselves and their child.
The question the RHA begs is – how is this law good for women? The truth is, it is not. While the RHA is certainly devastating to the unborn child, it fails to protect women from manipulation, exploitation, sub-standard healthcare, and domestic violence. Click on the flyer below to learn more.
Get Your Whole Parish on the Catholic Action Network:
To help in this project, we have prepared the following materials:
- Instructions on how to conduct a “sign-up weekend”.
- A two-page flyer about the Network, with a tear-off sign-up sheet. (English, Spanish)
- A bulletin insert about the Network, to be used in advance of the sign-up weekend.
- Bulletin/Pulpit announcements.
RHA Fact Sheet
A Fact Sheet on the new bill and statistics on Late Term Abortion. Great for Bulletins. Download here.
Check out Ed Mechmann’s Blog – Stepping Out of the Boat