{"id":22809,"date":"2017-11-01T01:30:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-01T01:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these-87373\/"},"modified":"2017-11-01T01:30:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-01T01:30:00","slug":"bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on  \u2018the least of these\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><head><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><\/head><body><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/Money_Credit_Andy_via_Flickr_CC_BY_NC_20_CNA_8_7_15.jpeg\"><\/p>\n<p>Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good.<\/p>\n<p>\"You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,\" wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress.<\/p>\n<p>The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the \"Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,\u201d the Trump administration's template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCare for the poor\u201d is first among the bishop\u2019s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform.<\/p>\n<p>Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops\u2019 commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs.<\/p>\n<p>One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned.<\/p>\n<p>Although the simplification of the tax code in the \u201cUnified Framework\u201d retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said.<\/p>\n<p>While particularly concerned about the reform\u2019s potential impact on the poor, Dewane\u2019s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the \u201cUnified Framework\u201d could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the \u201cmarriage penalty\u201d in the existing tax credit is removed, he said.<\/p>\n<p>The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said.<\/p>\n<p>Quoting the \u201cCompendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,\u201d Bishop Dewane\u2019s letter reminded lawmakers that \u201cthe goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"feedflare\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/catholicnewsagency\/dailynews?a=gr58stkFYEc:LPuHcbUqb-s:yIl2AUoC8zA\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/catholicnewsagency\/dailynews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA\" border=\"0\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~r\/catholicnewsagency\/dailynews\/~4\/gr58stkFYEc\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/Money_Credit_Andy_via_Flickr_CC_BY_NC_20_CNA_8_7_15.jpeg\"><\/p>\n<p>Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/\" target=\"_self\">CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,&#8221; wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress.<\/p>\n<p>The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the &#8220;Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration&#8217;s template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform.<\/p>\n<p>Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops&#8217; Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs.<\/p>\n<p>One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned.<\/p>\n<p>Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said.<\/p>\n<p>While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said.<\/p>\n<p>The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops&#8217; Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said.<\/p>\n<p>Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/catholicnewsagency\/dailynews?a=gr58stkFYEc:LPuHcbUqb-s:yIl2AUoC8zA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/catholicnewsagency\/dailynews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA\" border=\"0\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~r\/catholicnewsagency\/dailynews\/~4\/gr58stkFYEc\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good. &quot;You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,&quot; wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress. The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the &quot;Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration&#039;s template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes. &ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform. Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops&#039; Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs. One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned. Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said. While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said. The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops&#039; Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said. Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo; &nbsp;\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good. &quot;You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,&quot; wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress. The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the &quot;Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration&#039;s template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes. &ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform. Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops&#039; Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs. One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned. Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said. While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said. The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops&#039; Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said. Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo; &nbsp;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Catholic News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-11-01T01:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/Money_Credit_Andy_via_Flickr_CC_BY_NC_20_CNA_8_7_15.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/\",\"name\":\"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-11-01T01:30:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-11-01T01:30:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1\"},\"description\":\"Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good. \\\"You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,\\\" wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress. The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the \\\"Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration's template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes. &ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform. Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs. One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned. Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said. While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said. The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said. Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo; &nbsp;\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/\",\"name\":\"Catholic News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1\",\"name\":\"CNA Daily News\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"CNA Daily News\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/author\/cna-daily-news\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019","description":"Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good. \"You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,\" wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress. The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the \"Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration's template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes. &ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform. Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs. One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned. Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said. While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said. The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said. Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo; &nbsp;","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019","og_description":"Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good. \"You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,\" wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress. The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the \"Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration's template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes. &ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform. Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs. One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned. Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said. While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said. The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said. Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo; &nbsp;","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/","og_site_name":"Catholic News","article_published_time":"2017-11-01T01:30:00+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/Money_Credit_Andy_via_Flickr_CC_BY_NC_20_CNA_8_7_15.jpeg"}],"author":"CNA Daily News","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CNA Daily News","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/","name":"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-11-01T01:30:00+00:00","dateModified":"2017-11-01T01:30:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1"},"description":"Washington D.C., Oct 31, 2017 \/ 07:30 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- With House lawmakers set to release their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good. \"You are urged to recognize the critical obligation of creating a just framework aimed at the economic security of all people, especially the least of these,\" wrote Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida in a letter addressed to Congress. The letter outlines moral principles to be considered alongside the \"Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code,&rdquo; the Trump administration's template for rewriting and simplifying federal taxes. &ldquo;Care for the poor&rdquo; is first among the bishop&rsquo;s principles, which also include avoiding cuts to poverty programs to finance the tax reform. Bishop Dewane, who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, cited the U.S. bishops&rsquo; commitment to evaluating the tax system in terms of its impact on the poor. He emphasised that the burden of tax reform should not fall upon those struggling to meet their daily needs. One possible impact of the proposed tax changes could be a reduction in charitable giving, Dewane warned. Although the simplification of the tax code in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; retains tax incentives for charitable contributions, the elimination of the estate tax and increase in the overall standard deduction could reduce incentives to give, leaving the poor vulnerable, he said. While particularly concerned about the reform&rsquo;s potential impact on the poor, Dewane&rsquo;s letter affirmed that some proposed tax changes in the &ldquo;Unified Framework&rdquo; could be instrumental in strengthening and encouraging families. An increase in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit could be of particular benefit to families, especially if the &ldquo;marriage penalty&rdquo; in the existing tax credit is removed, he said. The pending overhaul of the current tax system, if passed, is likely to leave a lasting impact on U.S. tax revenues and public spending for years to come. The U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development seeks to ensure that these changes secure a positive future for the poor and for families, DeWane said. Quoting the &ldquo;Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,&rdquo; Bishop Dewane&rsquo;s letter reminded lawmakers that &ldquo;the goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity.&rdquo; &nbsp;","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/11\/bishop-calls-on-congress-to-consider-tax-reforms-impact-on-the-least-of-these\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Bishop calls on Congress to consider tax reform\u2019s impact on \u2018the least of these\u2019"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/","name":"Catholic News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1","name":"CNA Daily News","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"CNA Daily News"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/author\/cna-daily-news\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1031"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22809\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}