On August 5, a large oil tank in Matanzas, Cuba was hit by lightning, starting the largest fire in Cuban history. This left 17 firefighters missing, some 125 people injured and almost 5,000 people evacuated from their homes and neighborhoods.U.S. sanctions are making this...

Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, more than 75,000 at-risk Afghans were welcomed into the United States via “humanitarian parole,” a temporary immigration status typically only granted for 1 or 2 years to provide safety for people under threat. Given the...

Global campaigns supporting human rights for members of the LGBTQIA+ community have made tremendous progress in recent years, specifically regarding marriage equality. However, in many countries, LGBTQIA+ people still face discrimination, repression, and abuse. For example,...

The sacred texts and traditions of our faith seek and promote healing and wholeness, and call us to do everything possible to reduce suffering and harm.  Yet despite our faith values, our current U.S. asylum policies have turned away from healing, and instead are...

This alert was produced by our International Fellow, Sarah Myers, who will be working on Gender Justice issues in the Office of Public Witness this summer.    Please go to her article, Gender Justice: An Urgent Need, to read more about her and what she will be...

Investment in education is one of the best ways to help people and communities thrive.  And, equal access to education is critical to the development of nations.  Over the past forty years, the international community has worked to increase access to basic...

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been in mission partnership on the Korean Peninsula for over 130 years. And, since the signing of the armistice agreement that merely paused open warfare on the Korean Peninsula, the church has advocated for a peaceful resolution to the...

One year ago, on June 14th, 2021, Representative Susan Wild introduced the Philippine Human Rights Act to the House of Representatives for a second time. But Congress has failed to move the legislation forward even though the human rights crisis in the Philippines is...

Since 2015, the Saudi-led war and blockade in Yemen has pushed millions to the brink of famine and helped cause what the United Nations has described as one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world. Over 16 million people are food insecure, and malnutrition rates for...

This year, Israeli forces have displaced Palestinian families and destroyed Palestinian homes at a record rate. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as of April 13, at least 197 Palestinian-owned structures had been demolished,...

Since the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the international community has shown robust and almost unanimous resolve in holding the government of Russia accountable. Putin has attacked a sovereign nation and has violated international human rights and humanitarian law by...

After withdrawing the United States from the Iran Nuclear Deal, the previous administration increased sanctions and waged a maximum pressure campaign against Iran.  The sanctions have done little to move the United States and Iran towards the goal of non-proliferation...

With the escalation of conflict in Ukraine, we are deeply concerned over the potential humanitarian impact of this conflict on both the people of Ukraine and those refugees and asylum seekers who have sought safety there. UNHCR estimates that around 660,000 refugees have...

Tell Congress to pass HR 2590 and hold Israel accountable for violations of Palestinian rights.This year marks a decade since the Office of Public Witness joined the Faith Forum on Middle East Policy. The Forum was first formed to serve as an informal coordination body...

After decades of conflict in Afghanistan, the Afghan people are suffering. Hunger could kill more people now than in 20 years of war. What is truly tragic is that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is a “human-made catastrophe.”  When the United States...

Take action: Urge your Representative to support expanding global access to COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines. The "End the Pandemic Now" resolution in Congress (H. Con. Res. 60) will help to provide the tools– in terms of capacity for testing, treatment, and...

The people of Cuba are experiencing the worst economic and humanitarian crisis in recent times and the situation on the island is dire.   Our partners in the Cuban churches—congregants, ministers, and their communities— have expressed their distress concerning the...

On October 28, 2021, Rep. Betty McCollum introduced a Resolution in the House of Representatives, H. Res. 751, opposing the designation of six Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist” organizations. On October 19, Benny Gantz, the Israeli Defense Minister, signed an...

Israel’s new government is in place and the Prime Minister, Neftali Bennett, visited President Biden in the White House late last month, attempting to reset Israeli-US relations.  Bennett has voiced his opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state and his support...

In recent days, the Taliban entered Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, seizing control as the Afghan government collapsed. Tens of thousands of our Afghan allies are in imminent danger, as attacks from the Taliban on Afghan nationals who supported the U.S...

Yesterday, Senators sided with American families and passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Now, it is time for the House of Representatives to Act! Contact your Representative today and urge them to act swiftly to pass this historic legislation. The time for...

On Friday, June 30th, the Supreme Court of the United States released a decision limiting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. In this 6-3 decision, the court concluded that the EPA was overreaching in...

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Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. In a 6 to 3 vote, the Supreme Court overturned the historic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision which confirmed a pregnant person’s constitutional right to choose whether or...

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was introduced in the Senate by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). The bill includes “enhanced background checks for those under 21, funding for mental health and school...

Our hearts are breaking. Within the span of one week, the United States has been devastated by the scourge of gun violence in Uvalde, Texas, Buffalo, New York, and Santa Ana, California. In an elementary school, beautiful children were slain by an 18-year-old in possession...

Enough! Gun violence in America has gone on for far too long, too many have died, and far too little has been done. It is Time to Act! Gun violence is a public health crisis at the epidemic level. This weekend, 11 people were killed, and 8 injured in two violent...

January 22nd, 2022, was the 49th anniversary of the landmark Roe v.  Wade U.S. Supreme Court ruling. This decision was pivotal in advancing reproductive justice in our nation, protecting a pregnant person’s access to full healthcare services, and ensuring...

UPDATE: On January 13th, the House of Representatives passed the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. This bill combines critical provisions of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act will be introduced...

On November, 19th, 2021, the Build Back Better Act was passed in the House of Representatives, advancing the legislation to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin on Monday, December 13th. The Build Back Better bill builds upon the American Rescue Plan by...

Tell Congress to Support the Philippine Human Rights Act The human rights situation in the Philippines is dire. Under the current administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, infamous for his statements encouraging law enforcement to kill drug suspects and...

The nation is still aghast at the verdict from the decision of the jury in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. On Friday, a jury in Kenosha, Wisconsin acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges. The Presbyterian Church (USA) expresses outrage by this verdict as it condones...

On September 27th, 2021, the Build Back Better Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY). The Build Back Better bill builds upon the American Rescue Plan by providing countless investments that will uplift our economy after the...

This week, Senators Klobuchar, Kaine, King, Manchin, Merkley, Padilla, Tester, and Warnock introduced the Freedom to Vote Act (S.2747), a robust package of widely-supported democracy reforms. This legislation is a much-needed democracy reform package that ensures all...

Over the past year, several states have passed laws that place extreme restrictions on a pregnant person’s legal ability to obtain an abortion. Most recently, the Texas state legislature passed SB8, the country’s most restrictive abortion law banning abortions...

on March 18th, 2021 by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-3) introduced the Environmental Justice for All Act (S.872/H.R. 2021) in the Senate and the House of Representatives. This groundbreaking legislation will establish various programs...

On Thursday, April 1st, Representatives Ted Deutch, Judy Chu, Charlie Crist Anna G. Eshoo, and Scott Peters re-introduced the H.R. 2307: Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This carbon pricing bill is an exciting advancement of Congressional effort to limit carbon...