Critics of the bishops are accusing them of being political partisans. They are wrong. It is simply false to argue that the USCCB is a political tool of either the Republicans or the Democrats. The USCCB has praised and criticized the leaders of both parties, depending on their policies and how they mesh with Catholic teachings on public policy matters.
Bishops Pro-Obama
“We are heartened by a recent address delivered by President Obama on immigration reform reaffirming that it is a priority for his Administration, and that he is committed to supporting legislation and working for its enactment in the future.” – Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas (July 14, 2010)
“On behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I welcome the announcement by President Obama today that consistent with his executive authority, he will grant deferred action on a case-by-case basis to youth who entered the United States by age of 15 and have not committed certain offenses.” – Archbishop Jose H. Gomez (June 15, 2012)
“We, the bishops of the United States – can you believe it – in 1919 came out for more affordable, more comprehensive, more universal health care.” – Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan (December 4, 2013)
“Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki responded to the Obama administration’s plans to legally permit 5 million undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States temporarily, saying in the history of the Catholic Church, helping immigrants is not something new.” – Archdiocese of Milwaukee (November 21, 2014)
“The bishops welcome this important move by the [Obama] administration to adopt long-awaited standards to mitigate climate change and safeguard health, which are significant ways to live our responsibility to care for God’s creation.” – Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski (August 4, 2015)
Bishops Anti-Trump
“The President’s decision not to honor the U.S. commitment to the Paris agreement is deeply troubling…. President Trump’s decision will harm the people of the United States and the world, especially the poorest, most vulnerable communities.” – Bishop Oscar Cantú (June 1, 2017)
“Yesterday, President Trump unveiled a budget plan, ‘Efficient, Effective, Accountable: An American Budget’ that again calls for deep cuts to vital parts of government, including underfunding programs that serve the poor, diplomacy, and environmental stewardship.” – Bishop Frank J. Dewane (February 13, 2018)
“We are deeply concerned about the President’s action to fund the construction of a wall along the U.S./Mexico border, which circumvents the clear intent of Congress to limit funding of a wall.” – Bishop Joe S. Vasquez (February 15, 2019)
“We are deeply disappointed that the [Trump] Administration continues to push forward to end DACA…. We urge the President to reinstate the original protections that DACA provides to young people currently enrolled in the program, as well as begin accepting new prospective DACA applicants.” – Archbishop Jose H. Gomez (July 30, 2020)
“Sadly, we must call on the Administration yet again to stop an execution…. We ask President Trump and Attorney General Barr, as an act of witness to the dignity of all human life: stop these executions.” – Archbishop Paul S. Coakley and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann (November 18, 2020)
Bishops Pro-Biden
“We welcome the announcement preserving and fortifying DACA. For years, DACA youth have been enriching our country…. We applaud President Biden’s restoration of the DACA program….” – Archbishop Jose H. Gomez and Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville (January 21, 2021)
“We welcome [the president’s] Proclamation, which will help ensure that those fleeing persecution and seeking refuge or seeking to reunify with family in the United States will not be turned away because of what country they are from or what religion they practice.” – Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville (January 21, 2021)
“Biden signed an executive order requiring all U.S. residents to be counted in the U.S. census and reversed the prior administration’s unprecedented policy of excluding undocumented immigrants…. ‘We welcome this return to more than a century of American precedent that ensures all residents will be counted and included in the census and apportionment.'” – Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville (January 22, 2021)
“We welcome the Biden Administration’s actions to promote racial equity.” – Archbishop Paul S. Coakley and Bishop Shelton J. Fabre (February 1, 2021)
“Biden announced yesterday that the United States will rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change. It is our hope that the United States will not only seize this challenge to meet the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050…but also become the global climate leader….” – Archbishop Paul S. Coakley and Bishop David J. Malloy (April 26, 2021)
