Timeline - Vertical, design 2

Our 50-Year Justice Journey

1980

Nov

Ronald Reagan elected President. During the eight-year Reagan presidency, NETWORK lobbyists, organizers, and members worked to minimize the deep cuts to human needs programs, increases in military spending, and tax cuts championed by President Reagan. A 1984 poem by NETWORK member Alma Nieland illustrates the NETWORK community’s motivation: “Let me stop the wheels of oppression from grinding so hard as they otherwise would.”

1982

Jun

Nancy Sylvester, IHM

Nancy Sylvester, IHM succeeds Carol Coston, OP as NETWORK’s second leader.

Jun

The ERA Fails

The ERA fails to receive the necessary number of states for ratification.

1983

Nov

Code of Canon Law

The Vatican’s 1983 Code of Canon Law takes effect, prohibiting religious men and women from serving in public office, affecting members of NETWORK, including foundress Elizabeth Morancy.

A Difficult Choice

When the Vatican prohibited religious men and women from serving in public office, two NETWORK Board Members were forced to make a painful choice: Elizabeth Morancy, a Rhode Island state Representative, and Arlene Violet, a candidate for Rhode Island State Attorney General. Both resigned from the Sisters of Mercy to serve in those positions. Previously, NETWORK with LCWR and other groups, had issued an Epistle in support of former Mercy Sister Agnes Mary Mansour, who had been forced to choose between her ministry as director of the Michigan Department of Social Services and her community by the Vatican.

1988

Jan

Responding to Murder in El Salvador

Archbishop Óscar Romero is assassinated and four American churchwomen are murdered in El Salvador. In response, NETWORK invites leaders of congregations with missionaries in Central America to testify about the conditions in that region on Capitol Hill.

1989

Oct

Lobby Day Success

NETWORK coordinates the lobby days for Housing NOW!, a program sponsored by 175 organizations. More than 250,000 people participate in the week of briefings, press conferences, panel discussions, prayer services, benefit concerts, marches, and rallies.

1993

Jan

Family & Medical Leave Act

The Family and Medical Leave Act, which NETWORK strongly supported, passes in Congress and is signed into law by President Clinton.

Sep

Healthcare Legislation

1993│NETWORK lobbyist Sr. Catherine Pinkerton, CSJ and staff work with First Lady Hillary Clinton and Sen. Ted Kennedy to craft comprehensive healthcare legislation. The bid to reform health care was unsuccessful.

1996

Aug

Protesting “Welfare Reform”

President Clinton signs the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act into law, dramatically cutting the number of people eligible for federal aid.

As President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act into law, NETWORK staff marched in protest outside the White House gates. NETWORK joined Pax Christi and several religious congregations to found the Welfare Reform Watch Project to collect multi-year statistics and anecdotal information about the law’s impact on low-income families. NETWORK also provided testimony to Congress and published several reports that drew media attention.

The first Welfare Reform Watch Project report, “Poverty Amid Plenty,” was released in April 1999.

2001

Jan

The Presidential Citizens Medal

Carol Coston, OP receives the Presidential Citizens Medal, the country’s second highest civilian honor, from President Clinton for her work shaping federal public policy.