Kathy's update:

Inspired by Meg's faithful updates, I thought I would write a few words about the work in which I have been involved.

A US response to Global Hunger and Food Security: Although the updated version of the new initiative has not been revealed, the State Department has been having conversations with Senator Dick Lugar, Senator Robert Casey and Representative Betty McCollum who have active versions of food security bills before congress. Though the administration does not need authorization from congress to launch its initiative, the State Department hopes that members of congress will modify their bills to include their concerns and objectives to win some congressional support for the intitiave. Last week Senate Foreign Relations held a hearing featuring Jack Lew, Secretary for Resource Management and Raj Shah, USAID Administrator and others. Strong support was expressed for another "green revolution." Lugar made clear his bias that GM technology be an important aspect of US response. Shah and Lew raised examples of the promise of GM technology in responding to climate change and the challenge of providing better nutrition to children. The faith community wrote a letter expressing concerns about the GM language in the bill, and will followup with a second letter with specific questions. Lugar clearly thinks that the benefits outweigh our concerns, but we will continue to flex our moral muscles!

Faith Economy Ecology Working Group is working on a number of reflection processes designed to get groups that signed on to the statement more engaged in the issues and the working group. The group is also looking at climate finance and trying to have some input on what the "Green Climate Fund" should look like. A smaller group met with representatives from Treasury to talk about the principles we outlined; and some of us are working on legislation that would urge the administration to negotiate a global climate fund incorporate that would incorporate these principles - like the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria. FEE also wrote and circulated a sign on letter supporting the CLEAR Act which would establish a cap and dividend response to greenhouse gas mitigation. This letter has gained some good support and momentum as capitol hill watches the Kerry / Lieberman /Graham alliance fall apart.

Other than that -- I became an aunt this week! At 10:15 pm on May 26th my sister Patty gave birth to a healthy boy 8 lbs 7.5 ounces; 21 inches long. He is named John Liam Barker. My brother-in-law, John Christopher Barker lost his father, John Leonard Barker to pancreatic cancer on May21... It has been an emotional and action-packed week for my family as we marvel at the fullness of life!