Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101

The United States has a long history of religious influence on public policy: the anti-slavery movement, progressivism, prohibition, civil rights, abortion, school vouchers, school prayer and nuclear disarmament are all issues that have involved religion and religious groups in policymaking. In rece...

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Main Authors: Anne Marie Cammisa, Paul Christopher Manuel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2016-02-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/2/16
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author Anne Marie Cammisa
Paul Christopher Manuel
author_facet Anne Marie Cammisa
Paul Christopher Manuel
author_sort Anne Marie Cammisa
collection DOAJ
description The United States has a long history of religious influence on public policy: the anti-slavery movement, progressivism, prohibition, civil rights, abortion, school vouchers, school prayer and nuclear disarmament are all issues that have involved religion and religious groups in policymaking. In recent decades, the number of religious interest groups (as well as interest groups in general) has greatly expanded, but the role that the religious organizations play as interest groups in the policy arena has received relatively little attention. How are they similar to and different from other interest groups? What tactics do they use? How successful are they? Under what conditions is success or failure more likely? This article examines Roman Catholic religious groups as interest groups in the congressional policymaking process. First, it places Catholic interest groups in the context of the interest group literature, and second, it examines Catholic interest groups’ activity in the passage of welfare reform in 1996 and in the passage of health care reform in 2010. In both cases, they played a greater role in context-setting than in actually changing provisions.
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spelling doaj.art-60ba6d95adbd4c72a19e00fb3d3040d92022-12-21T23:18:56ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442016-02-01721610.3390/rel7020016rel7020016Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101Anne Marie Cammisa0Paul Christopher Manuel1Department of Government, Georgetown University, 3700 O St NW, Washington, DC 20057, USADepartment of Government, School of Public Affairs, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USAThe United States has a long history of religious influence on public policy: the anti-slavery movement, progressivism, prohibition, civil rights, abortion, school vouchers, school prayer and nuclear disarmament are all issues that have involved religion and religious groups in policymaking. In recent decades, the number of religious interest groups (as well as interest groups in general) has greatly expanded, but the role that the religious organizations play as interest groups in the policy arena has received relatively little attention. How are they similar to and different from other interest groups? What tactics do they use? How successful are they? Under what conditions is success or failure more likely? This article examines Roman Catholic religious groups as interest groups in the congressional policymaking process. First, it places Catholic interest groups in the context of the interest group literature, and second, it examines Catholic interest groups’ activity in the passage of welfare reform in 1996 and in the passage of health care reform in 2010. In both cases, they played a greater role in context-setting than in actually changing provisions.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/2/16U.S. Catholic Bishopshealth care reformwelfare reformAffordable Care Actinterest group lobbyingReligion and Public PolicyAbortionCatholic Interest Groupscongressional politicsPresident Obama
spellingShingle Anne Marie Cammisa
Paul Christopher Manuel
Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101
Religions
U.S. Catholic Bishops
health care reform
welfare reform
Affordable Care Act
interest group lobbying
Religion and Public Policy
Abortion
Catholic Interest Groups
congressional politics
President Obama
title Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101
title_full Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101
title_fullStr Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101
title_full_unstemmed Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101
title_short Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101
title_sort religious groups as interest groups the united states catholic bishops in the welfare reform debate of 1995 1996 and the health care reform debate of 2009 20101
topic U.S. Catholic Bishops
health care reform
welfare reform
Affordable Care Act
interest group lobbying
Religion and Public Policy
Abortion
Catholic Interest Groups
congressional politics
President Obama
url http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/2/16
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