President Obama signed long-sought legislation June 22 authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products, and among those cheering were the 25 faith groups in the Faith United Against Tobacco coalition. “Better late than never,” said Wesley “Pat” Padillo, a key advocacy official for the National Council of Churches.
Christian leaders, including three members of President Obama’s faith advisory council, have urged the president to make good on his promise of comprehensive immigration reform. Samuel Rodriguez, Noel Castellanos, Vashti McKenzie and Jim Wallis, of the group Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, said that the government must give immigration reform the same high-level priority as banks, auto companies and health care. “This is the urgency of the now,” said McKenzie, a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.