The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

Original Text of Resolution:

(D018)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 68th General Convention of the Episcopal Church adopt as its own the resolution adopted by the Executive Council at its February 12-15, 1985, meeting:

Resolved, That the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church reaffirm Episcopal Church resolutions of February, 1981, September, 1982 and June, 1984 calling for the United States to offer safe haven through the granting of "blanket `extended voluntary departure' immigration status" to Central Americans seeking temporary refuge in our nation from conflict and civil strife in their home countries; and be it further

Resolved, That the Executive Council express its deep disturbance and regret at recent indictments of sanctuary workers who are acting out of religious conviction to offer protection and safe haven to Central Americans, based on Judeo-Christian imperatives to offer hospitality to the stranger and love to one's neighbor; and be it further

Resolved, That the Executive Council urge all members of the Episcopal Church to support actively, through their U.S. Senators and Representatives, legislation introduced in this 99th U.S. Congress for the suspension of detention and deportation of two years, of Salvadoran refugees in the United States as of the date of enactment, and the study of the Salvadoran refugee situation by the General Accounting Office; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Executive Council forward copies of this resolution to the U.S. President, the Vice-President, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General and all members of the U.S. Congress.

Proposed Committee Amendment:

In the fourth Resolved clause, line four:

correct the typographical error by deleting the word "of" after the word "deportation" and replace it with the word "for."

Motion carried

Resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #79)