For more than 150 years, St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan has been a beacon in Greenwich Village, serving poets, writers, artists, winos, the poor and the working-class, and gay people...But today the hospital is struggling, and last week, in what could mean the death knell of the last Roman Catholic general hospital in New York City, a chain of hospitals proposed to take over St. Vincent's, shut down its inpatient beds and most of its emergency room services, and convert it into an outpatient center tied to hospitals uptown and on the East Side.

Health and medical malpractice insurance companies would lose an antitrust exemption they've enjoyed since 1945 under a bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. Betsy Markey. The bill is on a fast track and headed for a House vote next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office said. Markey co-authored the bill with Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Va., arguing that removing the antitrust provision would increase competition and lower prices for consumers.

After one tumultuous year in office, President Barack Obama used his first State of the Union address last evening to re-state his agenda. But rather than the inspiring rhetoric of a campaign speech, it was a more sober reflection on unfinished business. Not surprisingly, the president focused on the economy, particularly jobs and financial reform.

Last night, President Obama made it clear to Congress: "Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people." Over the past year, I have joined with my brothers and sisters of faith in the PICO National Network to work for comprehensive health reform that makes insurance affordable for the many families we minister to in congregations across the country who are struggling to secure quality insurance.

As debate over health care reform comes down to the wire in Congress, it's essential that elected officials put the needs of struggling families ahead of special interests and partisan politics. Many families are not getting the care they deserve because they can't afford the cost. Even those with insurance are having a hard time and fear losing coverage. For many decades, religious leaders and faith-based organizations have made the case that a broken health care system makes a mockery of our nation's ideals and values. Catholic bishops have been leading advocates for universal health care as a fundamental human right, not simply a luxury for the privileged few.

There are good reasons why Jewish groups like the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and the American Jewish Committee have been active advocates for comprehensive immigration reform. More than most, the Jewish community understands America's role as a safe haven and land of opportunity for those "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." And more than most, we understand the dangers of scapegoating immigrants for political gain, sadly a long American political tradition and one of the reasons serious, fair-minded immigration reform has been so difficult to pass in recent years.

Congress should pass, and the president should sign, health care reform legislation soon to emerge from a House/Senate conference committee. American Catholics -- in the pews, from diocesan chanceries, and in the organizations that represent them in the public arena -- should be especially enthusiastic in their support of the most significant expansion of the U.S. social contract since the passage of universal coverage for the elderly (the Medicare program) more than four-and-a-half decades ago.

Representative Bart Stupak often endures things others find unbearable. He crisscrosses a Congressional district so vast that some constituents live eight hours apart and so cold that the beer at his beloved football games sometimes freezes. Years ago, as a state trooper, he blew out his knee chasing a suspect, and he has since had so many operations that he now returns to work the same day, toting crutches and ice...Now he is enduring more hatred than perhaps any other member of Congress, much of it from fellow Democrats. His name has become a slogan: "Stop Stupak!"

More money for community health centers. Immediate help for the uninsured. No more lifetime limits on coverage. Under the health care legislation that's moving through Congress, these and other benefits would take effect quickly and should produce a noticeable impact on consumers, according to many independent analysts and Democrats.