AP National News

Sitting on billions, Catholic dioceses amassed taxpayer aid

By REESE DUNKLIN and MICHAEL REZENDES - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

An Associated Press investigation has found that scores of Roman Catholic dioceses in the U.S. had more than $10 billion in cash and other readily available funds when they received at least $1.5 billion from the federal government’s small business emergency relief program. The Paycheck Protection Program was intended for employers who were badly battered by coronavirus lock downs. Instead of suffering financially, however, many dioceses are reporting in audited financial statements that these assets ended up growing amid the economic downturn. Overall, Catholic Church recipients were perhaps the paycheck program’s biggest beneficiaries. Church officials say they needed government relief to pay staff because donations from the faithful slowed when churches were ordered to close.

Takeaways: AP investigation of Catholic Church and US aid

By REESE DUNKLIN and MICHAEL REZENDES - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

When the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into freefall, the federal government hastily knit a safety net for small businesses called the Paycheck Protection Program. The idea was to keep Main Street alive and workers paid even as the public health emergency shuttered shops and offices. An investigation by The Associated Press found that the Roman Catholic Church was perhaps the program’s biggest beneficiary. Catholic dioceses collectively had billions in cash and other readily available funds when they received at least $3 billion from the small business emergency relief program. Instead of suffering financially, many dioceses are reporting that their available assets grew amid the broader economic downturn.

Colorado governor: Space Command, US lands agency must stay

By JAMES ANDERSON - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is urging the Biden administration to keep the headquarters of two key U.S. government agencies in Colorado, arguing that the U.S. Space Command and the Bureau of Land Management serve the nation’s interests better if they stay where they are. The Democratic governor is urging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to review the Trump administration’s announcement that the new U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Huntsville, Alabama, home to the Army’s Redstone Arsenal. The command provisionally is located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. Polis also urged President Biden to keep the BLM headquarters in Grand Junction. The Trump administration moved those headquarters from Washington.