Bob talked with Chicago attorney Jim Geoly about the recent refusal of the Obama administration to broaden the religious exemption for mandated coverage of contraceptives and sterilization. They also spoke about the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Hosanna-Tabor case, which allows for a “ministerial exception” in employment discrimination cases.
Mark Fleming of the National Immigrant Justice Center then joined Bob to discuss a proposed federal immigration rule that would allow certain immigrants to remain in the country while they go through the application process.
Bob and David Marzahl, president of the Center for Economic Progress, talked about the impact of the gradual expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low-income residents. The legislation, which takes effect June 1, increases the EITC from its current level of 5 percent of the federal EITC to 7.5 percent in tax year 2012, and 10 percent of the federal EITC in tax year 2013.