Catholics Confront Global Poverty

ACTION ALERT:
URGE CONGRESS TO PASS A STRONG FY 2010 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET

TAKE ACTION NOW! Visit the Action Center now (http://actioncenter.crs.org) and urge members of the Senate and House conference committee negotiating the differences between the House and Senate’s FY 2010 budget plans to uphold the Senate’s higher levels allocated to the international affairs budget.

WHY IS THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET IMPORTANT NOW?

The FY 2010 budget approved by the Senate fully funds President Obama’s request for a strong international affairs budget, creating the potential for a $3 billion increase to poverty-focused international assistance programs that confront poverty and save lives. But first, the Senate will have to reconcile budget differences with the House FY 2010 budget, which provides $5.3 billion less for international affairs. We need your help now to ensure that the conference committee negotiating the differences between the Senate and House versions upholds the Senate's levels for international affairs.

HOW DO KEY PARTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET CONFRONT GLOBAL POVERTY?

The international affairs budget encompasses lifesaving programs that confront global poverty, including: provision of food and clean water; treatment of people affected by HIV and other deadly diseases; promotion of agriculture and microfinance to help people support themselves and their families, and delivery of education and health services to poor people. At this point in the congressional budget process, a strong international affairs budget is a critical first step in the budget and appropriations process to ensure that adequate resources for those programs assisting poor and vulnerable people around the globe are available.

WHAT DOES THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET HAVE TO DO WITH MY FAITH?

Our Catholic faith requires that we uphold the life and dignity of the human person by alleviating human suffering and promoting justice and solidarity worldwide. As William F. Murphy, Bishop of Rockville Centre and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and Howard J. Hubbard, Bishop of Albany and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace said in a recent letter (http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-03-26-ltr-to-congress-on-budget-bishops-murphy-hubbard.pdf) to Congress: “We urge Congress not to neglect the “least of these” in the budget deliberations that reflect our priorities and values as a nation in significant ways. Our plea is simple: put the poor and vulnerable first as you consider this historic budget resolution.”
For more information contact: Stephen Hilbert, Policy Advisor, USCCB Office of International Justice and Peace, shilbert@usccb.org; (202) 541-3149 Tina Rodousakis, Manager, CRS Grassroots Advocacy, trodousa@crs.org; (410) 951-7462