Urge your Senator to Restore Vital Foreign Aid Funding
March 13, 2006
WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT: Last week, the Senate Budget Committee passed a $2.8 trillion Budget Resolution for FY 2007. The Budget Resolution cut the amount of funds for International Affairs (that includes Foreign Assistance) by $2 billion dollars. Please read the attached letter USCCB sent to the US Senate urging restoration of funding for foreign affairs.
TAKE ACTION NOW! Please contact your Senator today and urge them to restore the $2 billion to the International Affairs Account. Remind them, as Bishop Skylstad wrote in his letter of February 15, 2006, that : Our nation [
] has international responsibilities that require increased investments in promoting peace and security as well as international development. Such investments and assistance could well improve dramatically our nation's response to relief, development, and health needs in Africa and other underdeveloped parts of the world and to provide urgently needed assistance and protection to refugees.
BACKGROUND: In support of our mission to follow the Gospels call to alleviate human suffering and promote justice throughout the world, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is promoting the Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty (www.usccb.org/globalpoverty). Our campaign is rooted in our Churchs teaching to uphold human dignity, which we believe should be reflected in U.S. programs that address the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people around the world.
It is therefore essential that Congress restore the $2 billion to the International Affairs Account.
TAKE ACTION NOW! Contact your Senators today and urge them to restore urgently needed funding for foreign operations. Call the US Capitol Switchboard on 202-224-3121 and ask to be put through to your Senators.
For more information, contact:
Fr. Andrew Small, Policy Advisor, International Economic Development, USCCB, (202) 541-3153; asmall@usccb.org