Letter
Letter to Congress on FY 2012 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations
Letter from Bishop Stephen E. Blaire, Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development to Congress on FY 2012 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations, October 20, 2011
On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I write to address the moral and human dimensions of the Fiscal Year 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Despite the desperate and increased need for secure, affordable housing, the Conference Committee is dealing with legislation that includes substantial cuts to programs that serve poor and vulnerable people and communities. These proposed cuts will fall particularly on the people and communities least equipped to absorb them.
Government has an obligation to ensure this basic need of citizens when other institutions and the market cannot.
Clearly, Congress, the Administration, and government at all levels face challenges to get our financial house in order. In light of growing deficits, Congress faces difficult choices about how to balance needs and resources and allocate burdens and sacrifices. However, Congress should not choose disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor persons as the way to address these challenges.