MEMBER ALERT!!!!

Protect our Poor and Vulnerable Brothers and Sisters

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urges Congress and the Administration to protect programs for poor and vulnerable persons during deficit reduction negotiations that are happening this week.

What you can do:

Urge the Administration and Congress to give priority to poor and vulnerable persons in the negotiations to reduce the deficit. 
Fiscal responsibility is important and our current budget deficit must be addressed; however, a just framework for future budgets cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor persons.  A balanced approach requires shared sacrifice by all, including raising adequate revenues, eliminating unnecessary spending, and addressing the long-term costs of health insurance and retirement programs fairly.
Urge Congress and the Administration to consider these moral criteria to guide their budgetary decisions:

1.   Every budget decision should be assessed by whether it protects or threatens human life and dignity.

2.   A central moral measure of any budget proposal is how it affects “the least of these” (Matthew 25).  The needs of those who are hungry and homeless, without work, or in poverty should come first.

3.   Government and other institutions have a shared responsibility to promote the common good of all, especially ordinary workers and families who struggle to live in dignity in difficult economic time.

Take Action Now!
Call 1-888-245-0215 to be connected to the White House comment line. 
To locate your Representative or Senator, visit www.house.gov or www.senate.gov, or call 1-202-224-3121 to be connected to the Capitol Switchboard.

Background:

Circle of Protection
Bishops’ Letter to House on FY 2012 Budget Resolution
Bishops’ Letter to Senate on FY 2012 Budget Resolution

Go to http://capwiz.com/catholicbishops/home to check out the full alert.  If you are on Facebook, join the USCCB page at www.facebook.com/usccb and click on “Take Action” on the left side of the page to learn more.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS MESSAGE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE.

Thank you!