ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 16, 2007  

ELCA Presiding Bishop, Other Leaders Call for Compassionate Federal Budget
07-023-AL

     WASHINGTON, D.C. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson,
presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), joined leaders of four other Christian denominations Feb.
15 in sending a letter to all members of the U.S. Congress,
calling for a compassionate and just federal budget in 2008.
     "As the leaders of five denominations whose members helped
shape the core values of this nation from its founding, we
believe the federal budget must represent a shared vision of
justice and compassion for all of God's people, both in our own
nation and around the world,'" said the letter.
     President George W. Bush sent his fiscal year 2008 budget
request to Congress in early February.  The letter, written in
response, was signed by Hanson; the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts
Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church; the Rev.
Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the General Assembly,
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); the Rev. Beverly J. Shamana, bishop
and president of the United Methodist General Board of Church and
Society; and the Rev. John H. Thomas, general minister and
president, United Church of Christ.
     "Not surprisingly, we find that the FY '08 federal budget
meets our vision in some areas but decidedly not in others," said
the letter. "We are grateful for increases in international-
assistance programs, and call upon Congress to ensure that
equally critical domestic spending receives similar increases.
Those increases must not come, however, at the expense of the
unprecedented advances this budget makes in fighting poverty and
disease abroad."
     The leaders cited their specific domestic concerns:
+ Nutrition programs: "Termination of food assistance to 440,000
low-income seniors in an average month" would result from the
(proposed) cuts.
+ Energy assistance: "Despite recent increases in the cost of
heating and reaching only 23 percent of eligible households 
in FY '06, energy assistance to poor families, the elderly and
the disabled would be cut."
+ Children's health: "Allocated funds in the budget would not
cover all those presently enrolled in SCHIP (State Children's
Health Insurance Program), much less expand coverage to eligible
others."
+ Child care: "Funding for child care for children in low- and
moderate-income families would be frozen, even as inflation
causes the cost of providing child care to rise."
+ Head Start: "Funding cuts would leave programs with the choice
of reducing the number of children served or the quality of the
programs."
+ Housing: "Programs for the low-income, elderly and people with
disabilities would be cut."
+ Social services block grant: "Funds for states to provide basic
services to vulnerable low-income children, seniors and people
with disabilities would be cut."
+ Health care: "Proposed $13 billion Medicaid cuts over five years
would shift costs to states, that may result in their providing less
health care for low-income beneficiaries."
     "These cuts are especially disheartening when combined with
the fading from view of the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita
and Wilma," said the letter. "We have forgotten all too quickly
the stark portrait of poverty in America that emerged from those
disasters."
     The leaders applauded increases in international assistance,
including an "unprecedented" increase in funds to address HIV and
AIDS to $5.4 billion; an increase in the Millennium Challenge
Account to $3 billion; and an increase for humanitarian and
peacekeeping programs in Sudan.
     Quoting the Gospel of St. Matthew -- "For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also" -- the leaders
concluded the letter, "It is our prayer that our federal budget
will put our treasure into programs that show our hearts to be
compassionate and just. For in doing so, we will strengthen all
of God's people and, in return, our nation."
---
     The full text of the letter is at
http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy/issues/fedbudget/07-02-15-jointstatement.html
on the ELCA Web site.

     More information about the ELCA's advocacy ministries is at
http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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