FOR RELEASE: February 2, 2015
CONTACT: Stephanie Niedringhaus, 202-347-9797 x224, sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

Washington: NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, today released the following statement: 

NETWORK knows that the federal budget is a moral statement that reflects the priorities of our nation, and we ground our analysis of budgets in longstanding principles of the Catholic social justice tradition. We call on all elected leaders to approve federal budget priorities that create a society benefitting all segments of society, particularly those struggling to overcome poverty.

The federal budget should aim to build a strong domestic economy and strong communities for the 100%. At a time of historic levels of inequality in which a small percentage of U.S. families have done incredibly well while most have struggled with flat wages and are barely getting by, it is imperative that we enact policies to reverse this dangerous and destabilizing reality.

To that end, we applaud the Obama administration’s budget proposal as a valuable step toward policies that invest in working families while asking those who have benefited most from our economy to pay their fair share. Saying that those who receive income from investments should not pay lower taxes than the rest of us is the right call. And those who hide profits offshore should pay their fair share to support the nation that has given them their opportunity. The president’s budget is fiscally responsible because it funds important programs that support families and individuals aspiring to become part of our nation’s middle class by raising reasonable revenue.

As important, the administration chose to promote the good of all and create a more equitable and secure society by expanding tax credits for lower-income workers. Proposals to help working families, like a permanent, expanding Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and a permanent, refundable Child Tax Credit, are critical to bridge the income gap in our nation. These proposals would benefit 16 million families, including 29 million children, each year. Such proposals have longstanding bipartisan support and strengthen our society from the ground up.

We are concerned about the increased Pentagon spending, which is designed to maintain parity between defense and non-defense spending. We would prefer additional funding for human needs, both foreign and domestic. We know that real security comes when neighbors have their needs met and families have hope for a future. More Pentagon spending is not an effective way forward for our nation and our world.

We urge Congress to reject partisan sound bites and get to work for the American people. Policies that benefit the 100% mean that we raise reasonable revenue for responsible programs. The president’s budget is a responsible blueprint for creating an economy of inclusion.

A more in-depth analysis of the president’s proposal is available here.

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