FOR RELEASE: March 27, 2015
CONTACT: Stephanie Niedringhaus, 202-347-9797 x224, sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

Washington DC: Today, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, issued the following statement in response to this week’s House and Senate votes on the federal budget:

After a review of budget proposals adopted by the House and Senate this week, we have messages for both Congress and President Obama:

• To Congress we say: “It’s time for a change-of-heart on Capitol Hill. We must invest in America’s future, and that requires everyone to pay their fair share. Justice also demands wise federal budget priorities. You voted for unacceptably high levels of military spending while cutting programs that help working families put food on the table. You have time to fix this injustice. You must do so.”

• To President Obama we say: “We urge you to stand firm. Use everything in your power, including the presidential veto, to correct draconian cuts to programs that help people live and thrive. Every person has a right to food, shelter and healthcare. Government should be an instrument of justice, and it is deeply immoral to target people in need as these budget votes have done.”

Military spending will never make the people in our nation feel secure unless it is accompanied by adequate funding for human needs programs. Food on the table, a roof overhead, and medical care are the authentic sources of human security, which depends on everyone paying their fair share. The House and Senate budget proposals fail to address this powerful reality.

We have many objections to this week’s budget votes. They include, for example, objections to eliminating healthcare for millions of people while eliminating estate taxes for the very wealthy; cutting programs that help people in poverty while giving the Pentagon more than it needs; and targeting the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, job training, food programs and the many current domestic programs that focus on real human needs.

Fix the federal budget. We’re better than this.

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