A group of national faith-based organizations write to Congress to express support for U.S. investments in international humanitarian and poverty-focused assistance and peacebuilding programs.
February 28, 2017
The Honorable Mike Enzi
Chairman
Committee on the Budget
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Bernie Sanders
Ranking Member
Committee on the Budget
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Diane Black
Chairwoman
Committee on the Budget
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable John Yarmuth
Ranking Member
Committee on Budget
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairs and Ranking Members:
We are national faith-based organizations committed to saving lives and advancing the dignity of vulnerable and marginalized persons and communities across the world. We support U.S. investments in international humanitarian and poverty-focused assistance and peacebuilding programs that alleviate suffering from hunger, extreme poverty, debilitating illness, complex emergencies and violent conflict.
As you finalize a budget resolution for fiscal year 2018, we urge you to support no less than $58.8 billion for the International Affairs Budget. This is consistent with the current Continuing Resolution levels for fiscal year 2017 - $39.6 billion in base funding, and $19.2 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). Critical humanitarian and poverty-focused programs provide strong return on investment to the U.S. taxpayer, helping create a healthier world for everyone, and generating goodwill toward the United States.
Sustained funding from the base account is important for implementing organizations to plan effective programs and build mutually beneficial partnerships to successfully address poverty, violent conflict, and disease. While we remain concerned by the growing reliance on OCO funds for humanitarian assistance programs, these funds are critical to respond swiftly and adequately to protracted conflicts and complex emergencies through the International Development Assistance, Complex Crises and Migration and Refugee Assistance accounts.
Faith-based organizations are uniquely supported by millions of Americans, raising more than $6 billion a year, with 88 percent coming from private sources, and are often the on-the-ground implementers of U.S. government assistance. We are actively engaged around the world assisting and empowering the most vulnerable and marginalized populations with tools for a self-sustaining and more prosperous future. We are doing our part, but we cannot do it alone. The continued leadership of the U.S. government is crucial. Helping the most vulnerable at home and abroad to help themselves is at the heart of the American character and essential to U.S. and global human security.
We urge you to maintain —not pull back from — the many gains made in recent years. In so doing, Congress will make possible continued U.S. global leadership to save lives and build a world of peace and prosperity for all God’s children. Recognizing the budget constraints in which you are working, we stand ready to work with you as you discern the nation’s priorities for 2018.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Adventist Development and Relief Agency
American Hindu World Service
American Jewish World Service
Bread for the World
Catholic Medical Mission Board
Children’s Medical Ministries
Christian Connections for International Health
Church of the Brethren, Office of Public Witness
Church World Service
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Disabled Children’s Fund
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Faiths for Safe Water
Food for the Hungry
Friends Committee on National Legislation
IMA World Health
Islamic Relief USA
Islamic Society of Northern America
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Lutheran World Relief
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Mennonite Central Committee
Muslim Public Affairs Council
Office of Social Justice of the Christian Reformed Church
Presbyterian Church USA
The Episcopal Church
Union for Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ-Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
U.S. National Council of Churches
World Vision
