Washington D.C., Jul 28, 2011 / 01:11 am
Representatives from Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. bishops' conference have warned against making drastic cuts in the area of foreign aid, which could affect East Africans already suffering from a severe drought.
“These fiscal decisions, which seem removed, can play out as they affect the poorest people from around the world,” said Ryan Williams, a representative of Catholic Relief Services, in a July 26 webcast.
Sean Callahan, Catholic Relief Services' executive vice president of overseas operations, said the humanitarian emergency in East Africa should be a “wake up call to many that these programs should not be cut.”
Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. bishops have warned the House and Senate for months about the international consequences of a proposed 26 percent cut in poverty-focused foreign aid.