Washington D.C., Jul 28, 2011 / 00:11 am
In the midst of increasingly fierce budget debates, the U.S. bishops are urging lawmakers to look beyond partisan bickering and take into account the poor and vulnerable when deciding which funds get cut.
“The moral measure of this budget debate is not which party wins or which powerful interests prevail, but rather how those who are jobless, hungry, homeless or poor are treated,” the bishops wrote in a July 26 letter to all U.S. representatives.
“Their voices are too often missing in these debates, but they have the most compelling moral claim on our consciences and our common resources.”
Only six days remain before the Aug. 2 deadline, which financial experts say could bring a government default if congressional leaders can't agree to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling.