Washington D.C., Jan 29, 2009 / 20:15 pm
Writing on behalf of the U.S. bishops, Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York urged Congress to make poor families and vulnerable workers central priorities in economic recovery legislation.
“Low-income families and individuals are experiencing the greatest hardship and have the least capacity to cope in this time of economic crisis,” said Bishop Murphy, Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Writing in a Jan. 28 letter, he also argued these people are most likely to use new resources on essentials and would thus advance the economy.
Bishop Murphy offered the bishops’ collective support on recovery legislation which would increase funding for nutrition assistance through food stamps and other programs, protect low-income families from losing Medicaid and social service assistance, and extend unemployment insurance benefits.