Mar 8, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Catholic Charities USA has urged Congress to protect programs that assist the poorest and most vulnerable members of society from deep spending cuts in the 2006 budget.
"At a time when the United States is spending more on defense and homeland security, a question arises about who will pay for it. It should not be our nation's poorest citizens," wrote Fr. Larry Snyder in a letter to all members of Congress.
The Administration's recent budget proposal places the full burden of deficit reduction on domestic programs, requiring cuts of $200 billion over the next five years, including funding for education, veterans' health care, rental assistance, utility assistance, and childcare.
At the same time, it sharply increases expenditures for tax reductions and defense.