Very Rev. Tom Smolich, S.J., President of the Jesuit Conference, has signed on as a “primary signatory” to a new ecumenical and interfaith “Circle of Protection” Statement urging the Federal Government to protect programs for the poor.

Here is a quote from the statement:

"In the face of historic deficits, the nation faces unavoidable choices about how to balance needs and resources and allocate burdens and sacrifices. These choices are economic, political—and moral.

As Christians, we believe the moral measure of the debate is how the most poor and vulnerable people fare. We look at every budget proposal from the bottom up—how it treats those Jesus called "the least of these" (Matthew 25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most compelling claim on our consciences and common resources. The Christian community has an obligation to help them be heard, to join with others to insist that programs that serve the most vulnerable in our nation and around the world are protected. We know from our experience serving hungry and homeless people that these programs meet basic human needs and protect the lives and dignity of the most vulnerable. We believe that God is calling us to pray, fast, give alms, and to speak out for justice.

As Christian leaders, we are committed to fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice. We are also committed to resist budget cuts that undermine the lives, dignity, and rights of poor and vulnerable people. Therefore, we join with others to form a Circle of Protection around programs that meet the essential needs of hungry and poor people at home and abroad."

Vist  http://www.circleofprotection.us/ for more information and to read the entire statement

House Passes Appropriations Bill: proposed cuts to programs that keep millions from going hungry would be devastating

With more than 50 million people facing hunger, the unemployment rate still hovering near 9 percent, and one in eight Americans seeking food from Feeding America food banks, the proposed cuts to safety-net programs that keep millions of women, infants, children and seniors from going hungry would be devastating

• Funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) would be cut $51 million – or 20%. The program provides food at no cost to low-income Americans in need of short-term hunger relief, resulting in a decrease of the amount of food available to distribute to struggling families in a time of record need.
• $12 million from administrative funding to TEFAP would be cut. These funds help food banks and other agencies store and safely distribute emergency food, making it more difficult for them to serve hungry families.
• $38 million – or 22% – from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides a nutritious monthly food package primarily to low-income seniors. This cut would literally take food away from senior citizens across the country.
• $686 million from The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which would end food assistance for over 300,000 low-income women and children.

Now that the House has passed its FY 12 budget resolution and its agriculture appropriations bill, our focus shifts to the Senate.  With the Senate poised to act on their budget resolution and appropriations process, our best chance to reject the House-approved cuts and protect these vital programs lies there. 

It is critical that key Senators hear opposition to nutrition cuts so they know these programs are important to their constituents and they should protect them as senators draft a more viable deficit reduction plan and more humane agriculture appropriations bill.  Please use our Hunger Action Center to urge our congressional leaders to protect the programs that help those in need.

All Information from Feeding America website @ http://feedingamerica.org/get-involved/advocate/2011-budget-cuts.aspx