wfn.org | All ELCA Bishops Urge Congress to Oppose Budget Reconciliation

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 1, 2005

All ELCA Bishops Urge Congress to Oppose Budget Reconciliation
05-209-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- All 65 synod bishops of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), plus the presiding bishop, are
urging members of the U.S. Congress to oppose any attempt to move
forward on the budget reconciliation measures the lawmakers are
now considering.
     Earlier the ELCA announced that 52 bishops signed a letter
on the budget reconciliation process shortly after it was
presented to them at the Sept. 30-Oct. 1 meeting here of the ELCA
Conference of Bishops.	Now it is unanimous, and the letter has
been sent to members of Congress again, informing them that the
ELCA bishops are united on the subject.
     The Nov. 1 issue of "Roll Call," the newspaper of Capitol
Hill, contains a full-page ad with the letter, signed by the Rev.
Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, and names of all of the
ELCA bishops, listed with the states in which they serve.
     The bishops said they represent diverse regions but speak
with one voice about the "fundamental responsibility of the
government, as an expression of the will of the people, to
protect the least of its citizens and provide for the poorest in
our society."
     This year's federal budget resolution binds Congress to
reconcile or cut mandatory or entitlement programs by $35
billion.  More cuts may be considered.	The U.S. Gulf Coast
hurricane disaster and its consequences have added pressure to
stop the reconciliation process for this year, because the
programs to be cut are an important part of the much-needed
disaster relief services, the bishops said in their letter.
     The bishops noted the cuts to mandatory spending called for
in the reconciliation package "would decrease valuable assistance
to millions of low-income families, children, elderly and people
with disabilities."
     Examples of programs to be cut in the reconciliation process
cited by the bishops included Food Stamps, Medicaid, the State
Children's Health Insurance Program and Temporary Assistance to
Needy Families.
     The "biblical record" is clear, the bishops said. "The
Scriptural witness on which our faith tradition stands speaks
dramatically of God's concern for and solidarity with poor and
oppressed communities while speaking firmly in opposition to
governments whose policies place narrow economic interests driven
by greed above the common good."
     The bishops strongly urged each member of Congress "to
reflect on your role as a government official in providing for
the least in our society and (we) ask that you oppose any attempt
to move forward with the budget reconciliation process."
     Hanson had joined with four other U.S. religious leaders
Sept. 13 to urge Congress to stop the federal budget
reconciliation process for 2006.
---
     A copy of the ELCA bishops' letter to Congress is at
http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news