wfn.org | Faith-Based Organizations Call for Robust U.S. Humanitarian Funding

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.org>]

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Faith-Based Organizations Call for Robust U.S. Humanitarian and
Development Funding

'Most critical of needs:' Food and nutrition security, agriculture,
water, climate adaptation

WASHINGTON, D.C.,April 15, 2010 -- International humanitarian agency
Church World Service and an interfaith coalition of organizations have
called on Congress to appropriate "robust funding" for the world's most
vulnerable, with focus on food security, agriculture, water resources
and related climate adaptation, as well as increased funding for primary
education, HIV/AIDS relief, overseas refugee assistance and refugee
resettlement programs within the U.S.

In communiqués issued Tuesday to the House and Senate appropriations
committees and to all House and Senate members, the coalition asked
support for President Obama's overall request of $58.5 billion, citing
that amount "as the minimum amount needed for the International Affairs
account" for fiscal year 2011. But the group urged increased funding for
areas of spending deemed priority for those experiencing overwhelming
need.

Addressing core survival needs, CWS and its partners said, "Ending
global hunger requires substantial new investment in small-holder
agricultural producers and in nutrition assistance, especially for
vulnerable children and their mothers." They noted that, "clean water is
key to every other aspect of development-from children's education to
economic growth and environmental sustainability."

The group has asked Congress to appropriate $2.144 billion for food and
nutrition security programs worldwide, including $1.236 billion for
international agricultural development; $500 million for ongoing funding
of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act for safe drinking water
and adequate sanitation; and $842 million to fund inter-related climate
adaptation programs.

On climate adaptation funding, Church World Service Executive Director
and CEO The Rev. John L. McCullough said, "We are encouraged that
President Obama has kept to the spirit of his statements and commitments
at the Copenhagen climate summit by increasing funding to more than $300
million for adaptation programs.

"We are urging Congress to fulfill the president's request at a
minimum," McCullough said, "but are also requesting that the allocation
be increased to $842 million, in order for the U.S. to meet fully its
commitments as were stated in the Copenhagen Accord and to support needs
in the most vulnerable and climate-stressed regions.

"Those who are hungering and thirsting now include children-tomorrow's
generation. They can have little by way of food security, water and
resilient agriculture without being able to take climate adaptation
measures now," he said.

Along with CWS, members of the interfaith coalition who pressed
Congress today for greater international development funding each have
long histories of humanitarian work and rights advocacy. Those
organizations include the American Friends Service Committee, the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church Women United, the
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach, the Episcopal Church, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Franciscan Action Network,
Global Ministries of the Christian Church  (Disciples of Christ) and
United Church of Christ, Islamic Society of North America, Lutheran
World Relief, Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office, the
National Council of Churches, NETWORK National Catholic Social Justice
Lobby, Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office, Progressive National
Baptist Convention, United Churches of Christ Justice and Witness
Ministries, and United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and
Society.

The interfaith coalition also has recommended:

â?? $1.6 billion for the International Disaster Assistance (IDA)
account, including $600 million for cash-based emergency assistance, to
meet the needs of internally displaced people (IDPs) for h
ealth care,
nutrition, water, sanitation, and shelter in Haiti and in countries like
Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and Afghanistan

â?? An increase in funding to $7.5 billion for HIV-AIDS programs,
through the U.S. PEPFAR program and $1.75 billion to the Global Fund, as
part of the Global Health Initiative

â?? $2 billion for basic primary education as part of the global
Education for All commitment, and to assist the 72 million children
throughout the world who are not attending school

â?? $2.3 billion for overseas refugee assistance and $415 million for
refugee admissions in the Migration and Refugee Assistance account in
FY2011

Additionally, the group asked for Congress to fund the Office of
Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services
at $987.9 million, or at minimum, the $877.9 million that President
Obama requested for ORR services. Due to historic under-funding, the
Office of Refugee Resettlement has been unable to adequately meet the
needs of arriving refugees," they said.

The levels the coalition is requesting, they say, would provide needed
funding for victims of torture and trafficking, as well as "urgently
needed housing assistance and support for the Matching Grant program, a
welfare alternative that helps resettled refugees find employment within
six months."

Church World Service is a relief, sustainable development and refugee
assistance agency working within the U.S. and worldwide.

> ###
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