wfn.org | Faith Groups Press Bush, Kerry on U.S. Poverty, Health Care

["Carol Fouke" <cfouke@ncccusa.org>]

For Immediate Release

FAITH GROUPS PRESS BUSH, KERRY ON U.S. POVERTY, HEALTH CARE

October 4, 2004, Washington, D.C. -- As George W. Bush and John Kerry prepare
for their Friday (October 8) debate on domestic issues, more than 20 Jewish,
Protestant and Catholic organizations are pressing them on what they plan to
do to fight poverty and fix the nation's mounting health care crisis. 

The organizations, joined together in the Interreligious Working Group on
Domestic Human Needs, first wrote Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry on September 8 with
a series of questions:

* How will you reduce poverty, and specifically child poverty, in the next
four years?
* What will you do to reduce the number of people who lack health insurance
in the next four years?
* How will you address the inability of the nation's health care system to
provide affordable, quality health care to all?
* Will you commit to a specific goal to cut poverty in half by 2010?  
* Will you commit to a goal to increase the number of people who are insured
(i.e. "In the next four years, due to my policies, xx million more people
will be covered by health insurance.")?
 
The questions were re-sent to the candidates' campaign headquarters on
Wednesday, Sept. 29.  As of the close of business on October 4, no reply had
been received from either candidate.

Pointing to recently released U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the religious
groups are asking the presidential candidates how they plan to use the next
four years to reduce poverty, particularly for children, and decrease the
number of people who do not have health insurance. The Census Bureau data
reported that an additional 1.3 million people fell below the poverty line in
2003, of whom 733,000 were children; and that a record number of people, 45
million, are now without health insurance, an increase of 1.4 million people
from the 2002 statistics.

"As representatives of communities of faith, we are deeply troubled by the
recent Census Bureau report that details the increasing number of people in
poverty and the increasing number of people without health insurance," stated
the letter which was signed by the National Council of Churches USA, Call to
Renewal, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, Church Women United, the Jewish Council for Public
Affairs, the Presbyterian Church (USA), NETWORK: A National Catholic Social
Justice Lobby, Union for Reform Judaism and the Fellowship of Reconciliation,
among others. 

"Our nation is also being destabilized by the growing gap between those with
extreme wealth and those living in deep poverty," said the letter.

In addition the letter also asks the Bush and Kerry campaigns how they plan
to address the "inability of the nation's health care system to provide
affordable, quality health care for all," and whether or not they will commit
to specific goals to cut poverty in half by 2010 and increase the number of
people who are insured.

The Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs acknowledged the
role that communities of faith play in providing services that help reduce
the impact of poverty on vulnerable populations, and promised to continue
their efforts to advocate for "just policies that will lift all persons out
of poverty."

However, the letter also states their belief that government must do its
part. "We believe that our society and economy need to be strengthened by
providing greater equality of opportunity, just reward for hard work, quality
health care for all, and a vision of working together for the common good,"
said the letter.

Upon receiving a reply from the presidential candidates, the coalition
members will post the responses on their Web sites and release the results to
the media. 

The full text of the coalition's letters to Mr. Kerry and Mr. Bush follows.

* * * * 

INTERRELIGIOUS WORKING GROUP ON DOMESTIC HUMAN NEEDS

September 8, 2004

Dear President Bush/Senator Kerry:

As representatives of communities of faith, we are deeply troubled by the
recent Census Bureau report that details the increasing number of people in
poverty and the increasing number of people without health insurance.  Our
nation is also being destabilized by the growing gap between those with
extreme wealth and those living in deep poverty.

In 2003, an additional 1.3 million people fell below the poverty line, and
733,000 were children.	The poverty line for a family of three, as defined by
the U.S. Census Bureau, is $14,680 ($18,810 for a family of four). 
Currently, 17.6 percent of children in the United States - nearly one in five
- are living in poverty.  The new data show 35.9 million people living in
poverty, with 43 percent (15.3 million) living in deep poverty, meaning they
have cash incomes below half of the poverty line.  This is the highest
percentage on record.  As a nation, we are moving backward and losing the
positive gains we have recently made toward poverty reduction. 

The new Census Bureau data also shows that an additional 1.4 million people
entered the ranks of the uninsured, resulting in a record number, 45 million,
now uninsured.	Because of increased participation in Medicaid and the State
Children's Health Insurance Program, the proportion of children without
health insurance coverage has remained constant at 11.4 percent.  Were it not
for those public programs, levels of uninsured children would have increased,
as employer-based health care coverage declined in 2003. 

As you continue your campaign for President, we urge you to speak out for the
needs of those in poverty and those without health insurance.  (We are also
sending this letter and these questions to Senator Kerry/President Bush.)  We
urge you to answer these questions - to us and to the public:

* How will you reduce poverty, and specifically child poverty, in the next
four years?
* What will you do to reduce the number of people who lack health insurance
in the next four years?
* How will you address the inability of the nation's health care system to
provide affordable, quality health care to all?
* Will you commit to a specific goal to cut poverty in half by 2010?  
* Will you commit to a goal to increase the number of people who are insured
(i.e. "In the next four years, due to my policies, xx million more people
will be covered by health insurance.")?

As communities of faith, we will continue to provide what services we can to
reduce the impact of poverty on vulnerable populations, and to advocate for
just policies that will lift all persons out of poverty.  However, we are
deeply concerned that the current economy is not working well for all people
and that the opportunity for excellent health care is not accessible for
many.  We believe that our society and economy need to be strengthened by
providing greater equality of opportunity, just reward for hard work, quality
health care for all, and a vision of working together for the common good.  

We appreciate your attention to our concerns and thank you in advance for
your responses to our attached questions.  Please send your responses to our
questions to Carolynn Race, Chair, Interreligious Working Group on Domestic
Human Needs, c/o Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office, 110 Maryland
Avenue, NE, Suite 104, Washington, DC 20002.  

Thank you.

Sincerely,

American Baptist Churches USA
Call to Renewal
The Central Conference of American Rabbis
Christians for Justice Action  (United Church of Christ) 
Church of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office
Church Women United
Disciples Advocacy Washington Network
Disciples Justice Action Network
The Episcopal Church, USA
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Lutheran Services in America
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
NETWORK:  A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society
Union for Reform Judaism 
Women of Reform Judaism

-end-

Editor's Note: For more information contact Leslie Tune, National Council of
Churches USA, (202) 544-2350, ext. 11 or Carolynn Race, DHN Chair, (202)
543-1126, ext. 3009.

National Council of Churches
475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115
110 Maryland Ave. N.E., Washington, DC 20002
www.ncccusa.org