MCC U.S. Executive Director Ron Byler leads a prayer vigil across from the Capitol. Photo by Jesse Epp-Fransen/MCC
The MCC Washington Office, along with other Washington area religious organizations, is participating in the Faithful Budget Campaign. This campaign calls on legislators to recognize the federal budget as a moral document that demonstrates our national values and as such should care for the disadvantaged, both within our borders, and around the world.
On November 20th groups around the country will join in prayer with Washington participants to call on the administration and congress to bring about a faithful budget. Those in Washington will gather at Lafayette Park at 3pm. Those around the country can click here to find a local prayer vigil, or to get tools for planning a vigil of your own.
This campaign focuses on issues of domestic economic justice and protecting safety net programs from cuts to be proposed by the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “Super Committee”). Programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps) and WIC (Women, Infant and Children) vouchers, which address domestic hunger needs, as well as programs like Medicare and Medicaid are at risk of being cut or structurally altered as a way to find savings to put towards deficit reduction even as the use of these programs has swelled with the increased need caused by the recession.
International programs that address HIV and AIDS, extreme poverty, food insecurity, overwhelming debt, violence against women, natural disasters, and protection of the environment are also at risk of being cut. In the name of preserving our economy, which has consistently been unjust, we are choosing to turn our backs on those around the world who have the greatest need.
While reducing the federal deficit comes with many positive benefits, it cannot be accomplished by setting aside our values and contravening God’s command to care for creation and our neighbors. The Faithful Budget Campaign is one way that the MCC Washington Office participates with a broad range of partners to speak to legislators and administrators on behalf of partner organizations and constituent members.
Links
The Faithful Budget website with links to tools and a litany available for use in local contexts:
http://www.domestichumanneeds.org/faithfulbudget/
A video of the prayer vigil held in Washington in October is available:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GBCSVideo#p/u/2/2nQ2JvvhmTE
Jesse Epp-Fransen writes about the the Hunger Report put out by Bread for the World and the need to refocus farm policy on producing healthy food and supporting small- and medium scale farmers in the latest Mennonite Weekly Review.
Posted by jesseeppfransen 
