April 11, 2005 

THIS WEEK:  URGE YOUR SENATORS TO INCREASE FOOD AID, ASSISTANCE FOR SUDAN, HAITI, AND OTHER GLOBAL EMERGENCIES

 Why this issue is important:  The Senate Appropriations Committee completed mark up of the FY 2005 emergency supplemental bill this week.  The bill mostly provides funding for the Department of Defense but also includes funding for international operations, tsunami relief, and other unexpected or emergency needs not covered by the existing FY2005 budget.  Several critical needs have not yet been addressed.  

Click here to take action now!  Enter your zip code in the text box provided and let your Representative know that Congress must adequately fund urgent international relief and development needs. Click here for other ways to get involved.

 As part of the Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty (www.usccb.org/globalpoverty) USCCB, CRS, and Catholics throughout the United States have been deeply involved in advocacy efforts to make sure that the supplemental bill includes critical funding for urgent global food aid and humanitarian assistance needs.  Now as the full Senate prepares to consider the supplemental, we urge Senators to remember the poor and most vulnerable in our world. Background: The House passed an FY 2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bill that includes $150 million in emergency food aid for Sudan as well as $50 million for refugee aid and $50 million for disaster relief. USCCB and CRS welcome this funding, but urgent needs worldwide require additional resources.  CRS, USCCB and our advocacy partners in the United States strongly advocated for the Senate Appropriations Committee to include several amendments, including an amendment by Senators Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Mike DeWine (R-OH) that would provide an additional $320 million for food aid; an amendment by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) that would increase humanitarian aid to Africa by $50 million; and an amendment by Senator DeWine (R-OH) that would add $41 million to assist Haiti. However, the Committee deferred action on these amendments to the full Senate and passed a bill that included several provisions of importance:

7         $60 million for migration and refugee assistance, $10 million more than the House-passed version.7         $907 million for tsunami relief.

7         $182 million for Sudan and $150 million in food aid for Sudan and other food emergencies.

7         $680 million for peacekeeping operations, $100 million more than the House-passed version.7         $200 million in aid to Palestinians, including onerous restrictions that USCCB/CRS oppose.

TAKE ACTION NOW!  Click here to contact your Senators this week and urge them to support the following levels and resist attempts to cut these funding requests:

1.       The Kohl/DeWine amendment providing $320 million in urgently needed funding for Title II food aid.2.       The Brownback amendment or amendments providing up to $50 million more for humanitarian disaster aid to conflicted countries in Africa.3.       The DeWine amendment providing an additional $41 million for Haiti's critical needs amidst its difficult transition to peace and stability.4.       An additional $100 million to support international peacekeeping operations in several African nations as the President requested.5.       Removal of the onerous conditions tied to aid for Palestinians.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

1.       Forward this action alert to your family, friends, and fellow parishioners! 2.       Visit our website - www.crs.org/grassroots.cfm - for educational, action, and prayer resources on global issues that affect the poor.3.       Contribute to CRS' efforts. Visit our website - ww.crs.org - or call (800) 736-3467 to make a gift today. 4.      Sign up for the legislative network! www.crs.org/legislativenetwork.cfm

 For more information, contact:Tina Rodousakis, Legislative Network Specialist, 1-800-235-2772 x 7462, Trodousa@catholicrelief.org

Fr. Andrew Small, OMI, Policy Advisor, USCCB, 202-541-3153, Asmall@usccb.org