June 30, 2011 Contact:

www.interaction.org

Tawana Jacobs: 1 202.552.6534 or 1 202.297.1696 (Cell) or tjacobs@interaction.org

Diverse Coalition Unites to Protect Poor People in Budget Debate

InterAction joins faith leaders and others in endorsing the principle that budgets are 'Moral Documents' Washington, DCAt a critical juncture in the deficit reduction talks a diverse coalition of over 40 prominent international and domestic NGOs have joined the leaders of dozens of national faith organizations in calling on the Obama administration and congressional leadership to protect programs benefitting poor and hungry people both here and abroad from budget cuts. "Attempting to balance the budget on the backs of the world's poor betrays our nation's values and hurts our interests. Fully funding these programs is the right thing to do and the wisest path to long-term prosperity, security and budget health, stated Samuel A. Worthington, InterActions president and CEO. In an open letter to policymakers involved in defect reduction negotiations these groups expressed support for six principles first outlined by a group of faith leaders known as the Circle of Protection coalition, saying: "we believe the moral measure of the [budget] debate is how the most vulnerable among us fare. Poor and hungry people do not have powerful lobbies, but they do have the most compelling claim on our national conscience and common resources. As people of conscience we have an obligation to defend this claim in civic discourse, to join with others to insist that programs that serve the most vulnerable in our nation and around the world are protected. View the full text of the letter, including the six principles, here. "America faces tough choices about its long term fiscal health. We owe it to future generations to cut the deficit, which threatens future prosperity for all, and especially the poor," said Ambassador Tony Hall, executive director for the Alliance to End Hunger. "Poor and hungry people didn't get us into the current mess and hurting them isn't the right way out of it. It's not only morally wrong, it ignores the bigger problem." "The poor did not create this debt crisis and cutting the small amounts of life-saving support we give to women and children worldwide will not solve it," remarked Ritu Sharma, president and co-Founder of Women Thrive Worldwide, "To make such a choice is to step away from our humanity." Early on in the budget debate, a group of humanitarian, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian leaders joined together in a campaign of fasting, prayer and action to form a circle of protection around programs for poor and vulnerable people. At the end of the campaign, this group joined with leaders from secular organizations to sign a joint statement calling for the shielding of programs that meet the essential needs of vulnerable people at home and abroad. **************************************************************************************************************
InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based nongovernmental international organizations with more than 190 members. Our members operate in every developing country, working with local communities to overcome poverty and suffering by helping to improve their quality of life. Visit www.interaction.org
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