Nat'l Council of Churches Urge Congress to Reject Republican Budget

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National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
475 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10115


December 14, 2005

Dear Member of Congress:

It is with profound grief and extraordinary urgency that I send this appeal to you today on behalf of the National Council of Churches USA as you work toward final passage of the 2006 fiscal year budget. We speak with the authority given to us as those who have been empowered with the Holy Spirit and with the rights bestowed upon us as citizens of the United States of America. We are appalled at the callous indifference to children, the elderly, Veterans and low-income families that this budget reflects. This budget is immoral, unjust and it hurts the very people that it should be helping! We call on you to vote against this budget.

This is not our first appeal to you (see attached). Since January we have been writing and calling, pleading and begging you to defeat this budget that bestows tax cuts to the wealthiest among us while ruthlessly debilitating programs that help those who are most in need. Our faith has demanded that we urge you not to go down this destructive path. We have prayed. We have rallied. We have met with Members of Congress and their staff. And, today some of our colleagues in ministry and other people of faith may face arrest out of their moral conviction that this is an immoral budget.

Now it is up to you. Now you are in a position to make an immediate difference in the lives of millions of people. For the families who struggle to make ends meet; for the senior adult who depends on Medicaid to stay one step ahead of an ailing body; for the Veteran who sacrificed that we might live in freedom; and, for the child who may have to go to school hungry and ill-prepared to learn; voting against this budget will make a real and tangible difference. These are people in our congregations who we greet before and after services on Sunday morning-or who stop by the church during the week asking for our help. And although we do the best that we can to help them and will continue to do so, churches cannot nor should they attempt to take the place of the government!

It is not too late. During this season of Advent when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are profoundly aware of the power of one. One person can turn the world upside down! One person can bring hope to the hopeless and exchange beauty for ashes and joy for mourning. One person can cast a vote that will make a difference! We call on you to be the one to cast that vote. This moment requires courage. This moment requires resolve. We pray that you will have the courage to make a difference and the resolve to stand on the side of righteousness and justice because "?what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

Sincerely,


Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar
General Secretary