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Statement of James A. Kelsey, Episcopal Bishop of Northern Michigan On December 6, 2005, James A. Kelsey, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan, which comprises the Upper Peninsula, issued the following statement: Christians are now in the season of Advent, preparing for our annual celebration of the coming of the One who proclaims "good news to the poor." We will reflect on the meaning of his life and love and how we are called to behave as his followers in this broken world. And we will do so with the anguished faces of the poor exposed during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita before us. At the same time, Congress is about to take its final action on next year's federal budget B a budget that is decidedly not "good news for the poor." In fact this budget makes drastic cuts in programs for the most vulnerable in our society. For that reason I call upon all Michigan Members of Congress to oppose the FY '06 Federal Budget reconciliation bill now being considered by a conference committee. This committee, made up of members from the Budget Committees of both houses, must now find “compromises" that we already know will hurt the working poor, children and elderly of our country. The only question is just how much hurt will be done. The House bill makes $50 billion and the Senate $35 billion in cuts in domestic spending. How will our elected representatives decide on food stamps when the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that more than 222,000 people, primarily low-income working families with children and 70,000 legal immigrants would face dramatic cuts, if they follow the House budget? What will happen when heating bills are expected to rise 50%, and the House bill provides $1 billion for heating subsidies for low-income people but the Senate has nothing? Where does one compromise on Medicaid provisions that will force low-income patients to forego needed health care or medications and relieve states of providing low-income children with comprehensive preventive care and treatment? Instead, Congress should stop the budget process for FY '06 and begin anew. Lawmakers should reflect on the anguish we saw following the hurricanes and the shameful numbers reported by the U.S. Census Bureau telling us that in 2004, 37 million Americans lived in poverty, an increase of more than one million since 2003. Imagine how much more broken our country will be when those future numbers reflect the aftermath of the hurricanes. As the holidays draw near, I pray that Congress will produce a budget that reflects our nation's commitment to justice and brings hope to those who are without hope - "good news to the poor." Then we can truly rejoice. |