Faith Leaders Stand Together In Calling on Congress to Fund the U.S. Government

October 1, 2013

Faith Leaders Stand Together In Calling on
Congress to Fund the U.S. Government

September 27, 2013

Dear Senator/Representative:

As leaders of faith communities and organizations comprising millions of people from all walks of life across our nation, we are deeply concerned by the completely avoidable budget and financial crises we are fast approaching as a nation.

Though Congress must pass the federal budget, it belongs to every American. This common fund formed of our combined tax revenues is designed to support the shared infrastructure, well-being, and long-term ethical values of our society. As people of faith we find it morally irresponsible to blockade the process by which we provide for our nation’s shared needs in a bid to force any individual legislative priority.

It would likewise be reckless to propel the United States into financial default by refusing to raise the debt ceiling for spending that Congress has already approved. Shuttering the federal government or defaulting on the nation’s financial commitments is likely to reverse our fragile economic recovery, punish the middle class, and deeply harm our most vulnerable neighbors.

Our democracy rests on principles of reason, compromise, and a commitment to the common good. To hold our governance processes and financial credibility hostage to narrow priorities is not only dangerous to the nation’s near-term financial well-being, it threatens the very foundations of our democratic process and our capacity to live united in community.

We ask that lawmakers address their concerns through the proper legislative channels. It ill serves our nation and people to stand in the way of funding federal operations or raising the debt ceiling in an effort to block implementation of health care legislation that Congress duly enacted. We ask that congressional leadership of both parties stand strong in opposing efforts to allow the will of the few to threaten the common good.

We commit to keeping you in prayer, asking that God continue to give you wisdom as you faithfully serve our nation during this time when the country most needs your principled leadership.

Sincerely,

Ruth Messinger

President

American Jewish World Service

 

Rev. David Beckmann

President

Bread for the World

 

Dr. Lester A. Myers

President

Center of Concern

 

Dr. Sharon Watkins

General Minister and President

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

 

Rev. John L. McCullough

President and CEO

Church World Service

 

Dr. Jack Sullivan

President

Disciples Justice Action Network

 

The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop and Primate

The Episcopal Church

 

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson

Presiding Bishop

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

 

Rev. Linda Hanna Walling

Executive Director

Faithful Reform in Health Care

 

Sr. Margaret Magee, OSF

President

Franciscan Action Network

 

Diane Randall

Executive Secretary

Friends Committee on National Legislation

 

Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy

President

Interfaith Alliance

 

Dr. Sayyid Syeed

National Director

Islamic Society of North America

 

Rabbi Steve Gutow

President

Jewish Council for Public Affairs

 

Sr. Janet Mock, CSJ

Executive Director

Leadership Conference of Women Religious

 

Fr. Tim Mulroy, SSC

U S. Regional Director

Missionary Society of St. Columban

 

Salam Al-Marayati

President

Muslim Public Affairs Council

 

Sr. Gayle Lwanga Crumbley, RGS

National Coordinator

National Advocacy Center of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd

 

Jack Payden-Travers

Director

National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund

 

Peg Birk

Transitional General Secretary

National Council of Churches

 

Nancy Kaufman

Chief Executive Officer

National Council of Jewish Women

 

Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS

Executive Director

NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

 

Sr. Patricia Chappell

Executive Director

Pax Christi USA

 

Rev. Gradye Parsons

Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

 

Rev. Kip B. Banks

Interim General Secretary

Progressive National Baptist Convention

 

Rabbi David Saperstein

Director

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

 

Sr. Patricia McDermott, RSM

President of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

 

Rev. Jim Wallis

President

Sojourners

 

Rev. Peter Morales

President

Unitarian Universalist Association

 

Rev. Dr. William F. Schulz

President

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President and

 

Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo

Executive Minister, Justice and Witness Ministries

United Church of Christ

 

Bishop Peter D. Weaver

Executive Secretary, The Council of Bishops

The United Methodist Church

 

Shan Cretin

General Secretary

American Friends Service Committee

 

Ecumenical Advocacy Days is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community, and its recognized partners and allies, grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Through a high-impact national gathering weekend, EAD’s goal is to strengthen the Christian voice and to mobilize for advocacy on specific U.S. domestic and international policy issues.