October 5, 2005

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. – American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley was among 40 interfaith leaders who recently urged Congress to protect the Food Stamp Program from funding cuts during the federal budget reconciliation process.

A letter sent by the leaders in late September to all members of Congress emphasized that "the budget must reflect the best of our nation's moral values: our resolve that poor and vulnerable people not go hungry."

Excerpts from the letter follow:

"Care for hungry people is a mandate for every major religious tradition. As leaders from many of these traditions, we appeal to you to protect the Food Stamp Program from cuts in the current budget process. Food stamps are the frontline defense against hunger for many of the most vulnerable members of our society. More than 50 percent of food stamp beneficiaries are children. Virtually all of the rest are seniors, people with disabilities, or those making the transition from welfare to work. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one of the first actions authorities undertook was distribution of food stamps, tapping a program that has helped curb hunger for 40 years.

"Although we understand the challenge you face in finding $3 billion in savings from the Agriculture Committee, budget constraints do not release us from our obligation to care for poor and vulnerable people. It would be a moral failure to take those cuts from the Food Stamp Program. The number of people experiencing hunger in the United States has been on the rise and our national nutrition programs are as important as they've ever been. The unprecedented destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina will force many more people to depend on the federal nutrition programs....

"In a deeply religious country like the United States, it is no surprise that the majority of Americans also believe that fighting hunger is an issue of utmost importance....

"More than one in six children (13 million) in the United States live in households that struggle to put food on the table, giving us the highest rate of childhood hunger in the industrialized world. We implore you to reject a budget that would deprive more working families of food for their children. Any such reductions would break our national commitment to help hard-working people who struggle daily to feed their families and build better lives. The budget must reflect the best of our nation's moral values: our resolve that poor and vulnerable people not go hungry."

Among other signers of the statement were: the Rev. David Beckmann, president, Bread for the World; Dr. Bob Edgar, general secretary, National Council of Churches USA; Paul Montacute, director, Baptist World Aid; Dr. Daniel Vestal, coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship; and Dr. Ronald J. Sider, president, Evangelicals for Social Action.

American Baptist News Service