Take Action.
A
Vision of Hope & Justice for the FY 2006 Federal Budget
The federal budget of the United States is a document that establishes
the priorities for our country. It is a document that reflects our values
as a nation and what we believe is important for the public and future
generations. It is a moral document. Our federal budget should reflect
the values of equality, opportunity, and justice that honors the poor,
supports families, and builds strong, viable communities.
The Bush Administration’s FY2006 budget is morally misguided and
misrepresents the true values of the American people. It suggests that
we value military might and war spending more than the poor, families,
and strong, viable communities. It favors permanent tax relief for the
wealthy and corporations at the expense of further burdening the poor,
families, and communities with economic despair. It is a budget that eats
away at the heart of the American dream by eliminating funding for programs
that are certain to provide us with future opportunities, progress, and
security on the home front. Our nation’s future is in serious danger
if cuts or caps to programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, job training,
veterans’ health services, education, housing and community development
grants, among many others, are used as solutions to reduce a projected
$427 billion dollar deficit. Congress must act boldly and creatively to
oppose budget cuts in human services.
Speaking as God’s messenger, the prophet Amos offered these words
to the people because of their misplaced focus, “But let justice
roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos
5:24).” To be true to our values as a nation, we strongly urge Congress
to reverse the destructive course our nation is on and reject the Bush
Administration’s budget. The FY2006 budget should be funded by scaling
back tax relief for the wealthy, closing corporate tax loopholes, and
holding military and war spending in check. We call on Congress to draft
and approve a budget and policies that will provide the poor, families,
and communities with the tools to meet basic needs such as access to nutritious
food and quality child-care, accessible and affordable housing, comprehensive
and affordable health care, high quality education at every stage of life,
a fair and just tax system, job creation and a livable income to sustain
their future.
This positive vision for our nation is only limited by the lack of political
will to make it happen. We call on Congress to Let Justice Roll!
The “Let Justice Roll: Faith and Community Voices Against Poverty”
campaign is sponsored by the National Council of Churches USA and the
Center for Community Change, as well as a host of national, state and
local religious, faith-based, and community organizations.
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