As year of the budget comes to a close, challenges remain in Congress

Published: 2005-12-30

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- For Nancy Wisdo, director of the Office of Domestic Social Development of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005 will go down as the year of the budget. "We started in February" with a letter from Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., USCCB president, asking members of Congress to focus on the needs of the poor and vulnerable when making budget decisions. "All through this year, we've been working on the budget," said Wisdo, who will become an associate general secretary of the USCCB in February. But the $39.7 billion budget reconciliation bill ultimately passed by the Senate Dec. 21, with Vice President Dick Cheney casting the tie-breaking vote, was a disappointment to Catholic leaders. It cut funds to Medicaid, Medicare and social service programs such as child care subsidies, child support enforcement and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families that Catholic lobbyists had worked to preserve. One of the only bright spots for Catholic lobbyists was that House-approved cuts in the food stamp program were eliminated in conference committee.

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