Catholic leaders urge House to vote down budget reconciliation bill

Published: 2006-01-31

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The presidents of both the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities USA urged House members to reject a budget reconciliation bill that they say will hurt society's poorest and most vulnerable members. The House, which originally approved the budget agreement Dec. 19 by a 212-206 vote, was expected to vote again Feb. 1 on whether to go along with procedural changes made by the Senate, which passed the bill in a Dec. 21 vote that required Vice President Dick Cheney to break a tie. Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., USCCB president, said in a letter to House members that the budget agreement "could prove harmful to many low-income children, families, elderly and people with disabilities who are least able to provide for themselves. Because of these concerns, we ask you to oppose the budget reconciliation conference agreement," he added in the letter, dated Jan. 24 and made public Jan. 30. In an earlier letter, Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, told House members that the current legislation "will compromise the health and well-being of some of the poorest and most vulnerable in our nation."

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