Catholic Relief Services Calls on President Bush to Fully Fund the Fight on Global Poverty and HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Catholic Relief Services
Tuesday, 16 September 2003

At an interfaith press conference held just steps from the White House today, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) issued a statement calling on President Bush to ensure full funding for the fight against global poverty and HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Organized by Bread for the World, the conference brought together prominent Christian leaders, as well as Irish rock singer Bono, to advocate on behalf of the millions of poor around the world who would benefit from the Global AIDS Initiative, the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) and ongoing U.S. development and humanitarian assistance programs.

"People's lives depend on presidential action now," said Bill O'Keefe, Sr. Director of Policy and Advocacy for CRS.

Worldwide, the agency provides $40 million in critical care and education to more than 2 million people with HIV/AIDS.

President Bush announced the MCA as an innovative new plan to reduce poverty in the world's poorest countries. The MCA invites developing countries to identify their own priorities and design their own solutions in conjunction with their citizens. CRS and its local partners around the world look forward to contributing to these solutions. However, to achieve these goals, the MCA must be authorized and fully funded according to the stated purpose of poverty reduction.

Many countries in which CRS works are a long way from qualifying for the MCA. In non-qualifying Ethiopia, for example, the 13 million people at risk of starvation this year will need help in the future to rebuild their productive and economic capacity. Ongoing U.S. development and humanitarian assistance programs must expand to meet this and other needs.

"The $18.8 billion that President Bush requested for foreign assistance in FY 2004 is the minimum if we are to meet our nation's commitment to assist the poor and vulnerable in the developing world," said O'Keefe. "We urge the President to work with Congress to honor this commitment."

More specifically, Catholic Relief Services is asking the administration to honor its commitment to fund $3 billion per year to fight HIV/AIDS, $1.3 billion for the MCA and an increase in ongoing development and humanitarian assistance. Catholics around the United States who have joined CRS' Africa Campaign support this plea and continue to advocate and pray for presidential action.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org