Urge Senate to Protect Foreign Aid Programs

Last week, on June 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would rescind $8.3 billion in foreign aid. This rescissions package would eliminate or reduce funding for programs that have saved millions of lives and strengthened global health and economic security. It is now under consideration in the Senate.

The bill cuts funding to programs such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). These programs provide health services, expand educational opportunities, and play a critical role in reducing global poverty. PEPFAR alone has prevented millions of HIV infections, saved over 25 million lives, and brought the HIV pandemic under control.

At the cost of only a fraction of a percent of the federal budget, the United States has the ability to strengthen global peace, security, health, and development – mobilizing resources that only a government can. In addition to it being a smart investment, Catholic Social Teachings inform us that aid to the poor and vulnerable upholds human dignity, which is our moral duty.

Urge your senators to protect vital foreign aid programs using the form below: