- We are concerned clergy, religious, and active lay people of numerous faiths and from all
across the United States of America. All of our faith traditions command that we reach out
to and show compassion for the less fortunate, and each of us preaches the central
importance of service to the poor. Our commitment to those who are less fortunate
than us is deeply rooted in our spiritual and scriptural beliefs.
While we acknowledge and, indeed, applaud the goal of reducing the federal deficit, we
cannot in good conscience stand by as the nation's poor, disenfranchised, and immigrant
populations are forced to carry a burden far heavier than they can bear. As fewer and
fewer governmental resources have been allocated to those in need, the nation's churches,
synagogues, and mosques have faced massive and increasing pressure to provide
front-line services for the poor, the homeless, the unemployed and the underemployed,
those suffering from mental, physical, and emotional illnesses and disabilities, and victims
of abuse, neglect, and violence. For too many in every corner of our country, life's
challenges have become overwhelming.
The nation's places of worship and their charitable arms cannot possibly fill the gaping
void left by the government's recent actions. This wave of retrenchment in services to the
poor is sweeping not only the federal government, but state governments as well. Our
concern is that we cannot provide the services that are expected and that will be
necessary in the face of these changes. To do so is impossible.
We, members of the clergy and religious life from across the U.S., urge the leaders of both
political parties, as they assess the impact of the restructuring of the social safety net put
into effect last fall, to refrain from incorrect assumptions such as our ability to fill the
service gaps they have created .
We call on the President and the 105th Congress to act swiftly, courageously, and
decisively to soften the impact of last fall's welfare overhaul legislation. Much of this
legislation attacks the victims of poverty, not poverty itself, and is punitive at its core.
First of several essential steps toward correcting this must include restoration
of SSI benefits to disabled children, and removal of the prohibition against receipt of SSI
and food stamps by legal immigrants. Further, the work requirement must include
guarantees that sound employment opportunities exist for those who need to work.
We support The Interfaith Alliance's commitment to the positive role of religion as a
healing and constructive force in public life as it encourages active participation in the
political process by people of good will and works to ensure that truthfulness, civility, and
compassion always characterize the words and deeds of those seeking to influence public
policy. We look forward to positive initiatives from the Congress and the White House in
1997.
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* Your affiliation is for identification purposes only. We are not asking you to sign this
statement on behalf of your group or organization.
Return to THE INTERFAITH ALLIANCE- Attn: Amber Khan, 1511 K St., N.W.,
Suite 738, Washington, DC 20005 or fax to (202)639-6375 by January 16, 1997.
