USCCB urges laity to lobby senators on farm bill
May 23, 2012
The Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging lay Catholics to contact their senators over the Memorial Day recess and let them know “that our nation needs to feed the hungry, preserve God's creation, support small family farmers and help rural America thrive.”
In conjunction with Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, the USCCB is calling upon senators to “oppose cuts or harmful changes in domestic hunger and nutrition programs,” “redirect subsidies to small and medium-sized farms, especially minority owned farms and ranches that truly need assistance,” and “fully fund important conservation programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) [and] the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).”
“The bishops acknowledge that reducing future unsustainable deficits is important but remind Congress that their decisions are not just economic in nature but are political and moral choices with human consequences,” the USCCB added.
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Posted by: unum -
May. 24, 2012 12:16 PM ET USA
I certainly agree with the bishops that the decisions of Congress "are not just economic in nature but are political and moral choices with human consequences". But I can't agree that the members of Congress should “oppose cuts ... in domestic hunger and nutrition programs”. Many government programs are duplicative, inefficient, or wasteful, and I can't in good conscience urge my representatives in Congress to vote for them based solely on the word of the lefties at USCCB.
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Posted by: Gil125 -
May. 23, 2012 2:45 PM ET USA
Here they go again. Are the successors to the Apostles really qualified to judge the merits of CSP and EQIP? Tell you what. Go to your Bishop's Mass at his Cathedral next Sunday and when you come out, ask him what his personal view of EQIP is. If he gives you anything but a blank stare, let me know.
