Media CenterCRS Urges the Senate to Vigorously Fund Humanitarian Efforts

With a staggering number of humanitarian crises around the globe, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) urged the Senate to vigorously support humanitarian assistance and poverty-reduction programs assisting those affected by hunger, conflict, poverty and social injustice around the world in written testimony submitted to the Senate subcommittees considering appropriations requests for Fiscal Year 2017.

“The United States sets the tone and tenor among governments around the globe for the role of civil society, the response to refugees, and the long-term efforts to establish safety and opportunity,” states the testimony to Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. “CRS is proud to partner with the United States government to bring opportunity and safety to millions of people every year, often in the world’s most dangerous places.”

From the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe, to the prolonged droughts in Africa, the global effects of climate change, and the need to continue critical development work in low resource countries, CRS and USCCB call for the robust funding of poverty-reducing international humanitarian and development assistance. The testimony highlights a few of these areas, including

1. humanitarian assistance;
2. conflict management;
3. global health, especially Malaria and Nutrition;
4. providing safety and opportunity in Central America;
5. climate change. 

CRS also called for continued and increased funding for food aid programs in testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies that cited ongoing work in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Malawi to combat hunger and malnutrition.

“Unfortunately, needs are expanding,” CRS President Carolyn Woo said in the testimony. “The world is seeing more people being impacted by shocks like conflict and weather patterns like El Nino, and potentially La Nina later in the year. The funding requested for Food for Peace, $1.716 billion, will be critical for the US to respond to the growing emergency needs around the world. Further, directing more than the minimum level of funding to FFP development programs will help more communities get ahead, so that when shocks do strike, they are better prepared to meet their own needs.”

Related Documents

• Read the full Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs testimony.
• Read the full Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies testimony.
• Read the CRS and USCCB letter to Committee on Appropriations
 Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. 
• Read the CRS and USCCB letter to Committee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs.
• Read the full list of CRS and USCCB specific funding requests.