Media CenterCRS Issues Statement on COVID-19 Emergency Supplemental Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Tom Zolper
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
(410) 951-7512

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 27, 2020 – Bill O’Keefe, executive vice president for Mission, Mobilization and Advocacy at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), issued this statement today following passage in Congress of the third supplemental bill for responding to the coronavirus. In all, Congress has appropriated about $2.3 billion in coronavirus funding to the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. In the emergency supplemental legislation approved today, Migration and Refugee Assistance received $350 million and International Disaster Assistance received $258 million. After the president signs the bill, agencies will allocate the appropriations to specific needs. The statement is as follows:

“We are grateful for Congress’ leadership and wisdom. As Martin Luther King said during troubled times, the world is a ‘single garment of destiny.’ We are in this together as a global family. What affects one of us affects all of us. Supporting vulnerable populations now and into the future is the American way, and in our own best interest.

“Catholic Relief Services is ramping up to prevent the spread of the virus. The pandemic has not stopped us from carrying out our mission around the world. Along with local partners, we have initiated COVID-19 responses in over 15 countries, including support of refugees, migrants, and vulnerable communities. We evacuated 250 people from a tent city in the Philippines before a lockdown would have made them a prime target for infection.  

“CRS will continue to work with Congress and the administration to assess global needs moving forward and urges the United States to provide necessary leadership and resources to address the pandemic overseas.”

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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