U.S. BISHOPS, CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CALL FOR GREATER COMMITMENT TO HELPPOOR AROUND THE WORLD IN CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION

WASHINGTON—Leaders of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) said they were encouraged by
provisions aimed at protecting the poor and vulnerable at home and abroad
in the latest climate change legislation, but added that they were "very
concerned about the inadequate funding for assisting the poorest people and
countries on earth" to help them adapt to the impact of climate change.

In a June 22 letter to the U.S. House of Representatives, Albany Bishop
Howard J. Hubbard, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Ken Hackett, president of CRS, called the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) "groundbreaking legislation"
that "begins a serious and overdue effort to face up to moral and
environmental challenges and represents an important beginning."

Bishop Hubbard and Mr. Hackett cited the call for Catholic bishops and many
in the faith community to "care for creation" and for "the least of these"
and noted that they were "deeply disappointed" that funding for
international adaptation falls far short of what is initially needed and
that additional increases for such funding is pushed too far into the
future.

"Catholic Relief Services is already experiencing the tragic consequences
of climate change in the lives of people living in poverty," they added,
noting that CRS is helping over 100 countries adapt to the impact of
climate change through health, agriculture, water and emergency
preparedness programs.
Hubbard and Hackett expressed their support for provisions protecting
low-income people from potential rises in energy costs resulting from the
legislation, as well as measures helping not-for-profit and faith-based
institutions become more energy efficient.

"As the legislative process moves forward," they said, "we look forward to
working with Congress and the Administration to increase funding for
international adaptation assistance and taking a major step toward caring
for creation and protecting 'the least of these.'"

Full text of the letter can be found online at:
www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/climate/2009-06-24-let-crs-usccb-to-congress-climate-change.pdf
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