Catholic organisations have called for a swift resolution to the US Government shutdown to mitigate the potential harm to government-funded programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Source: CNA.
The Government shut down yesterday because Congress failed to reach an agreement on the federal spending budget,
The shutdown and the “crippling partisanship will be felt far beyond the halls of Washington,” Kerry Alys Robinson, president of Catholic Charities USA, said in a statement.
Catholic Charities USA, which supports a network of agencies, reported the shutdown will “take a particular toll on the most vulnerable among us, from hungry children and parents living paycheck to paycheck to seniors struggling to afford medications and groceries.”
If leaders from both parties do not end the shutdown soon, “even more Americans will fall into poverty, and the recovery from this setback could take months or even years,” Ms Robinson said.
“In the meantime, Catholic Charities agencies around the country, inspired by the Gospel, will continue to do their best to fill in the gaps and provide life-giving, compassionate aid to those suffering most in their communities.”
Sr Mary Haddad RSM, president and CEO of Catholic Health Association of the United States, said in a statement the shutdown “jeopardises the health and stability of millions of families.”
“The ripple effects of inaction extend across the economy, deepening hardship for those already most vulnerable.”
Sr Haddad said her organisation was urging “Congress to come together to fund the Government for fiscal year 2026 and extend vital health and safety net programs that millions rely on” and is encouraging “lawmakers to swiftly work together to end the shutdown and preserve critical health programs.”
A United States Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesperson said the USCCB hopes “lawmakers will work earnestly to come to a bipartisan agreement that ends the Government shutdown as quickly as possible,” as it “harms families and individuals who rely on federal services.”
It is not clear how long the shutdown will last, but until a decision regarding the budget is reached, funding for numerous US Government services will remain cut off.
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Catholic organisations urge Congress to end US Government shutdown (By Tessa Gervasini, CNA)
