TIME: White House, Congress Should Remember Pope Francis During Budget Process
Emily Conron, coordinator of faith-based outreach for END7, and a member of the Young Leaders Council of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good

“…After his meeting last month with the Holy Father, President Obama said he and the American people had been inspired by the new pope’s global leadership on poverty. … One of the biggest indicators of a country’s priorities from a moral perspective is how it chooses to spend its revenue. The United States has steadily increased its aid in important global health efforts, most notably those that improve the lives of the poorest people on earth. … The United States must not back away from its global leadership on these issues. President Obama and leaders in Congress, who have found new inspiration in Pope Francis, must act on his call ‘to remember the people, especially the poor, who are affected by the economic decisions we make.’ The Holy Father is right: governments must work together to protect the poor. And as the richest country on earth, the United States has a moral obligation to lead on global health…” (4/10).