The Hill: Congress can’t shortchange America’s humanitarian responses
Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, and Abby Maxman, president and CEO of Oxfam America

“…The United States of America has always been an essential player in the field of humanitarian response. … In order to preserve this leadership, Congress must avert budget cuts to humanitarian aid … The United Nations is predicting 135.7 million people worldwide will need humanitarian assistance in 2018, an increase over this year. More than 76 million people are projected to need emergency food assistance in 2018 as well. … Given these daunting circumstances, we urge Congress and the budget negotiators to quickly arrive at a budget deal to avoid automatic spending cuts and provide at least the same amount of funding for critical humanitarian, development, and diplomacy programs as enacted for fiscal 2017. … Congress must urgently work out a permanent funding deal for next fiscal year that does not shortchange America’s humanitarian response in the midst of record-breaking need. Anything less would be immoral” (1/8).