Letter
Letter to Congress Regarding FY 2023 Appropriations, July 18, 2022
July 18, 2022
Dear Representative:
We write to you as the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to take up the first of its Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations bills, to ask you to work toward funding bills that truly build up the common good for everyone in our society, especially the most vulnerable among us. Prior to this writing, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), together with our partners, has submitted eight appropriations request letters to you:
Urging Retention of All Pro-Life Provisions
D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program
Migration-related Appropriations
International Humanitarian and Development Assistance
Environmental Protection Agency and Dept. of Interior
Agriculture Appropriations
Housing Appropriations
Nonprofit Security Grants
These requests represent USCCB appropriations priorities and include calls for robust funding for services that help the poor and vulnerable; assist migrants and refugees; protect the environment; support healthcare, housing, and nutrition; support opportunity scholarships for low-income students; promote humanitarian and development assistance; and protect religious liberty, including by securing nonprofits and houses of worship.
From the beginning, we have conveyed our grave concerns about the prospect of any expansion of taxpayer funding of abortion, which would occur if the Hyde Amendment or any of the other life-saving appropriations riders were to be removed from the annual appropriations bills. It is entirely unacceptable that the House appropriations bills have excluded the 47-year-old Hyde Amendment and other longstanding, bipartisan appropriations provisions including the Weldon, Helms, Dornan, and Smith Amendments. If these provisions are not retained in a final agreement, the legislation would have the collective effect of mandating healthcare professionals to participate in abortion and forcing American citizens to pay for abortion with their tax dollars.
In recent months, we have also expressed opposition to any legislative efforts that would mandate the use of authorities under Title 42 of the U.S. Code to deny vulnerable persons the right to seek asylum in the United States. We strongly urge that no such provisions be included in this year’s appropriations bills.
Once again, as our previous letters show, the USCCB strongly supports robust appropriations to ensure that the poor and vulnerable at home and abroad, as well as migrants and refugees, are able to live in accordance with their God-given dignity. Support for all people’s dignity also includes protecting religious freedom and the integrity of the family. At the same time, we
believe legislation that fails to include longstanding, bipartisan policies protecting pre-born life directly threatens human life and dignity and should be opposed until this fundamental problem is remedied.
Sincerely,
His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
Chairman, Committee for Religious Liberty
Most Reverend William E. Lori
Archbishop of Baltimore
Chairman, Committee on Pro-Life Activities
Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley
Archbishop of Oklahoma City
Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development
Most Reverend David J. Malloy
Bishop of Rockford
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace
Most Reverend Thomas A. Daly
Bishop of Spokane
Chairman, Committee on Catholic Education
Most Reverend Mario E. Dorsonville
Auxiliary Bishop of Washington
Chairman, Committee on Migration