CWS applauds bipartisan Congressional leadership for the Omnibus appropriations agreement on 2016 funding announced today. This funding increases provisions for several of the critical budget lines on issues on which CWS has long advocated. “These investments are significant and will make a real difference to the lives of the world’s most vulnerable communities,” CWS President and CEO, the Rev. John L. McCullough said.
Development Assistance received an 11 percent increase to $2.78 billion, including $400 million for water and sanitation. International Disaster Assistance was up 47 percent to $2.79 billion. International food aid increased by 17 percent to $1.716 billion, and a small increase also raised global health funding to $8.5 billion. The Omnibus appropriations bill clears the path for a U.S. contribution to the Green Climate Fund, a global funding mechanism that helps at-risk communities in poor countries better prepare and adapt to the consequences global warming.
“Climate change is the most pressing development challenge of our era, a challenge that adds to existing burdens of the poor. These are the moral and ethical crises that strike at the heart of our common humanity,” Rev. McCullough said. “At-risk communities need scaled up funding and technological assistance to adapt in time to climate change. This is precisely what combined U.S. development assistance, including the Green Climate Fund, can do. CWS champions the moral need for continued U.S. leadership on climate change. Today, we are truly delighted that our efforts have contributed to this positive outcome.”
“We pray for this to be the beginning of U.S. commitment to the world’s poorest, and not the end nor the ceiling,” Rev. McCullough said “In the coming year, CWS will continue to engage with Congress to ensure that U.S. contributions are commensurate with its global leadership and is characterized by high ambition, fairness, equity and compassion.”