WASHINGTON – In the midst of the ongoing federal government shutdown, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a plea for lawmakers and the Administration to work in a bipartisan way to ensure funding of lifesaving programs and an end to the government shutdown. Archbishop Broglio cited the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a government program that aids needy families, as an example of an impacted program.

“As this government shutdown continues, the U.S. bishops are deeply alarmed that essential programs that support the common good, such as SNAP, may be interrupted. This would be catastrophic for families and individuals who rely on SNAP to put food on the table and places the burdens of this shutdown most heavily on the poor and vulnerable of our nation, who are the least able to move forward. This consequence is unjust and unacceptable. The U.S. bishops have consistently advocated for public policies that support those in need. I urgently plead with lawmakers and the Administration to work in a bipartisan way to ensure that these lifesaving programs are funded, and to pass a government funding bill to end the government shutdown as quickly as possible.”