Tell Congress: Support Lifesaving Humanitarian Assistance For Millions of Families
- by: Mercy Corps
- recipient: U.S Congress
Any day now, Congress will begin to decide what programs to fund – and what programs to cut. On the chopping block is International Disaster Assistance and Migration and Refugee Assistance funding – which includes lifesaving emergency aid for Syrians and the millions of other families who will experience a humanitarian crisis this year.
President Obama's proposed budget woefully underfunds humanitarian aid programs. For example, he is recommending cutting funding for international disasters by 30 percent. Fortunately, Congress can fix this – but it's going to take all of us raising our voices together to make sure they get the job done.
Over the last several years, the gap between humanitarian funding needs and what is actually provided has widened significantly. In 2015, less than half of the money requested by humanitarian organizations to respond to crises was ultimately funded.
With so many innocent lives at stake, this is outrageous. Congress can help right this imbalance, but they need to hear from you.
Raise your voice and tell your Representative and Senators to increase the funding for International Disaster Assistance and the Migration and Refugee Assistance Accounts.
President Obama's proposed budget woefully underfunds humanitarian aid programs. For example, he is recommending cutting funding for international disasters by 30 percent. Fortunately, Congress can fix this – but it's going to take all of us raising our voices together to make sure they get the job done.
Over the last several years, the gap between humanitarian funding needs and what is actually provided has widened significantly. In 2015, less than half of the money requested by humanitarian organizations to respond to crises was ultimately funded.
With so many innocent lives at stake, this is outrageous. Congress can help right this imbalance, but they need to hear from you.
Raise your voice and tell your Representative and Senators to increase the funding for International Disaster Assistance and the Migration and Refugee Assistance Accounts.
Dear Member of Congress,
I am writing to ask that in the FY 2017 appropriations process you fund International Disaster Assistance (IDA) and Migration and Refugee Account (MRA) within the State and Foreign Operations bill at no less than $2.8 billion and $3.6 billion respectively.
War continues to blaze across countries such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan, causing men, women, boys and girls to flee from violence. Last year, the number of people forced to leave their homes reached 60 million people – more than any other time since World War II.
But funding for humanitarian assistance is not meeting these unprecedented needs. Last year, almost $20 billion was requested by the humanitarian community to respond to crises around the world, but less than half of that was ultimately funded. The US Congress is filling a critical role in the international community by substantially increasing support for IDA as was done in the FY2016 Budget and for which I am incredibly thankful. The IDA account supports USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and responds to the needs of internally displaced people as well as programs that help communities prepare for and respond to disasters. The MRA account supports refugees fleeing their country, often from violent conflict. For example, MRA funding is helping Afghan refugees resettle from Pakistan back to their home country, assisting Syrian refugees who make up a quarter of Lebanon's population or South Sudanese who have fled violence.
As my Representative/Senator, I ask that you work with the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to ensure that $2.8 billion is made available for IDA and $3.6 billion for MRA in the FY 2017 State and Foreign Operations bill.
[Your Comment] Thank you for your consideration,
[Your Name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionI am writing to ask that in the FY 2017 appropriations process you fund International Disaster Assistance (IDA) and Migration and Refugee Account (MRA) within the State and Foreign Operations bill at no less than $2.8 billion and $3.6 billion respectively.
War continues to blaze across countries such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan, causing men, women, boys and girls to flee from violence. Last year, the number of people forced to leave their homes reached 60 million people – more than any other time since World War II.
But funding for humanitarian assistance is not meeting these unprecedented needs. Last year, almost $20 billion was requested by the humanitarian community to respond to crises around the world, but less than half of that was ultimately funded. The US Congress is filling a critical role in the international community by substantially increasing support for IDA as was done in the FY2016 Budget and for which I am incredibly thankful. The IDA account supports USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and responds to the needs of internally displaced people as well as programs that help communities prepare for and respond to disasters. The MRA account supports refugees fleeing their country, often from violent conflict. For example, MRA funding is helping Afghan refugees resettle from Pakistan back to their home country, assisting Syrian refugees who make up a quarter of Lebanon's population or South Sudanese who have fled violence.
As my Representative/Senator, I ask that you work with the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to ensure that $2.8 billion is made available for IDA and $3.6 billion for MRA in the FY 2017 State and Foreign Operations bill.
[Your Comment] Thank you for your consideration,
[Your Name]
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