Bread for the World Encouraged by Passage of FY 2013 Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bread for the World applauds the passage of the fiscal year 2013 continuing resolution. The House of Representatives passed the Senate-amended bill, which continues to fund the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year (through Sept. 30, 2013).

Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann released the following statement about the passage of the continuing resolution:

"This bill isn't perfect, but Congress finally got away from month-to-month crisis management and came to an agreement that minimizes cuts to programs that help hungry and poor people. However, the sequester will continue to affect many vulnerable people. Moving forward, we continue to pray that Republicans and Democrats come together to solve our long-term fiscal challenges by addressing tax expenditures and modifying Medicare.

"We still have a long way to go to protect programs that help lift people out of poverty. We are pleased that the bill increases humanitarian assistance funding to some of the poorest people in the world. It also mitigates cuts to the WIC program which provides vital nutrition assistance to new mothers and young children. Unfortunately, it fails to address the across-the-board sequester spending cuts. Programs like Head Start and housing vouchers will still be cut."

Now the continuing resolution, which passed 318-109, will be sent to the White House for the president's signature. Throughout 2013 and beyond, Bread for the World is committed to ensuring that lawmakers protect vital anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs in the United States and abroad. For more information about this effort, please visit www.bread.org/ol.

Bread for the World (www.bread.org) is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.

SOURCE Bread for the World