WASHINGTON, DC (April 2, 2014) – The following statement is being released by Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA):

CHA was stunned to see the budget proposal by House Republican budget chair Rep. Paul Ryan. Many of the nation's most important programs for health security for working American families and seniors would either be eliminated or severely undermined by this budget proposal.

The proposal represents a dramatic assault on the common good. It is antithetical to the American spirit to imply, as the Ryan budget does, that spending the nation's resources on its families and elders represents waste and poor choices. The health care cuts included in this budget would be harmful and, in the long term, economically unwise. Having healthy American families and taking care of our elderly build the strength and character of our great nation.

Proposals that would gut health care and social service programs in the name of economic progress are just wrong. At a time when Pope Francis has asked that economic decisions be built around a "transcendent vision of the human person" and has asked that "wealth serve, not rule," it is important to be clear that this is not a budget proposal that comes close to being worthy of this great nation. We urge Congress to reject it and start over.    

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The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), founded in 1915, supports the Catholic health ministry's commitment to improve the health status of communities and create quality and compassionate health care that works for everyone. The Catholic health ministry is the nation's largest group of not-for-profit health systems and facilities that, along with their sponsoring organizations, employ more than 750,000 women and men who deliver services combining advanced technology with the Catholic caring tradition.