Every choice our country makes is a statement of who we are and what we prioritize. At its heart a budget is a moral document. For people of faith, our priorities must always lie with the poor and most vulnerable.Extending the Bush tax cuts for the most fortunate while ending unemployment benefits and cutting back services for the poor does not reflect the values of faithful Americans. For that reason, we urge you to let tax cuts for the most fortunate expire as scheduled at the end of the year.

Almost 50 million Americans wonder where their next meal is coming from. One in 5 children live in poverty and many Americans are out of work. At the same time, there are more millionaires in our country today than at the peak of the market in 2007. In the last 30 years, the wealthiest 1% have seen their incomes increase almost 300% while regular Americans are worse off.

We have a responsibility to balance our budgets. We have an equal responsibility to make sure that burden is carried by those who can most afford it. Giving benefits to the rich while denying them to the poor is a sin. As citizens of this country and people of faith, we have an obligation to those in need. The book of Proverbs puts it quite simply: "He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty" (Prov 22:16 NIV).

We believe that our own good is tied up into the common good; that we will meet the challenges of today not just as individuals but together as a nation. We are grateful for the leadership of the PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES who have stepped forward to ask that their tax cuts expire. We hope you will heed their counsel.

May God bless the leadership of you and the Congress, and may God bless America to be a blessing to the world.

Sincerely,

Rev. Katharine Henderson
President
Auburn Theological Seminary

Michael Adams
Director, Advocacy and Church Relations 
ChildServ

Dr. Frank M. Alton
Executive Director
Prepare the Future California

Lisa Anderson
Associate Director of Educational Programs
Auburn Theological Seminary

Rev. Anne Andert
Pastor
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. J.C. Austin
Director of the Center for Christian Leadership
Auburn Theological Seminary

Rabbi Justus N. Baird
Director of the Center for Multifaith Education
Auburn Theological Seminary

Eva Cavaleri
Priest
Episcopal Church

Stephanie Chandler 
Parishoner
Westminster Presbyterian Church

Rev. Robert Chase
Founding Director
Intersections International

Ernest Clark 
Pastor 
Guerrant Mem. Priesbyterian Church

Charles L. Cohen
Professor of History and Religious Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Rev. Chuck Currie
Minister
United Church of Christ

Rev. Tracy Daub
University Presbyterian Church

Rev. Brandon W. Duran
Pacific Northwest Conference
United Church of Christ

Julie Dybdahl
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor

Dr. Bobbi Dykema
United Theological Seminary

Rev. Allyn Foster 
Presbyterian 

Bishop Andrew Gentry
All Saints and Sorts Church

Joel Gilbertson-White
Ministerial candidate 
Unitarian Universalist 

Yosef Goldman
Jewish Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Bob Gross
Pastor
Lake Avenue United Church of Christ 

Rev. Fred L Hammond
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa

Michael Harvey
Executive Director
Conference of Baptist Minister 

Charles P. Henderson
Executive Editor
CrossCurrents

Rev. Linda Higgins
United Church of Christ

Rev. Anne S. Howard
Executive Director
The Beatitudes Society

James E. Hug
President
Center of Concern

Rev. Jim Wallis
Chief Executive Officer
Sojourners

Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D.
Co-Founder
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual

Christie Iverson
St. George's Episcopal Church

Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Director, Ma'aseh
The Center for Jewish Social Justice Education  

Rev. John Janka
United Methodist Church   

Rev. Ayanna Johnson
Director of Community Life
Chicago Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Serene Jones
President and Roosevelt Professor of Theology
Union Theological Seminary 

Rabbi Irwin Kula
President 
National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

Kimberly Knight
The Beatitudes Society

Rev. Peter Laarman
Executive Director
Progressive Christians Uniting 

Rev. Dr. Jacqueline J. Lewis
Senior Minister
Middle Collegiate Church

Rev. Michael Livingston
Director, Poverty Initiative
National Council of Churches

Rev. Katy Lloyd
United Church of Christ

Rev. Drew Ludwig
Lafayette Ave Presbyterian Church

Michael Mc Carthy
Emeritus Professor of Philosophy
Vassar College

Rev. Roger McClellen
Progressive Christian Alliance

Rev. Bryan McFarland
Presbyterian Church U.S.A. 

Rev. M. Bruce McKay
Episcopalian 

Rev. Christianne McKee
Pastor
St. Luke's UCC 

Dr. Thomas R. McKibbens
Senior Minister
First Baptist Church 

Rev. Deborah Meinke
Memorial Presbyterian Church 

Rev. Sharon Moe
United Methodist Church 

Rev. Carroll H. & Mrs. Janet L. Morony
Pastor
American Baptist Churches (retired)

Dr. Lucinda Mosher
Interreligious Relations Consultant

Rev. Dr. Joseph Murphy
United Church of Christ (retired)

Rev. Jane A. Page
Minister
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro

Rev. Jan Van Pelt
UCC clergy of Seattle

Polly Peterson
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord

Jean Perkins
First Baptist Church

Rev. Jennifer Butler
Executive Director
Faith in Public Life

Rev. Cecil Charles Prescod
Director, Christian Education and Youth Ministries
Ainsworth United Church of Christ

Rev. Dr. C. J. Pressler
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities

Marjorie Procter-Smith
LeVan Professor of Christian Worship
Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

Rev. Carol Rahn
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church

George Regas
Rector Emeritus
All Saints Church

Carol Reynolds
Pastor
First Congregational Church, UCC 

Rabbi Elizabeth Richman
Program Director & Rabbi in Residence
Jews United for Justice

Rev. Rachel S
Pastor
Presbyterian (U.S.A.) 

Rabbi Joanna Samuels
Advancing Women 

Rev. Donna Schaper
Senior Minister
Judson Memorial Church

Rev. Charles Schwab
UCC

Rabbi Bruce Seltzer
Amherst College

Marnie Singer
Ministerial candidate
Unitarian Universalist

Rev. Virginia Smith
PCUSA

Rev. Paul Sorrentino
Director of Religious Life
Amherst College

Rev. Samuel H. Speers
Director, Religious & Spiritual Life Office
Vassar College

Rev. Stephen H. Swanson
Pastor 
St Paul Lutheran Church of Villa Park

Rev. Stephen H. Swanson
Pastor
St Paul Lutheran Church of Villa Park

Kelli Thompson
Alumni
Fuller Theological Seminary

Rev. Coleen Tully
Priest
St. James Episcopal Church

Rev. John H. Vaughn
Executive Vice President
Auburn Theological Seminary

Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky
Jewish Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Jon M. Walton
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York

Rev. Mark Wendorf
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rev. Tom Williams
Minister
Covenant Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Yorty
Pastor
Westminster Presbyterian Church