January
18, 2006
For
more information, contact
Elisabeth Solomon at 773.728.8400
x42.
Interfaith
Organizations Call on Congress to Form Ethical
Commission for Reconstruction of Gulf-Coast
Region
WASHINGTON,
DC—Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) calls on Congress
to establish an independent Ethical Reconstruction
Commission to guide the nation with compassion
and competence in facing the task of rebuilding
lives and communities. This Commission will
insure that those who were left behind in
the evacuation of the Gulf Coast Region will
not be left behind again in the rebuilding effort.
The
Ethical Reconstruction Commission, whose concept is endorsed
by a broad spectrum of religious leaders
and organizations, is needed to oversee
the use of reconstruction funds, provide a voice for the people of
the Gulf Region, ensure
that worker justice is central
to the rebuilding and offer overall guidance
and ethical leadership to the Gulf Coast
reconstruction initiative.
“There
are many different ways to approach this awesome rebuilding task,” said
Rev. Nelson Johnson, President of Interfaith Worker Justice. “Some
want to move quickly with a top down, politicized process. We believe
such an approach will not work. We believe
that a process guided by the deepest ethics
in our
culture and involving the broadest range
of people affected holds the only promise
for the ethical reconstruction of the region and has the
potential for setting a new direction for
the
nation.”
Interfaith
Worker Justice envisions the Ethical Reconstruction
Commission setting forth priorities and overseeing
broad national initiatives
to:
- restore
all aspects of federal contract compliance,
including prevailing wage and affirmative
action requirements;
- put
former gulf-area residents to work;
- assist
displaced workers;
- protect
worker safety;
- expand
the network of workers centers; and
- ensure
adequate family supports through social service programs, such as
Medicaid and
Food Stamps.
Speaking
and publicly endorsing the concept at today’s press
conference were Mr. Ronald Ault, President,
Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO; Ms. Kim Bobo, Executive Director,
Interfaith Worker Justice;
Imam Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, Muslim
American Society; Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, National Coordinator,
NETWORK: A Catholic Social Justice
Lobby; Ms. Maia Duerr, Executive Director,
Buddhist Peace Fellowship; Rev. Robert Edgar, General Secretary,
National Council of Churches;
Mr. Steven Horsford, Executive Director, Culinary
Training Academy; Rev. Nelson Johnson, President, Interfaith Worker
Justice; Rev. Fred
Kammer, S.J., Provincial, New Orleans Province,
Society of Jesus; Mr. Rob Keithan, Director, Washington Office for
Advocacy of the Unitarian
Universalist Association of Congregations;
Fr. Christopher Lockard, S.J., Senior Policy Analyst, Jesuit Refugee
Service; Rabbi David Saperstein,
Director, Religious Action Center of Reform
Judaism; Mr. Randall Scott, Esq., Executive Director; Workers Injury
Law & Advocacy Group;
and Rev. Ron Stief, Director, Washington Office
of the United Church of Christ ’s Justice and Witness Ministries.
“Like
the Hebrew prophet Nehemiah viewing the destruction of Jerusalem,
we believe the region can be rebuilt with
justice,” said Kim Bobo, Executive Director of Interfaith Worker
Justice. “Our call for an Ethical Reconstruction Commission follows
Nehemiah’s plan. He organized the building process in such a
way that everyone participated in the rebuilding.
He redistributed wealth and resources so all
could support their families in dignity.” Download
a MS Word version of this release
Go
to the Ethical
Reconstruction Commission Page
About IWJ Interfaith Worker Justice is a network of people of faith who call upon religious values to engage the religious community in issues and campaigns to improve the wages, benefits and working conditions of workers in low-wage jobs. Interfaith Worker Justice has 60 local affiliate chapters around the country.
Interfaith Worker Justice, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60660, (773) 728-8400, fax: (773) 728-8409
Website:
http://www.iwj.org/
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