Two Ways to Help Congo

I welcome your Nov. 19 editorial "Congo's Hope." The editorial properly spotlighted the struggle for democracy and stability in a nation that has been ripped apart by one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II.

However, we must not only "watch" the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we must also take concerted and immediate action to prevent the fragile progress toward democracy from crumbling. There are two existing avenues for such action:

· In the lame-duck session, the House of Representatives should pass a critical bill (S. 2125) that has already passed the Senate. This bill would strengthen Congo's efforts toward democracy, peacekeeping and recovery. The bipartisan measure would show U.S. support for the country at a key moment in its history.

· President Bush should bolster funding in the fiscal 2008 budget for U.S. contributions to the U.N. peacekeeping forces that monitor and protect such processes -- in Congo and elsewhere in Africa.

My agency and many others supported the election process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and have actively championed reconciliation, democracy and recovery there for many years. We call on the U.S. government to reinforce this solidarity with Congo.

KEN HACKETT

President

Catholic Relief Services

Baltimore