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WHY YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS ALERT: On March 11, H.R. 1095, the "Debt Relief for Poverty Reduction Act of 1999" was introduced. This bill, which was developed through the cooperation of the U.S. Catholic Conference, Catholic Relief Services, Bread for the World, Oxfam America, the Episcopal Church, the National Council of Churches, and others, would significantly advance efforts to provide debt relief for impoverished countries. The bill is reaching a crucial stage in the House. It is expected to be voted on by the Banking Committee during September.
BACKGROUND: In poor countries, the government's obligation to make payments on its debts reduces the available resources for investing in the basic needs of the world's poorest people, such as health care, decent housing, and education. Their need to generate resources for debt repayments can exacerbate harmful environmental practices when natural resources are exploited to raise cash. H.R. 1095 would make important progress toward real debt relief for impoverished nations. It would:
- Provide more debt relief to more countries more quickly than existing programs.
- Target debt relief to the poor by depositing savings from debt relief into a Human Development Fund. This fund would reduce the number of people living in poverty, expand access of the poor to basic social services, and protect the environment.
- Ensure that the terms and conditions of debt relief and the arrangements for the operations and monitoring of the Human Development Fund would be "transparent" (open to public review) and would involve the participation of civil society, including humanitarian and development groups.
CHURCH POSITION: In "A Jubilee Call for Debt Forgiveness," approved by the Administrative Board in March 1999, the U.S. bishops state, "Our analysis of the debt problem begins with the presumption that when countries, like individuals, contract a loan, they have an obligation to repay it. But this presumption may be overridden . . . when a country cannot repay its debt without critical reductions in spending for health, education, food, housing, and other basic needs, and when debt has become a serious obstacle to development."
The Holy Father has called on the Catholic community to put the needs of the "least among us" first by working for debt relief for the world's poorest nations. "Thus, in the spirit of the Book of Leviticus (25:8-12), Christians will have to raise their voice on behalf of all the poor of the world, proposing the Jubilee [in 2000] as an appropriate time to give thought, among other things, to reducing substantially, if not canceling outright, the international debt which seriously threatens the future of many nations" (Tertio Millenio Adveniente, 51).
ACTION NEEDED:
The House Banking Committee is expected to vote on H.R. 1095 in the second or third week of September. Eighteen Democratic members of the Committee have signed on as co-sponsors, but only five Republicans.
- If your member is on the Banking Committee but is not yet a co-sponsor of the bill (see below), contact the member and urge him or her to sign on as co-sponsor.
- Support for passage of H.R. 1095 from as many of the other House members as possible is also important, to demonstrate to the Banking Committee strong backing for the bill. Contact your member and urge him or her to sign on as a co-sponsor. Or express your appreciation if he or she is already a co-sponsor (see below).
Many members of Congress believe that their constituents don't care about debt relief. Your call, letter, or e-mail can change this perception and urge widespread support for the "Debt Relief For Poverty Reduction Act of 1999."
SAMPLE LETTER
The Honorable (NAME)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative:
In the spirit of Pope John Paul II's repeated call for "substantial reduction, if not outright cancellation of the international debt which seriously threatens the future of many nations," I write to urge you to cosponsor H.R. 1095, the Debt Relief for Poverty Reduction Act of 1999. It calls for significant reduction of bilateral and multilateral debt owed by poor countries and requires that the money saved from debt relief be used to benefit poor people.
Debt harms the world's poorest and most vulnerable people who had no say in contracting the loans but on whom the burden of repayment falls heaviest. Our brother bishops, Catholic missionaries, and church workers around the world tell us that the debt problem is depriving children of primary education, men and women of access to adequate health care, and millions of ordinary people the basic needs that are essential to human and economic development.
Debt relief is one of many measures needed to solve the problem of international poverty, and much of what needs to be accomplished is fundamentally the responsibility of the poor countries themselves. Yet, the resources of these countries are limited. Lifting the heavy burden of excessive external debt would remove a major obstacle to attaining sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.
Debt relief is also in the United States' economic interest. Giving a country a fresh start through debt relief can help make it more attractive for U.S. investment and for the expansion of export markets. Without debt relief, the financial situation of many countries will become increasingly unstable and prevent their full participation in the global economy.
We believe that H.R. 1095, the Debt Relief for Poverty Reduction Act of 1999, can make a major contribution to help poor countries create a sustainable path of job-creating growth and poverty reduction and aid in their eventual emergence as self-reliant members of the world. We hope you will agree to co-sponsor this pivotal legislation. Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to hearing from you.
1).Banking Committee members who are not co-sponsors:
| Alabama Bob Riley (R) California Edward Royce (R) Doug Ose (R) Brad Sherman (D)] Delaware Michael Castle (R) Bill McCollum (R) Dave Weldon Georgia Bob Barr (R) Illinois Donald Manzullo (R) Judy Biggert (R) Luis Gutierrez (D) Kansas Jim Ryun (R) Louisiana Richard Baker (R) Montana Rick Hill (R) Nebraska Lee Terry (R) Frank Mascara (D) New Jersey Frank Mascara (D) Marge Roukema (R) New York John Sweeney (R) Rick Lazio (R) Peter King (R) Sue W. Kelly (R) |
North Carolina Walter Jones (R) Ohio Robert Ney (R) Steven LaTourette (R) Oklahoma Frank Lucas (R) Pennsylvania Pat Toomey (R) Paul Kanjorski (D) Mark Green (R) Rhode Island Bob Weygand (D) Texas Ron Paul (R) Max Sandin (D) Charles Gonzalez (D) Utah Merrill Cook (R) Vermont Bernard Sanders (R) Virginia Virgil Goode (D) Washington Jay Inslee (D) Wisconsin Paul Ryan (R) |
Current Co-Sponsors (96): James Leach (R-IA), Original Sponsor
| Alabama Spencer Bachus, III (R) Earl F. Hilliard (D) California Howard Berman (D) George Brown, Jr. (D) Tom Campbell (R) Lois Capps (D) Julian Dixon (D) Bob Filner (D) Barbara Lee (D) Tom Lantos (D) Nancy Pelosi (D) Henry Waxman (D) Maxine Waters (D) Lynn Woolsey (D) Sam Farr (D) Colorado Mark Udall (D) Connecticut Sam Gejdenson (D) James H. Maloney (D) District of Colombia Eleanor Norton (D-Del.) Florida Carrie Meek (D) Corinne Brown (D) Robert Wexler (D) Georgia John Lewis (D) Hawaii Neil Abercrombie (D) Illinois Bobby Rush (D) William O. Lipinski (D) Danny K. Davis (D) Janice D. Schakowsky (D) John M. Shimkus (R) Indiana Julia Carson (D) Kansas Dennis Moore (D) Louisiana William J. Jefferson (D) Maryland Elijah Cummings (D) Constance A. Morella (R) Albert Wynn (D) Massachusetts Michael Capuano (D) William Delahunt (D) Barney Frank (D) Edward Markey (D) James P. McGovern (D) Martin D. Meehan (D) Michigan David Bonior (D) Dale Kildee (D) Carolyn Kilpatrick (D) Lynn Rivers (D) Minnesota William (Bill) Luther (D) David Minge (D) James Oberstar (D) Jim Ramstad (R) Bruce Vento (D) Collin C. Peterson (D) Martin Olav Sabo (D) |
Missouri William (Bill) Clay (D) Mississippi Bennie G. Thompson (D) Nebraska Douglas Bereuter (R) New Jersey Steven Rothman (D) Donald M. Payne (D) Robert Menendez (D) North Carolina Melvin L. Watt (D)
New York |