It is officially August Recess and here in Florida we are taking advantage of the opportunity to meet locally with our elected officials and their staff while they are in town.

Earlier today, we had the chance to sit down with Josh Maddock, District Representative for Congressman Ron Klein (Fl-D-22). We told Josh all about ONE and the more than 4,000 ONE members living right here in the 22nd Congressional District which spans the eastern coast of Florida from Boca Raton up through parts of Jupiter.

First and foremost, we thanked Josh for Rep. Klein’s previous support on some of our legislative priorities, including the reauthorization of PEPFAR and the Jubilee Act. We were also pleased to report that Rep. Klein voted against the Lewis/Culberson amendment which, if passed, would have cut significant funding from the FY2010 Foreign Affairs Appropriations Bill.

As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, we knew that Rep. Klein would be familiar with recent efforts to re-write the Foreign Assistance Act with the goal of restructuring and improving coordination and aid effectiveness. We asked that Rep. Klein consider joining the more than 100 members of Congress who are already cosponsors of this important bill.

Before leaving, we also talked about the importance of developing a long-term approach to improve agricultural sustainability and asked that Rep. Klein become a cosponsor of H.R. 3077, The Global Food Security Act. We know that the United States is a global leader in providing emergency food and disaster assistance, however, these interventions, while critical, are not sustainable solutions to improve the lives of millions that are vulnerable to food insecurity.

-Sara J. Paterni

Today, ONE member Phillip Williams met with his US Congressional Representative, Jim McGovern of MA. Phillip took time to explain ONE to Rep. McGovern and let him know that in 2009, it is not only possible to fight global disease and extreme poverty, but it is a priority!

Phillip told me that Rep. McGovern was very familiar with ONE’s issues and agenda as he is already a co-sponsor of Education for All, Jubilee, and Global Child Survival Act. And as a member of the House Budget Committee, Phillip asked Rep. McGovern to hold, or increase the upcoming budget number for the international affairs account – the part of the budget that contains all of the US’s global life saving humanitarian programs. Rep. McGovern said that he understood the importance of these issues and mentioned how global development ultimately leads to greater national safely and security at home.

Today Phillip took time to let his Representative know that saving lives in the poorest parts of the world is an important issues to him and he urged action in the 111th Congress. But ONE members everywhere should follow the lead of Phillip and contact their new Senators and Representatives to let them know about ONE and our efforts to fight global disease and extreme – stupid – poverty.

-Matthew Bartlett

ONE and CARE volunteers united for a meeting with Congressman Sestak’s (D, PA-7) senior advisor Jason Marmon. We thanked the Congressman for his support of PEPFAR and the Jubilee Act and for his co-sponsorship of Education for All. Marmon expressed frustration at what he described as “gridlock” in the Congress and said that Representative Sestak wanted to remain in session instead of go to recess this summer in order to finish the important work ahead of them.

He regretted that many legislative needs would not be met in the month of September before the recess until January but he said that the congressman will continue to champion issues such as universal education and foreign aid in the interest of national security.

-Lauren Conn

Lesotho’s situation snows how debt and extreme poverty create a crisis for children…Lesotho has only six pediatricians looking after its 800,000 children. One-third of Lesotho’s children are not in school. Meanwhile, Lesotho’s debt repayments equal its entire education budget.

He continues:

As the Senate now considers the Jubilee Act, it can do it’s part to help ensure that Africans and Asians are able to sue their own resources for their own development.

Read the full op-ed, “Debt cancellation a victory for the world,” on The Balitmore Sun’s site.

-Monét Cooper, Jubilee USA

The bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) in June 2007 and would push for an international agreement to write off United States’ loans to qualified countries and urge the U.S. to work with other rich nations to do the same.

The money poor countries would have had to pay to debt would be directed to infrastructure development, education and health care, among other improvements.

Next step – a Senate vote.

The Jubilee Act will be debated and voted on the House floor on Wednesday, April 16. Watch it live on C-SPAN as the vote happens.

Please call your representative via the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 today and ask him/her to vote “Yes”.

Use Jubilee’s quick email form to send a message to a friend, colleague or group and urge them to take action on the Jubilee Act!

-Monet Cooper, Jubilee USA

After the jump Jubilee’s release and an article about it that appeared in Congressional Quarterly. – Neil Watkins, Jubilee USA

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Jubilee USA Network
www.jubileeusa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 3, 3008

Contact:
Eleiza Braun, Massey Media, 415-420-4059
Neil Watkins, 202-783-0129, 202-421-1023 (c)

Legislation To Expand Debt Cancellation to Poor Countries, Reform IMF/World Bank Lending Practices Passes House Financial Services Committee

Full House of Representatives Expected to Consider Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation Next Week

WASHINGTON – Jubilee USA Network, an alliance of more than 80 religious denominations, development agencies and human rights groups, today heralded the passage by voice vote in the House Financial Services Committee of the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation (HR 2634).

The bill’s passage in committee comes just ahead of the spring meetings of the IMF/World Bank, set to be held from April 12-13 in Washington next weekend. Poor countries that would be made eligible for the bill owe much of their debt to the IMF and World Bank.

“We welcome the strong bi-partisan committee support for this forward-looking legislation which, when passed, will help to ease the unjust burden of debt on some the world’s most impoverished nations,” said Neil Watkins, National Coordinator of Jubilee USA Network. “As importantly, the bill urges greater responsibility in lending and borrowing in the future, so as to arrest the accumulation of odious and unjust debts that have plagued nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America for decades.”

The legislation calls on the US Treasury Department to negotiate at the IMF and World Bank for an agreement for debt cancellation for up to 24 additional poor countries that need cancellation to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but do not currently qualify for the current IMF/World Bank debt relief Initiative. The bill also addresses current IMF/World Bank policies and other global lending policies by:
Urging greater resources be devoted to grants for the world’s poorest countries;
Requiring greater transparency at the IFIs and a policy of maximum disclosure in project and loan documents;
Urging the development of a binding framework for more responsible lending practices in the future;
Sharply limiting the types of conditions that may be required of countries going through the debt relief process to those focused on making sure that money released by debt relief is used transparently and accountably; and
Directing the GAO to undertake an audit of odious lending by the World Bank, IMF, and US government in specific countries.

It is anticipated that the legislation will be considered by the full House of Representatives next week. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate (S. 2166); a hearing on the Senate companion to the Jubilee Act has been set for April 24 at 2 p.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Rm. 419.

More info on the mark – up is available at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/financialsvcs_dem/mu040308.shtml

CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
April 3, 2008 – 11:56 a.m.

House Panel Approves Expanded Debt Relief for Developing Countries

By Adam Graham-Silverman, CQ Staff

The House Financial Services Committee approved a bill Thursday to speed debt relief to developing countries.

The bill (HR 2634), approved by voice vote, would allow up to 23 low-income countries to qualify for new debt relief.

Since 1996, more than 30 developing countries have had $80 billion in debt to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and similar lending banks forgiven. The countries, some of which are so poor they had no reasonable expectation of ever repaying their loans, can use the money they save in interest payments for poverty reduction and growth.

Uganda, for example, has used $57.9 million in savings on improving energy infrastructure, primary education, malaria control and water projects, said bill sponsor Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

Ranking panel Republican Spencer Bachus of Alabama said existing debt relief programs that had freed up billions for poverty reduction had cost the average American only $3.

“I can’t think of a really more humane way, more economical way, a better way to stabilize these countries than through debt relief,” he said.

Under a manager’s amendment, adopted by voice vote, the bill would authorize the Treasury Department to negotiate for debt relief but would require congressional approval of any agreement reached. The underlying bill, which had authorized agreements to go forward, would have required offsets for those deals under House pay-as-you-go rules.

“This is a mandate to the administration to start terms, but any agreement will have to come back to us,” said panel Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass.

It also would eliminate many conditions on debt reduction that critics call counterproductive. Some global lending institutions require countries to control inflation, for example, which critics say prevents them from pursuing needed government programs such as treatment for HIV or AIDS.

The manager’s amendment would bar all conditions on debt relief except those encouraging transparency and anti-corruption. It would require benefits from relief to go to poverty reduction.

The bill would require eligible countries to have a good human rights record, no support of terrorism, and a record of fighting drug trafficking. It would exclude countries with “excessive” military spending.

The manager’s amendment also removed a reference to so-called vulture funds, which buy up cheap, poor-country debts and — when debt relief is granted — sue the countries to recover the debt’s original value. Frank said the committee would address vulture funds in separate legislation, perhaps involving the Judiciary Committee.

A few dissenters on the Republican side questioned the cost of debt relief as many American homeowners struggle with their own debt obligations.

“While we certainly can feel for these poor developing countries and their people, we have some real crises here in the United States,” said Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla.

Offering relief without enforcing economic reform would waste the money, she said.

“With this type of logic it’s no wonder Americans question the mental stability of Congress in general,” she said.

Bachus responded that the cost of this round of debt relief would be about 50 cents for every U.S. citizen.

Source: CQ Today Online News
Round-the-clock coverage of news from Capitol Hill.
© 2008 Congressional Quarterly Inc. All Rights Reserved.

If your member of Congress is on the House Financial Services Committee, now would be a great time to give him/her a call and urge a yes vote on Thursday!

The committee vote is the only thing standing between the Jubilee Act & consideration by the full US House of Representatives!

We expect that after the committee vote the Jubilee Act will move fairly quickly. It will probably be considered by the full House of Representatives by Monday, April 14.

You can find a list of the members of the House Financial Services Committee here.

-Monet Cooper, Jubilee USA

The Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation will expand eligibility for 100 percent debt cancellation without harmful economic conditions to 67 impoverished countries in the Global South.

When you call your senators or representative, you’re calling on behalf of the millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Asia who suffer when debt repayment must be prioritized over health care, education and clean water.

Every day, Sub-Saharan Africa sends $100,000 back to America in debt payments. Imagine what could be done with that money if it were to stay in those countries.

The call you make today is a part of a national campaign to pass the Jubilee Act within the 55 legislative days Congress has this year. This is the last and final session of Congress before the elections with most of the legislative days being frontloaded prior to June.

This tight deadline makes it even more imperative for ONE members and others to call their members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor this bill.

Get the Call Script here.

More Information About the Jubilee Act here.

-Monet Cooper, Jubilee USA

The group highlighted for Khisha Fallon, the District Representative, the importance of reducing global poverty and the effectiveness of debt cancellation. Katie spoke about debt is holding back a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa from reaching the Millennium Development Goals. Ginnie pointed out that reducing poverty is critical to increasing global security, as impoverished countries are more vulnerable to political instability and even terrorist activity. Loretta shared her experiences working in refugee camps in Uganda, and seeing the heart-breaking need there for increased investment in health care, education and clean water. Lastly, Brian emphasized the fact that it makes good economic sense to take pro-active steps to fight poverty in places like sub-Saharan Africa, where many countries are so poor that they cannot reduce poverty through economic growth alone – cooperation from other countries is essential.

While Senator Voinovich has not issued a statement on the Jubilee Act, Khisha has said that she will pass on our ideas to him. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Voinovich would be joining Ranking Member Richard Lugar (IN) and Senator Johnny Isakson (GA) in co-sponsoring the Jubilee Act.

-Brian Swarts, National Field Organizer, Jubilee USA