| Poverty and Education Task Force |
| Action Item for Jubliee 2000 Background: Prior to adjournment, now expected 11/16/99, there is still a chance to at least get Congressional approval for a small, "yet extremely vital", debt relief measure, one that enables relief of $2.3 billion in debts owed the IMF (International Monetary Fund) by 36 impoverished countries. That may sound small but, actually, this would be an important foot in the door, and it would do a lot to encourage similar actions by other wealthy governments. The U.S. is the only country that belongs to the IMF that hasn't yet granted the necessary approval (under the Cologne Debt Initiative) for the IMF to relieve debt. In fact, the entire Cologne Debt Initiative is riding on what Congress does before it adjourns. If the IMF is not able to relieve debt, the entire Cologne debt program could be jeopardized. Jubilee 2000/USA considers current official debt relief programs, which came out of the June 1999 G7 Summit in Cologne, Germany, to have shortcomings. The Campaign is committed to remaining vigilant in matters of implementation of this Initiative and to demanding the expansion of debt cancellation measures even further, to benefit enough countries and in accordance with our Platform. Yet, the Initiative is an important step forward. |
| We urgently need you to call your members of Congress *Thursday*, tomorrow. Calls on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday would also be useful. If you called last week please call again. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 It's not over yet and it's not too late to call. ==> Calls to Republican members of Congress are ESPECIALLY NEEDED. ==> We urgently need residents of Texas to call Senator Phil Gramm's office (202-224-2934), plus constituents of Rep. Dick Armey (26th district, suburban Dallas) to call his office (202-225-7772). Do you live there? Or, do you have friends or associates who live in Texas? Please contact them. This is a priority because these two legislators are in very key positions as the Congressional leadership negotiates with the White House on debt relief initiatives. Idea: if you don't live in Texas, ask your members of Congress to contact the offices of Rep. Armey and Sen. Gramm to express concern that multilateral debt relief be allowed to go forward. |
| ==> Note: the Congressional recess will last until late January. This recess is your opportunity to meet personally with your members of Congress to express how you feel about this issue. Make an appointment for yourself and (if appropriate) members of your group! Remember, you don't have to be an expert -- call us for talking points. ==> Idea: It's 50 days to the New Millennium. Use this opportunity to make a call to a radio or TV call-in program, like C-Span's Washington Journal, to express how you feel about the crushing burden of debt and the need for Congressional action. |
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| What to do? |
| The Message -- I WANT CONGRESS TO SUPPORT MULTILATERAL DEBT RELIEF. AT A MINIMUM, CONGRESS SHOULD AUTHORIZE THE IMF TO USE RESOURCES IT ALREADY HAS TO FINANCE DEBT RELIEF. -- I WANT CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZE THE IMF TO REVALUE ITS GOLD STOCKS IN ORDER TO MAKE MORE DEBT RELIEF POSSIBLE [pls note that this would "not" lead, under an agreement reached Wednesday, to financing for the IMF's structural adjustment lending program. Rather, the $$ would go into a dedicated account for debt relief.] -- CONGRESS MUST NOT ATTACH CONDITIONS TO DEBT RELIEF THAT EXACERBATE OR DEEPEN POVERTY OR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE; DEBT CANCELLATION MUST BENEFIT ORDINARY PEOPLE |
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| "I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people." Amos 7:8 |