>USA: Debt and Congress
>Date distributed (ymd): 000612
>Document reposted by APIC
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
>
>Region: Continent-Wide
>Issue Areas: +economy/development+ +US policy focus+
>Summary Contents:
>This posting contains a press release and an action alert on
>congressional actions this week and next which will determine how
>much funding is available for U.S. support for international debt
>relief programs.
>
>Note: As material with particular relevance for U.S. citizens and
>residents, this posting is only going to addresses on the Africa
>Policy Electronic Distribution List with U.S.-registered (three-
>letter) computer domains. However, if you are not a U.S. resident
>or citizen, we hope that it is useful for your background
>information, and that you will pass it on to those of your U.S.
>contacts who may be interested.
>
>For actions on debt related to the upcoming G-8 Summit in Okinawa
>in July, please consult the web sites of Jubilee 2000 UK
>(http://wwwjubilee2000uk.org/action/japan0100.html) and Jubilee
>2000 USA (http://www.j2000usa.org/action/g8.html).
>
>+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>The Africa Fund,
>50 Broad Street, Suite 711,
>New York, NY 10004 USA
>
>June 8, 2000
>
>For more information contact: Richard Knight (212) 785-1024
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>Web: http://www.theafricafund.org
>
>National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials Calls for Debt
>Cancellation for African Countries
>
>The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO)
>adopted a resolution at its spring conference calling for active
>debt cancellation and relief for African countries. The resolution
>urges full appropriation of President Clinton's request for funding
>of the Cologne Initiative, an international effort of the G-7
>industrialized countries to bring debt relief to highly indebted
>poor countries. The NBC-LEO resolution comes as Congress appears
>poised to appropriate only a small portion of the money requested
>for debt relief. NBC-LEO "requests that poor country debt
>cancellation be supported by the United States to improve the
>political and economic development of African countries and improve
>the lives of African people."
>
>The Clinton Administration has proposed a multi-year package for
>debt relief for the fiscal years 2000-2004 including $320 million
>for bilateral debt relief and $600 million for multilateral Cologne
>Initiative debt relief. To date, Congress has done little to
>support debt cancellation or relief - last year Congress only
>appropriated $110 million for bilateral debt cancellation and none
>for multilateral debt relief. The Senate Foreign Operations bill,
>now before Congress, has only $75 million for all debt relief for
>FY 2001 compared to the request of $435 million for multilateral
>debt relief ($210 million for FY 2000 and $225 million for FY
>2001). The House Foreign Appropriations Committee, scheduled to
>take up the matter on June 13, is expected to adopt no more than
>one-third of the Administration request.
>
>"By adopting this resolution stressing the importance of
>appropriating full funding for debt relief and cancellation the
>National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials is providing
>important leadership and guidance on U.S.-Africa policy," said
>Jennifer Davis of The Africa Fund. Davis addressed the spring
>conference on the African debt crisis at the invitation of NBC-LEO
>President Cleveland City Council Member Roosevelt Coats.
>
>NBC-LEO, with members in 34 states, is a caucus of the National
>League of Cities working to influence national policy positions to
>promote the special interests and needs of the African American
>community. The Africa Fund, founded in 1966 by the American
>Committee on Africa, works for a positive U.S. policy toward
>Africa and supports African human rights, democracy and
>development.
>
>The following is the full text of the resolution:
>
>National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials Resolution
>Supporting Debt Forgiveness and Relief For African Countries March
>12, 2000 at Washington. D.C.
>
>WHEREAS the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
>(NBC-LEO) is committed to economic and social justice for Africa
>and to the importance of Africa for NBC-LEO and its constituents;
>and
>
>WHEREAS Africa is laboring under a debt burden that stifles life,
>economic progress, and political stability; and
>
>WHEREAS the debt burden translates into $400 for every African man,
>woman and child on a continent where the average annual wage for
>most countries is less than $400 per person; and
>
>WHEREAS African countries cannot move forward with needed
>modernization and improvement of the lives of African people with
>this continuing debt burden; and
>
>WHEREAS it is in the interest of all cities and their citizens that
>poverty reduction in Africa be supported by the United States; and
>
>WHEREAS after hundreds of years of exploitation of Africa's natural
>and human resources, modern African nations lack the ability to
>repay international debt incurred for survival in the aftermath of
>this exploitation; and
>
>WHEREAS thirty-five of the world's forty most debt burdened
>countries are in sub-Saharan Africa; and
>
>WHEREAS in response to the international campaign for poor country
>debt cancellation, the leaders of the G-7 adopted the Cologne
>Initiative in June, 1999; and
>
>WHEREAS the Cologne Initiative includes a provision for deeper
>relief of more highly indebted poor countries and President Clinton
>has requested supplemental funding from Congress to meet the United
>States' commitment made at Cologne in connection with this debt
>eradication plan;
>
>THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE NATIONAL BLACK CAUCUS OF LOCAL
>ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS FOLLOWS:
>
>Section One. The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
>supports full funding for the Cologne Initiative to address debt
>reduction and debt elimination in sub-Saharan Africa.
>
>Section Two. NBC-LEO urges the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee
>to include $210 million for the fiscal year 2000 supplemental bill
>for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Trust Fund.
>
>Section Three. NBC-LEO urges full approval of the $600 million for
>the HIPC Trust Fund over the next three years consistent with the
>Cologne Initiative.
>
>Section Four. NBC-LEO requests that poor country debt cancellation
>be supported by the United States to improve the political and
>economic development of African countries and the lives of the
>African people.
>
>ADOPTED BY THE NATIONAL BLACK CAUCUS OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
>this twelfth day of March, 2000, in Washington, D.C.
>
>Roosevelt Coats, Council Member, Cleveland, Ohio
>
>President, NBC-LEO
>
>************************************************************
>
>Jubilee 2000/USA Campaign
>June 8, 2000
>
>-- Congress Needs Pressure Now!
>
>==> Immediate, special focus on members of the House
>Appropriations Committee! Subcommittee vote on debt relief
>financing June 13; Full Committee vote week of June 19! We must
>urge that the full appropriation be approved, as a step toward
>the goals of Jubilee 2000 -- phone calls and faxes needed now!
>(details below)
>
>Issue: The House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee is
>scheduled to vote on a foreign aid spending bill for FY2001 next
>Tuesday, June 13. Debt relief for impoverished countries will be
>one of the principal matters under consideration. Then, the
>following week, the week of June 19th, the full Appropriations
>Committee will take up the matter.
>
>Everyday, over 18, 000 children die as a result of the burden of
>debt on impoverished nations (according to UN statistics). A
>total of $810 million is required for bilateral and multilateral
>debt relief, requested to fulfill the US commitment to the
>Cologne debt initiative. This funding is intended to allow as
>many as 33 heavily indebted poor countries to receive substantial
>debt relief by 2003. To fulfill this commitment, $435 million
>is needed by the end of fiscal year2001, with the remainder
>provided in FY2002-2003. Additionally, Congress must not delay
>debt relief by tying it to additional conditions.
>
>Senate appropriators have only allocated a paltry $75 million thus
>far. It was expected last month that the full Senate might act on
>the spending bill during May. However, the Senate leadership has
>decided to defer floor action until the House has acted on its
>version of the bill. Thus, House action on the bill is critical
>at this stage!
>
>While Jubilee 2000/USA is insisting on definitive cancellation of
>crushing debt, without harmful conditions, the Campaign strongly
>believes that full financing of the Cologne Initiative could
>deliver substantial debt relief for some countries that are
>desperately in need, as an initial step forward. The Campaign
>welcomes a debate on the powers of the IMF and the World Bank,
>but believes that debt relief financing should not be held hostage
>to that debate. (See more info in Background, below).
>
>==> News flash: Today, eighty-one members of the House of
>Representatives sent a letter, co-authored by Reps Waters and
>Campbell, to House leaders (Rep. Armey and Rep. Gephardt) urging
>support for full funding of debt relief for impoverished countries!
>
>Action: Urge members of the House Appropriations Committee to
>approve a minimum of $435 million in the FY2001 foreign aid
>spending bill to fund multilateral and bilateral debt relief for
>the world's impoverished countries, without added conditions
>that harm people or the environment, as a step toward the
>Platform goals of Jubilee 2000/USA. For residents of the relevant
>districts (see list below), contact Committee members by phone
>and fax. FLOOD THOSE OFFICES WITH CALLS! Note: calls and faxed
>letters are preferred over email messages. Ask for the staff
>person in the Representative's office who handles foreign aid
>spending. (These mark-ups may be covered on the cable TV network
>C-Span...check the schedule at http://www.c-span.org )
>
>If your House member is not on this committee, contact your
>Representative's foreign policy aide and urge that he/she contact
>Committee Chairperson Young's office, urging that a full
>appropriation be approved.
>
>You don't need to be an expert!! For additional talking points
>or any help call David Bryden at 202-783-0214. (Note: next month
>request a personal meeting with your legislator to take place
>during the August recess.)
>
>(See contact info for Members of Congress below)
>
>Additional Background:
>
>Last year, President Clinton and leaders of other industrial
>countries agreed to write off approximately $90 billion in debt for
>about 33 impoverished countries. This $90 billion in debt
>cancellation would cost creditors $27 billion primarily due to
>heavy discounting of the face value of the loans.
>
>Unfortunately, Congress has yet to fully fund the Administration's
>commitment of $920 million over four years toward this global debt
>reduction plan. Funding, particularly the amount needed for
>*multilateral* debt reduction, is critical to the success of the
>plan, as other wealthy nations are waiting for the U.S. to take
>the lead before unlocking billions of dollars in contributions. The
>delay is already being felt by debtor countries. Bolivia, for
>example, has been declared eligible for new debt relief under the
>plan, but must wait because the necessary funding is not
>available.
>
>Thus far, Congress has authorized cancellation of 100% of United
>States *bilateral* debt owed by heavily-indebted poor countries,
>and it appropriated $110 million for this purpose for FY2000. The
>Senate Appropriations Committee has approved appropriation of $75
>million for bilateral debt reduction for FY2001. In the House, a
>decision on the amount to be included for debt relief in the
>foreign aid appropriations bill for FY2001 is pending before the
>Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.
>
>No funds have been appropriated so far for multilateral debt
>reduction. However, the House Banking Committee (last year) and
>the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (this year) authorized
>appropriation of the amounts needed for *multilateral* debt
>reduction. The Senate Banking Committee has also taken the matter
>under consideration, and the committee chairman (Sen. Gramm,
>R-TX) wants to make authorization of multilateral debt reduction
>conditional on changes in the operation of the International
>Monetary Fund. (If your Representative raises the issue of IMF
>"reform," we suggest you say that while changes at the IMF are
>needed, it is likely to be a long, complex process and should
>not be allowed to cause further delays in debt relief for
>struggling countries.) The appropriation needed for multilateral
>debt reduction in FY 2001 is $360 million.
>
>The total appropriation needed for FY2001 is $435 million ($75
>million bilateral, $360 multilateral). Another $375 million will
>be needed for multilateral and bilateral debt reduction in FY2002
>and 2003. These amounts, added to the $110 million appropriated
>last year, will complete the U.S.'s $920 million contribution to
>the global plan. The Administration has requested an advance
>appropriation of $375 million covering the needs for FY2002 and
>FY2003, but we suggest focusing at this time on the $435 million
>needed for FY2001.
>
>For the full Jubilee 2000/USA position statement see
><http://www.j2000usa.org/updates/clinton4.html>
>
>House Appropriations Committee:
>
>Name, phone, fax, email:
>
>* Representative belongs to the Subcommittee on Foreign
>Operations, voting June 13. The full Committee will take up the
>matter the following week of June 19th
>
>More contact info on these and other members is available at
>http://www.house.gov/
>
>Aderholt, Robert, AL, (202)225-4876, (202)225-5587,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Bonilla, Henry, TX, (202) 225-4511, (202) 225-2237
>
>Boyd, F. Allen, FL, (202) 225-5235, (202) 225-5615
>
>*Callahan, Sonny, AL, (202) 225-4931, (202)225-0562,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Cramer, Bud, AL, (202) 225-4801, (202) 225-4392,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Cunningham, Randy, CA, (202) 225-5452, (202) 225-2558
>
>DeLauro, Rosa, CT, (202) 225-3661, (202) 225-4890
>
>DeLay, Tom, TX, (202) 225-5951, (202) 225-5241
>
>Dickey, Jay, AR, (202) 225-3772, (202) 225-1314,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Dicks, Norman D., WA, (202) 225-5916, (202) 226-1176
>
>Dixon, Julian C., CA, (202) 225-7084, (202) 225-4091
>
>Edwards, Chet, TX, (202) 225-6105, (202) 225-0350
>
>Emerson, Jo Ann H., MO, (202) 225-4404,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Farr, Sam, CA, (202) 225-2861, (202) 225-6791,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Forbes, Michael P., NY, (202) 225-3826, (202)225-3143,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Frelinghuysen, Rodney, NJ, (202)225-5034, (202)225-3186,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Goode, Virgil H., VA, (202) 225-4711, (202) 225-5681,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Granger, Kay, TX, (202) 225-5071, (202) 225-5683,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Hinchey, Maurice, NY, (202) 225-6335, (202) 226-0774,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Hobson, David L., OH, (202) 225-4324, (202) 225-1984
>
>Hoyer, Steny H., MD, (202) 225-4131, (202) 225-4300
>
>Istook, Ernest, OK, (202) 225-2132, (202) 226-1463,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Jackson, Jesse, IL, (202) 225-0773, (202) 225-0899
>
>Kaptur, Marcy, OH, (202) 225-4146, (202) 225-7711,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks, MI, (202) 225-2261, (202) 225-5730
>
>*Kingston, Jack, GA, (202) 225-5831, (202) 226-2269,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Knollenberg, Joseph, MI, (202) 225-5802, (202)226-2356,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Kolbe, Jim, AZ, (202) 225-2542, (202) 225-0378,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Latham, Tom, IA, (202) 225-5476, (202) 225-3301,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Lewis, Jerry, CA, (202) 225-5861, (202) 225-6498
>
>*Lowey, Nita M., NY, (202) 225-6506, (202) 225-0546,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Meek, Carrie, FL, (202) 225-4506, (202) 226-0777,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Miller, Dan, FL, (202) 225-5015, (202) 226-0828,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Mollohan, Alan B., WV, (202) 225-4172, (202) 225-7564
>
>Moran, James P., VA, (202) 225-4376, (202) 225-0017,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Murtha, John P., PA, (202) 225-2065, (202) 225-5709,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Nethercutt, George R., WA, (202)225-2006, (202)225-3392,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Northup, Anne Meagher, KY, (202) 225-5401, (202)225-5776,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Obey, David R., WI, (202) 225-3365
>
>Olver, John, MA, (202) 225-5335, (202) 226-1224
>
>*Packard, Ron, CA, (202) 225-3906, (202) 225-0134,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Pastor, Ed, AZ, (202) 225-4065, (202) 225-1655,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Pelosi, Nancy, CA, (202) 225-4965, (202) 225-8259,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Peterson, John E., PA, (202) 225-5121, (202)225-5796,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Porter, John Edward, IL, (202) 225-4835, (202) 225-0837
>
>Price, David E., NC, (202) 225-1784, (202) 225-2014,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Regula, Ralph, OH, (202) 225-3876, (202) 225-3059
>
>Rogers, Harold, KY, (202) 225-4601, (202) 225-0940,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Roybal-Allard, Lucille, CA, (202) 225-1766, (202) 226-0350
>
>*Sabo, Martin Olav, MN, (202) 225-4755, (202)225-4886,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Serrano, Jose, NY, (202) 225-4361, (202) 225-6001,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Skeen, Joe, NM, (202) 225-2365, (202) 225-9599,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Sununu, John E., NH, (202) 225-5456, (202) 225-5822,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Taylor, Charles H., NC, (202) 225-6401,
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Tiahrt, Todd, KS, (202) 225-6216, (202) 225-3489,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Visclosky, Peter J., IN, (202) 225-2461, (202) 225-2493
>
>Walsh, James T., NY, (202) 225-3701, (202)225-4042,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>Wamp, Zachary P., TN, (202) 225-3271, (202) 225-3494
>
>*Wicker, Roger F., MS, (202) 225-4306, (202)225-3549,
> [log in to unmask]
>
>*Wolf, Frank R., VA, (202) 225-5136, (202) 225-0437
>
>Young, C.W., FL, (202) 225-5961, (202) 225-9764
>
>Sample letter to be faxed (If writing in the name of an
>organization, be sure to use letterhead):
>
>June XX, 2000
>
>NAME House Appropriations Committee United States House of
>Representatives Washington, DC 20510-4302
>
>Dear Representative XX:
>
>I urge you to act promptly to appropriate critically needed funding
>for debt relief for impoverished countries, as a critical step
>toward the goals of the Jubilee 2000 campaign, which I support.
>Last fall it was announced that as many as 11 countries would
>receive debt relief as soon as this April through the debt
>initiative agreed to by the G-7 in Cologne. To date, only five
>countries have benefitted. Debt relief must not be further
>delayed! According to United Nations statistics, over 17, 600
>children under the age of five die a day in these highly indebted
>and impoverished countries.
>
>Congress must appropriate the $810 million for bilateral and
>multilateral debt relief, requested to fulfill the US commitment
>to the Cologne debt initiative. This funding is intended to allow
>as many as 33 heavily indebted poor countries to receive
>substantial debt relief by 2003. To fulfill this commitment,
>$435 million is needed by the end of fiscal year 2001, with the
>remainder provided in FY2002-2003. Your decisive action for full
>funding will send a strong message to Senate appropriators who
>have only allocated a paltry $75 million thus far. Additionally,
>Congress must not delay debt relief by tying it to additional
>conditions.
>
>It is crucial to the international debt relief effort that the U.S.
>Congress fully support the President's request. This contribution
>will cost little and leverage much. Every $1 contributed by the US
>will be matched by over $27 from other creditors. The total
>package is intended to cancel $90 billion in debts owed by these
>countries. Congress should also act to permit the remainder of the
>IMF re-evaluated gold reserves designated for debt relief to be
>used for that purpose and that purpose only.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>************************************************************
>This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the
>Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC provides
>accessible information and analysis in order to promote U.S.
>and international policies toward Africa that advance economic,
>political and social justice and human and cultural rights.
>
>Auto-response addresses for more information (send any e-mail
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>Electronic Distribution List); [log in to unmask] (about APIC).
>Documents previously distributed, as well as a wide range of
>additional information, are also available on the Web at:
>http://www.africapolicy.org
>
>To be added to or dropped from the distribution list write to
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>please contact directly the source mentioned in the posting.
>
>Africa Policy Information Center,
>110 Maryland Ave. NE, #509, Washington, DC 20002.
>Phone: 202-546-7961. Fax: 202-546-1545.
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>************************************************************
>
>
>
>
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