>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 >message): [log in to unmask] (about the Africa Policy >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 >[log in to unmask] For more information about reposted material, >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] >************************************************************ > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------