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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... 1999
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| MARCH
16, 1999 4:23 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Bread for the World Margaret Lipton x 209 Michael Rubinstein x 208 or Andrea Jeyaveeran x 210 at (301) 608-2400 |
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| Clinton Debt Relief Initiative a Significant First Step | ||||
| WASHINGTON
- March 16 - Statement by David
Beckmann, president of Bread for the World and
former World Bank economist.
President Clinton's debt relief initiative, announced today at the State Department, is a major step forward. This proposal positions the United States in a leadership role among G-7 nations in their efforts to respond to the debt crisis among poor nations. It's clear now that the United States and the other G-7 nations are responding to pressure from the Jubilee 2000 campaign, an international coalition seeking to relieve the debt of the world's highly indebted poor countries. The cost of this debt is repaid with the lives of the world's poorest children. Nations must choose between making payments on a staggering debt burden or providing treatment for life-threatening childhood diseases. We urge the President to make sure that debt relief is targeted to meeting the basic needs of the world's poor and hungry people. Bread for the World's 44,000 members and 2,000 member churches have been working hard to achieve a legislative solution. We strongly support the Debt Relief for Poverty Reduction Act, H.R. 1095, introduced by House Banking Committee Chairman Jim Leach (R-IA) and ranking member John LaFalce (D-NY) last week. This measure would cancel most of the debt owed to the U.S. government and reduce the debt owed to the World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions. H.R. 1095 requires debt relief to be targeted to reduce poverty and provide basic social services. # # # Bread for the World is a 44,000 member Christian citizens' movement against hunger. Founded in 1974, Bread for the World's members lobby Congress and the administration to bring about public policy changes that address the root causes of hunger and poverty in the United States and overseas. Bread for the World is a non-partisan organization sponsored by 45 denominations and many theological perspectives. |
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