[stop-imf] correction - IMPT SIGN ON LETTER (U.S. only)

[Robert Weissman]

-- Sorry for the resend. This one actually has the signatories at the
bottom --

Below is a letter to the U.S. Senate on the Asian Development Fund
authorization bill, now updated with a list of signatories in process.
U.S. organizations, please give this a look, and send in your sign-ons
<to adf_senate_letter@yahoo.com> by Thursday.


Dear Friends: 

In May, the House of Representatives passed an authorizing bill for the
Asian Development Fund (HR 2604, available at http://thomas.loc.gov).
This bill contains important language that would direct the U.S.
representatives to the ADF and other regional banks to work for
transparency, and to oppose harmful policies and projects (user fees for
primary healthcare and education, large dams, reductions in minimum wage
levels). We are circulating the following organizational sign-on letter,
encouraging the Senate to take up the legislation, and make these
important provisions law. (For this one, we're only looking for U.S. groups.)

We are seeking sign-ons until the close of business on Thursday, June
20. Please send sign-ons to:

adf_senate_letter@yahoo.com.

Please include organizational name and address, plus a contact person
and their email address.

Thanks!

Robert Weissman
Essential Action 



Senator Paul Sarbanes
Senator Patrick Leahy
United States Senate

Dear Senators Sarbanes and Leahy,

The undersigned organizations write to urge you to support Senate
passage of H.R. 2604, which authorizes United States contributions to
the Asian Development Fund and directs the United States Treasury
Department to work for important reforms in the operations of the
regional development banks. This important legislation passed the United
States House of Representatives by unanimous consent. The reforms
advanced by H.R. 2604 include:

- Openness and Transparency: the legislation directs the Secretary of
the Treasury to work towards open board meetings at the regional
development banks and the release of key program and project documents
which are not now generally available. Public release of this
information is essential to enable citizens of developing countries to
hold their governments accountable for policy decisions currently being
made by their representatives behind closed doors.

- Ending User Fees on Primary Education and Primary Health Care: the
legislation directs the Secretary of the Treasury to oppose any loan,
grant, document, or strategy at the regional development banks which
includes user fees for primary education or primary health care.
Abolition of these fees in poor countries is essential to meeting the
internationally-agreed development goals of univeral access to primary
education and basic health services -- now more urgent than ever in the
face of the global AIDS crisis.

- Protecting the Rights of Dam-Affected People: The legislation directs
the Secretary of the Treasury to oppose regional development bank
financing for any dam project which does not conform to the
recommendations of the World Commission on Dams, a World
Bank/industry/public interest group joint commission. The legislation
includes provisions regarding full assessment of options, consultation
with affected people, reviews of existing dams and compensation for
those suffering from existing dams before funding is given for a new dam project.

- Safeguards Against Corruption in Privatization: the legislation
directs the Secretary of the Treasury to advocate for transparency in
privatizations, and to assure appropriate regulatory regimes are in
place to ensure proper functioning of competitive markets following privatization.

- Opposition to Reductions in the Minimum Wage: the legislation directs
the Secretary of the Treasury to oppose any loan, grant, document, or
strategy which includes any provision which would reduce a country's
minimum wage below $2/day.

We look forward to working with you and your staffs towards enacting
these urgently needed reforms at the regional development banks and
other international financial institutions.

[signed]


Essential Action

Jubilee USA Network

Results

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society

United for a Fair Economy

Center for Economic Justice

International Rivers Network

Peace and Justice Task Force, Rocky Mountain Conference, United Church 
Of Christ

50 Years Is Enough

Environmental Defense

Hawai'i Sustainable Lifestyle Network

Public Citizen

Global Exchange

Alliance for Justice:  Medical Mission Sisters

Women's EDGE

World Vision US

United Church of Christ Network for
      Environmental & Economic Responsibility

High Desert Greens, Antelope Valley