[stop-imf] Jubilee February Action: Take Action on Odious Debt

[Robert Weissman]

Jubilee USA Network
February 2004 Monthly Grassroots Action
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/take_action&page=3DFeb04_Iraq=
Debt.html


TAKE ACTION ON ODIOUS DEBT!

Call your Representative and ask for him/her to co-sponsor H.R. 2482, which
calls for the IMF and World Bank to cancel Iraq=92s odious debt.

You can reach your Representative at 202-224-3121.

Representative Maloney, a Democrat from the 14th district of NY and Republi=
can
Representative Leach of the 1st district of IA have introduced the Iraqi Fr=
eedom
from Debt Act, for the purpose of pressuring the IMF and World Bank to canc=
el,
or radically adjust downward, the odious debt of Iraq.

We need a strong list of co-sponsors to build up the support for this
bill and
to help to educate Congressional staff and members about odious debt.
The more
co-sponsors we have the more likely the bill will be able to move through
committee this year. One of the reasons given for the bill not reaching the
floor of the House for a vote last year was that it had fewer
co-sponsors than
other Iraq legislation. This means that every member counts!

Please call your Representative today and ask them to Co-sponsor Representa=
tive
Maloney and Leach=92s =93Iraqi Freedom from Debt Act,=94 H.R. 2482. To
co-sponsor the
bill the staff should call Donald Auerbach in Representative Maloney=92s
office at
(202) 225-7944.  If your Representative has already co-sponsored the bill,
please call to thank them.

For more information and to be better prepared to make the call, please
read the
talking points and frequently asked questions. This is available on the Jub=
ilee
website at:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/take_action/iraqdebt_talkingpoints.pdf.

See also quotes from Iraqis on the issue of debt, compiled by Jubilee
Iraq and
online at: http://www.jubileeusa.org/take_action/iraqiviews.pdf.

Feel free to contact Marie Clarke at 202-783-0215 or e-mail marie@jubileeus=
a.org
for more details.


TARGET LIST OF CO-SPONSORS

While every member counts, there are some Representatives that have support=
ed
debt cancellation in the past that are more likely to support this bill. Fe=
el
free to also target members of the Financial Services Committee in the Hous=
e.
The list of members on that committee can be found at
http://financialservices.house.gov/

Representatives that have supported debt cancellation legislation in the re=
cent
past, but have not yet co-sponsored this bill include:

Rep Andrews, Robert E. - [NJ-1]
Rep Baldwin, Tammy - [WI-2]
Rep Brown, Corrine - [FL-3]
Rep Boehlert, Sherwood L =96 [NY-24]
Rep Capuano, Michael E. - [MA-8]
Rep Carson, Julia - [IN-7]
Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI]
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. - [MI-14]
Rep Davis, Artur - [AL-7]
Rep Ehlers, Vernon [MI-3]
Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. - [TX-20]
Rep Greenwood, Jim [PA-8]
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. - [IL-4]
Rep Hoeffel, Joseph M. - [PA-13]
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. - [IL-2]
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila - [TX-18]
Rep Kelly, Sue W. [NY-19]
Rep Lampson, Nick - [TX-9]
Rep La Tourette, Steven C. [OH-14]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe - [CA-16]
Rep Lee, Barbara - [CA-9]
Rep Meek, Kendrick B [FL-17]
Rep McCollum, Betty - [MN-4]
Rep McDermott, Jim - [WA-7]
Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita - [CA-37]
Rep Miller, George -[CA-7]
Rep Moore, Dennis - [KS-3]
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes - [DC]
Rep Olver, John W. - [MA-1]
Rep Owens, Major R. - [NY-11]
Rep Payne, Donald M. - [NJ-10]
Rep Rangel, Charles B. - [NY-15]
Rep Rush, Bobby L. - 5/21/2003 [IL-1]
Rep Sanders, Bernard - [VT]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
Rep Serrano, Jose E. - [NY-16]
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10]
Rep Tubbs Jones, Stephanie [OH-11]
Rep Waters, Maxine =96 [CA-35]


CURRENT CO-SPONSORS (If you call, thank these folks for their support!)

Rep Bachus, Spencer - [AL-6]
Rep Bereuter, Doug - [NE-1]
Rep Berman, Howard L. - [CA-28]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl - [OR-3]
Rep Brown, Sherrod - [OH-13]
Rep Crowley, Joseph - [NY-7]
Rep English, Phil - [PA-3]
Rep Evans, Lane -  [IL-17]
Rep Frank, Barney - [MA-4]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. - [AZ-7]
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. - [FL-23]
Rep King, Peter T. - [NY-3]
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. - [OH-10]
Rep Lantos, Tom -[CA-12]
Rep Leach, James A. - [IA-2]
Rep Maloney, Carolyn =96 [NY-14]
Rep Markey, Edward J. - [MA-7]
Rep McCarthy, Karen - [MO-5]
Rep McGovern, James P. -  [MA-3]
Rep McNulty, Michael R. - [NY-21]
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. - [CA-38]
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II - [WV-3]
Rep Shays, Christopher - [CT-4]
Rep Smith, Christopher H. -  [NJ-4]
Rep Solis, Hilda L. - [CA-32]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. - [CA-30]
Rep Wexler, Robert - [FL-19]
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. - [CA-6]
Rep Wu, David - [OR-1]


BACKGROUND ON ODIOUS DEBT AND BROADER JUBILEE STRATEGY:

The United States set the first precedent of odious debt when it seized con=
trol
of Cuba from Spain in 1898. Spain insisted that Cuba repay the loans
made to
them by Spain. The U.S. repudiated (refused to pay) that debt, arguing
that the
debt was imposed on Cuba by force of arms and served Spain=92s interest rat=
her
than Cuba=92s, and that the debt therefore ought not be repaid. This
precedent was
up-held in Great Britain v. Costa Rica (1923) when money was put to use for
illegitimate purposes with full knowledge of the lending institution and th=
e
resulting debt was annulled.

While this bill deals only with Iraq, and we believe that there are many mo=
re
countries throughout the Global South whose illegitimate debts should be
declared null and void, this bill will set a precedent in congress that wil=
l
enable us to build the case for other nations.

South Africa, Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Argentina and many others are paying deb=
ts
accrued by dictators that stole the money or used it to oppress their own
people. While the odious debt of Iraq must be cancelled, Africans and
others of
the world=92s poorest citizens have been forced to stand in line for decade=
s
waiting for limited debt relief of debts that were also accrued under oppre=
ssive
regimes. The apartheid government in South Africa, for example, was lent
billions of dollars that were used to the detriment of the very people
that now
consequently have to foot the bill.

Jubilee will continue to work through legislative vehicles, education, outr=
each
and the court system to have the illegitimate debts of countries
throughout the
Global South recognized as illegitimate and odious debt. You can learn
more by
reading our odious debt primer in the education and action packet. Call
202-783-0214 to order a packet today or email coord@jubileeusa.org.

This alert online at:
http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=3D/take_action&page=3DFeb04_Iraq=
Debt.html


+++++++++++++++++++++
Neil Watkins
Outreach and Communications Coordinator
Jubilee USA Network
222 E. Capitol St., NE
Washington, DC 20003
Direct line - (202) 783-0129
Fax - (202) 546-4468
Web - www.jubileeusa.org