Jubilee USA Announces New Executive Director, Eric LeCompte
LeCompte will lead strong bipartisan effort for debt relief; he joins organization after Jubilee’s successful push to relieve Haiti’s debt in wake of devastating earthquake
Jubilee USA Network
www.jubileeusa.org
For Immediate Release
April 1st, 2010
Contact: Hayley Hathaway, Communications Coordinator, 202-783-3566
LeCompte has served as a founder, organizer, fundraiser and director at various organizations in the faith-based community for more than 16 years. “As we take the next step in our organization's life, we are lucky to have in Eric someone who has grown organizations before, and who I have no doubt will help Jubilee grow from strength to strength,” noted Jacob Feinspan, National Board Chair of Jubilee USA.
This past August, Congressional Quarterly referred to Jubilee USA’s work, “Perhaps the most prominent cross-aisle alliance on human rights has coalesced around proposed debt relief in the developing world.”
The spirit of bipartisanship in Jubilee’s work was clear these past two weeks as both the House and Senate passed legislation to relieve the remaining debt of Haiti after the earthquake. Jubilee USA also celebrated the reintroduction of the Jubilee Act in this Congress by a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders. The Bill will extend needed debt relief to 22 countries and includes original cosponsorship from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), the committee’s ranking member. Other original co-sponsors include Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL), Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO), and Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR).
“At a time in Washington, when its become difficult for members of different parties to work together, I am inspired that members from both parties continue to work with Jubilee on debt relief,” stated LeCompte, the new incoming Executive Director of Jubilee USA.
LeCompte is the former Pax Christi USA National Council Chair and was elected as Chair for four years. For the last decade, Eric served as the national organizer for the School of the Americas Watch, where he broadened the network from 100 partners to 500 political, religious and labor organizations. Under his leadership the organization impacted US policy on torture and human rights. This past November, SOA Watch was nominated to receive the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. He is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
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Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 religious denominations and faith communities, human rights, environmental, labor, and community groups working for the definitive cancellation of international debts and for responsible finance to fight poverty and injustice in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
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