Dear Friend,

Thanks to your partnership, Jubilee USA's campaigns on student loans, Puerto Rico and global pandemic aid and debt relief are moving forward. I'm writing to update you on these campaigns and ask you to take urgent action. 

As part of upcoming budget votes, Congress decides on Jubilee USA requests for $22 billion in pandemic response aid and debt relief for developing countries. Please call your Senators and ask them to support pandemic debt relief and aid so vulnerable communities can get through the crisis.

As we continue to move Congress on debt relief and IMF Special Drawing Rights aid, we won new action on student loans from President Biden. In the last days of 2021, Biden extended the pandemic freeze on student loan payments and interest. This happened because of the thousands of messages you sent to Congress and the Biden and Trump White Houses. We continue to work for student debt cancellation for the vulnerable and those facing economic hardship.

The news is not as good for our Puerto Rico efforts. 

We had hoped the Senate would vote in December on action passed for Puerto Rico by the House of Representatives. In the last days of the year, Senate negotiations failed to pass disability payments for 300,000 low-income people, $3.6 billion in healthcare aid and measures to increase jobs for the island. As we push for a Puerto Rico deal in the Senate, your thousands of phone calls are pushing Senators to take action as the island struggles with debt crisis, natural disasters and the pandemic.

Your partnership is critical in the coming months as some of the most consequential decisions on Jubilee USA's pandemic response campaigns will be made by the G20, IMF, G7, World Trade Organization, Congress and White House.

Lack of vaccines and the COVID-spurred health and economic crisis continue to push hundreds of millions into hunger and poverty around the world. Please take action and leave a message for your Senators as they prepare to vote on $22 billion in pandemic debt relief and aid. The Capitol Switchboard is open 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.

Thanks for taking a moment to call your Senators ahead of important budget votes.

In partnership,

Aldo

Aldo Caliari
Senior Director of Policy and Campaigns
Jubilee USA Network
www.jubileeusa.org/support-us