Administration Legal Move Could Release $2.3 Billion for Vulnerable Puerto Ricans Say Faith Leaders

Washington DC – In a letter sent to President Biden, 20 major Puerto Rico and US religious leaders urged actions on disaster relief, job creation and a legal move to aid people on the heavily indebted island.

"Please immediately instruct the Department of Justice to withdraw the suit, filed by the previous administration, that blocks $2.3 billion in annual Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. About 300,000 poor and vulnerable US citizens with disabilities are critically impacted," wrote the religious leaders representing major religious institutions from Puerto Rico and the United States. "We look forward to working with you so Puerto Rico can emerge with renewed resilience from our debt and child poverty crises, challenges with ongoing natural disasters and the impacts of the pandemic."

The letter also requests that Biden implement measures to return manufacturing pharmaceutical jobs to Puerto Rico to help in the fight against COVID. Actions to reduce the island's 60% child poverty rate were noted in the letter from the religious leaders.

“Debt and disasters mired Puerto Rico in multiple crises, and then COVID-19 hit,” stated Eric LeCompte the director of Jubilee USA, the organization that coordinated the letter with Puerto Rico and US religious leaders. "The White House and Congress can move forward critical actions to address the crises facing Puerto Rico."

The heads of US and Puerto Rico churches signed the letter representing Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Christian (Disciples) and Evangelical churches. The 20 signers include leaders of the National and Puerto Rico Council of Churches, Catholic Charities, the General Bible Society and Jubilee USA Network.

Since 2015, religious leaders pressed Republican and Democratic White Houses and Congressional leaders to address the island's debt, child poverty and jobs crises. In 2017 after hurricanes Irma and Maria decimated the island, US and Puerto Rico religious leaders included disaster relief in their advocacy efforts.

Read the Puerto Rico letter to President Biden and the 20 Puerto Rico and US religious leaders signers in English and Spanish here. 

Leer carta en espanol aqui. 

U.S. News quotes Eric LeCompte on jobs, disaster relief and financial assistance for Puerto Rico. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

Biden Urged to End Trump Lawsuit Blocking Payments to Puerto Ricans

By Andrea Shalal,  

Top faith leaders from across the United States on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden to immediately withdraw a lawsuit filed by his predecessor to block $2.3 billion in supplemental income payments to some 300,000 aged, blind and disabled Puerto Ricans.

Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee USA Network, said the letter was intended to galvanize action by the Biden administration to help Puerto Ricans, who have faced "crisis after crisis, disaster after disaster" over the past decade.

Read the full article here.

The letter sent by US and PR religious leaders urged President Biden to facilitate access to the SSI program, bring back manufacturing, and increase aid to the island. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

Líderes religiosos de Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos piden a Joe Biden atender el acceso al SSI e incentivar la manufactura

Con respecto al SSI, los líderes religiosos, como autoridades de la isla, sostienen que el asunto se encamina solo con retirar el certiorari que presentó el gobierno de Donald Trump ante el Tribunal Supremo de Estados Unidos para que se revierta la decisión del Primer Circuito de Apelaciones federales que abre la puerta a que los residentes de la Isla tengan acceso a ese programa de bienestar social.

Biden se comprometió durante la campaña a revertir esa política pública del gobierno de Trump.

“La deuda y los desastres sumieron a Puerto Rico en múltiples crisis, y luego llegó el COVID-19. La Casa Blanca y el Congreso pueden avanzar en acciones críticas para abordar las crisis que enfrenta Puerto Rico”, indicó LeCompte, en una declaración, al señalar que la carta reúne a religiosos que han presionado en Washington durante los últimos años a favor de temas como la crisis fiscal y de deuda pública, y la asistencia para la isla luego de los recientes desastres naturales.

Read the full article here.

US and PR religious leaders sent a letter to President Biden requesting to withdraw a lawsuit filed by the previous administration that blocks $2.3 billion in annual Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. Read an excerpt below and click here for the full story.

Piden a Biden que retire demanda que bloquea 2.300 millones para Puerto Rico

Un grupo de líderes religiosos pidió al presidente estadounidense, Joe Biden, que retire una demanda interpuesta por su predecesor, Donald Trump, que bloquea la llegada de 2,300 millones de dólares de pagos anuales destinados a población desfavorecida en la isla que ayuda a cerca 300,000 puertorriqueños.

Eric LeCompte, director de Jubilee Estados Unidos, coalición de grupos religiosos que defiende a los sectores sociales más vulnerables, divulgó este martes la carta dirigida a Biden en la que se aboga por velar por el bienestar de los puertorriqueños menos favorecidos.

“Es nuestro deseo trabajar con su administración para atender los desafíos que enfrenta el pueblo de Puerto Rico”, indica la carta remitida a Biden, en la que se afirma que como líderes religiosos preocupados por la difícil situación y necesidades que enfrenta el pueblo de Puerto Rico le solicitan al jefe del Ejecutivo que impulse y haga posible la llegada de ayudas.

Read the full article here.

Read the letter as a PDF in English and Spanish.

Via E-mail

February 16th, 2021

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

"They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations." - Isaiah 61:4

President Biden,

You and your administration are in our prayers. We look forward to working with you to address the challenges facing Puerto Rico's people.

Thank you for releasing urgently needed hurricane recovery funds. As religious leaders who advocate for the needs of Puerto Rico's people, we respectfully request you move forward the following actions:

• Please immediately instruct the Department of Justice to withdraw the suit, filed by the previous administration, that blocks $2.3 billion in annual Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. About 300,000 poor and vulnerable US citizens with disabilities are critically impacted. In the US vs. Vaello-Madero, the US First Circuit Court of Appeals granted SSI access to all Puerto Ricans. When the Justice Department withdraws the appeal, the Appellate Court's decision stands.
  
  
• Through Executive or support of Congressional Action, please implement measures to return manufacturing jobs to Puerto Rico that encourage pharmaceuticals to spur economic recovery and job creation in areas of high unemployment and poverty. Puerto Rico has skilled labor, the capacity, and the facilities to immediately take up additional pharmaceutical and personal protective equipment manufacturing, to aid in the fight against COVID-19 and increase supplies in the United States.
  
  
• Expand and fully fund the Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicare, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Nearly 60% of Puerto Rico's children, US citizens, live in poverty and would benefit from these measures.
  
  
• Support Congressional action to move forward additional disaster recovery monies for Puerto Rico. The devastating impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, earthquakes and the coronavirus impact US citizens on the island. Conservative estimates note that Puerto Rico needs an additional $50 billion in recovery aid.

President Biden, thank you for your support and solidarity for the people of Puerto Rico. Now, we look forward to working with you so Puerto Rico can emerge with renewed resilience from our debt and child poverty crises, challenges with ongoing natural disasters and the impacts of the pandemic. We hold you in prayer and invite your daily prayers for the people of Puerto Rico.

Respectfully,

Roberto O. González Nieves, OFM
Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico

Rubén González Medina CMF
Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce

Reverend Idalia Negrón Caamaño
Bishop of the Caribbean Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Reverend Felipe Lozada Montañez
President of the Puerto Rico Council of Churches and Emeritus Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran in Puerto Rico

Reverend Miguel A. Morales Castro
General Pastor of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico

Reverend Héctor F. Ortiz Vidal
Bishop of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico

Reverend Edward Rivera Santiago
General Pastor of the United Evangelical Church of Puerto Rico

Reverend Esteban González Dobles
Former General Pastor of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico

Reverend Rafael Moreno Rivas
Emeritus Bishop of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico

Reverend Heriberto Martínez Rivera
General Secretary of the Puerto Rico Bible Society

Reverend Enrique Camacho
Executive Director of Cáritas (Catholic Charities) of Puerto Rico

Reverend Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Reverend Dr. John C. Dorhauer
General Minister and President, United Church of Christ

Reverend Teresa Hord Owens
General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Reverend Julia Brown Karimu
President, Division of Overseas Ministries and Co-executive, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ

Reverend Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson
Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Operations, Co-executive, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ

James Winkler
President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches

Reverend Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe
General Secretary, The United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society

Donna J. Markham OP, PhD, ABPP
President & CEO, Catholic Charities USA

Eric LeCompte
Executive Director, Jubilee USA Network

CC:   

The Honorable Monty Wilkinson
Acting Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice

The Honorable Janet Yellen
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury

The Honorable Pedro Pierluisi
Governor of Puerto Rico

The Honorable Jose Luis Dalmau
President of the Senate of Puerto Rico

The Honorable Rafael Hernández Montañez
Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives

The Honorable Jenniffer González-Colón
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico

David Skeel
President, Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

Natalie Jaresko
Executive Director, Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Majority Leader of the United States Senate

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Minority Leader of the United States Senate

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives

Read the letter as a PDF in English and Spanish.

National Catholic Reporter features Eric Lecompte on the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships' reestablishment. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

Biden reestablishes White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

By Christopher White

The announcement that the office would be reestablished comes nearly a month after 50 faith organizations signed an open letter urging Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to reestablish the office.

"A fully functioning faith-based office (whatever the name) with appropriate funding is critically important to facilitate fruitful partnerships with faith and civil society organizations, and to ensure that members of your Administration have substantial and timely communication with the faith community," they wrote.

Among the Catholic organizations that signed the open letter were the Catholic Labor Network, Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach, Franciscan Action Network, Jubilee USA Network, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Network, Lobby for Catholic Social Justice and Pax Christi USA.

Read the full article here.

Japan Says Accessing Global Reserve Funds Discussed

Refinitiv quotes Eric LeCompte on the Ivory Coast's return to capital markets and the DSSI. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

Ivory Coast shows up debt relief flaws

But the ambiguities of how to help highly indebted sovereigns through the pandemic remain, with Ivory Coast's issuance, according to some critics, symptomatic of deeper flaws in the financial system.

"Unfortunately, this situation with the Ivory Coast represents all that needs to be fixed with the financial system. Taking on more debt and debt relief are symptoms of an economic system where struggling countries wrestle with corruption, budget transparency and not getting accountable aid streams that can end poverty," said Eric LeCompte, executive director at Jubilee USA Network, a non-profit financial reform organisation.

Read the full article here.

Reuters quotes Eric LeCompte on the G7's plans for a global economic recovery. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

U.S. tells G7 that it is back at the table to help with global recovery

By David Lawder, William Schomberg

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told her peers from the Group of Seven rich democracies that Washington was committed to multilateralism and “places a high priority on deepening our international engagement and strengthening our alliances.” As well as the United States and Britain, the G7 includes Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Canada.

Biden has proposed a further $1.9 trillion in spending and tax cuts on top of more than $4 trillion of coronavirus relief measures enacted by his predecessor Trump.

“Over the last year, the G7 has not even spoken about special drawing rights, so considering that was part of this agenda, it certainly is progress,” said Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee USA Network, a charity group that focuses on reducing poverty. “In terms of getting to a strong global stimulus, SDRs have to be a part of the equation.”

Read the full article here.

Devex consults Eric LeCompte on the G7's first meeting and its global agenda after Joe Biden became the U.S. president. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

In Brief: US urges G-7 to 'go big' on COVID-19 response

By Adva Saldinger

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who participated in the meeting, said that “the time to go big is now” and that the G-7, with international financial institutions, “must work to address the challenges facing low-income countries who are struggling to respond to the pandemic,” according to a Treasury Department statement.

The agenda also included discussion of global debt problems, vaccine distribution for low-income countries, and Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, according to Eric LeCompte, executive director at Jubilee USA.

While no decisions about SDRs were made at Friday’s meeting — or even expected — the discussion will likely continue at a meeting later this month of the G-20 group of leading nations. The G-20 would ultimately include the liquidity-boosting move in an official communiqué if there is agreement, but LeCompte said it isn’t likely to come at this next meeting.

Read the full article here.

Reuters and Financial Post quote Eric LeCompte on Zambia's request to restructure its debt under the G20's new common framework. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

Zambia seeks debt restructuring under G20 common framework

By Joe Bavier

But some have accused private creditors of not doing their bit in debt relief efforts. World Bank chief David Malpass criticized them for hitching a “free ride” on DSSI relief.

“As the G20 works out this process, it’s essential that they compel the private sector to participate,” said Eric LeCompte of Jubilee USA, which lobbies for debt relief for poor nations.

Zambia’s $3 billion in outstanding Eurobonds is not its only debt. It owes $3.5 billion in bilateral debt, $2.1 billion to multilaterals and $2.9 billion to other commercial lenders.

Read the full article here.

Washington DC – Zambia requested the G20 coronavirus debt relief process, the "Common Framework for Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative." The process allows up to 73 of the world’s poorest countries to seek support under the mechanism.

“The pandemic is hitting the economies of poor countries pretty hard and many more countries will be requesting debt relief," noted Eric LeCompte who leads the religious development group Jubilee USA and advises the United Nations on debt issues. "Zambia needs serious debt relief. Before the pandemic, 60% of Zambians lived below the poverty line."

Zambia joins Chad and Ethiopia who already triggered the G20 debt reduction process. Zambia was the first African country to default on its debt since the COVID-19 crisis began.

Africa faces its first recession in 25 years as the region struggles with spreading infections and lack of access to vaccines.

“An important part of this debt reduction process is that countries need to ask the private sector to also provide debt relief,” said LeCompte. “As the G20 works out this process, it's essential that they compel the private sector to participate.”