Jubilee USA, working with global partners, launched an open letter to G20 Finance Ministers and the IMF calling for a quick allocation of global reserve funds – Special Drawing Rights – to support developing countries' global coronavirus crisis response and recovery efforts. 

Open Letter to G20 Finance Ministers and the IMF: Civil Society Organizations Call for Quick Special Drawing Rights Allocation

COVID-19 spurred health, social and economic crises that hit developing countries the hardest. The pandemic deepened development and inequality challenges and erased years of progress on poverty reduction and women’s rights. Countries continue to face fallen revenues, lower foreign exchange earnings and higher fiscal and debt burdens. Many of these countries cannot afford expenditures vital to bring the pandemic under control, increase social protection to survive lockdowns and prepare to recover with equity and resilience. Of the trillions spent on stimulus packages around the world so far, wealthy countries account for 88 percent, while developing countries account for the rest.

A multilateral solution is needed. One that will not push low- and middle-income economies into further debt distress. To that end, we ask that you urgently support a new allocation of IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in the amount of US$3 trillion. We believe that an allocation of this size is required to address the real needs in a decisive and sustainable way. In 2009, the international community responded to a crisis of much smaller scope and proportions with an allocation of US$250 billion in Special Drawing Rights. This initiative had a significant role in restoring market confidence and supporting global recovery. Last year, even before the scale of this crisis was clear, IMF estimates placed emerging economies’ financing needs at US$2.5 trillion.

A new and significant allocation of SDRs would enable countries to boost reserves and stabilize economies, helping to minimize other economic losses. It would free up funds urgently needed for the pandemic response, including gender-responsive public health systems, universal social protection and comprehensive vaccine rollouts. It would also provide much-needed foreign exchange resources to countries whose capacity to earn them continues to be severely constrained in the short to medium term. SDRs do not add to countries’ debt burdens, promote debt sustainability and do not represent a loss for anyone – only a gain. Importantly, they would provide a liquidity injection with economic stimulus benefits worldwide.

So far, the international financial response to the pandemic crisis fails to uphold the standard of solidarity we all should expect in the face of such threat. A new SDR allocation would send a strong signal of renewed multilateral coordination that puts life first and is within your immediate reach. We ask for your leadership in ensuring the international community rises up to this historic moment to do what is needed.

SIGNED:

ORGANIZATIONS

1. Act Church of Sweden
2. ActionAid International
3. ADRA
4. Africa Community Engagement
5. Africa Faith and Justice Network
6. Africa Intercultural Development Support Trust
7. African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET)
8. African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD)
9. Agir ensemble pour les droits humains
10. American Friends Service Committee
11. Arab Watch Coalition
12. Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
13. Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad, Colombia-LA
14. Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente (AIDA)
15. Association of Women of Southern Europe AFEM
16. Avaaz
17. Bretton Woods Project (BWP)
18. CARE International
19. Center for Democracy and Development (CDD)
20. Center for economic and policy priorities
21. Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
22. Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
23. Center for Participatory Research and Development-CPRD
24. Christian Aid
25. CODEPINK
26. COPE Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti
27. DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era)
28. DIAKONIA
29. Documentation and Infomation Network for Indigenous peoples Sustainability (DINIPS)
30. Dominican Leadership Conference
31. Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA Africa
32. Equal Asia Foundation
33. Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia
34. East African Budget Network
35. European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD)
36. Feminist Task Force
37. FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development
38. FONDATION EBOKO
39. Gender Action
40. Gender and Development Network
41. Gestos Brazil, Latin America
42. Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)
43. Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD)
44. Global Policy Forum
45. Indigenous Peoples Global Forum for Sustainable Development, IPGFforSD (International Indigenous Platform)
46. Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), Africa
47. Institute for Economic Justice South Africa
48. Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Loreto Generalate
49. Instituto de Estudos Socioeconômicos (INESC)
50. Instituto para el desarrollo y la paz amazónica
51. International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
52. International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific)
53. Jubilee Debt Campaign UK
54. Jubilee USA Network
55. Latin American Network for Economic and Social Rights (LATINDADD)
56. Lithuanian NGDO Platform
57. MY World Mexico
58. Norwegian Church Aid Regional office in Southern Africa
59. Observatori del Deute en la Globalització
60. Observatorio Cidadão para Saúde
61. Oikos – Cooperação e Desenvolvimento
62. OXFAM INTERNATIONAL
63. Public Eye
64. Recourse, Europe
65. Red de Justicia Fiscal de América Latina y El Caribe
66. SERR Latin America
67. Social Justice in Global Development
68. Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)/Afrihealth Optonet Association
69. Society for International Development (SID)
70. Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute
71. Stand.earth
72. Temple of Understanding
73. The Human Rights and Privatization Project, NYU School of Law Center for Human Rights and Global Justice
74. Third World Network (TWN)
75. Tripla Difesa Onlus
76. Uhuru Community Development Project
77. Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
78. Urgewald e.V.
79. VIVAT International
80. WaterAid
81. WEMOS
82. Women Engage for a Common Future – WECF
83. Women in Migration Network – WIMN
84. Women’s Working Group on Financing for Development (WWG on FfD)
85. 11.11, Belgium
86. Abibiman Foundation, Ghana
87. ACEP – Portugal
88. Action Corps, United States
89. Action Développement et Intégration Régionale, Burundi
90. ActionAid – Sierra Leone
91. ActionAid USA, United States
92. Africa Global Wealth Creation, Kenya
93. Ageing Nepal, Nepal
94. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations AFL-CIO, USA
95. Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities, Ghana
96. Asociación COVIDA, Colombia
97. Association for Promotion Sustainable Development, India
98. ASSOCIATION MALIENNE POUR LA SAUVEGABIF, Mali
99. ASSOCIATION POUR LES VICTIMES DU MONDE, Cameroon
100. Association pour l’Integration et le Developpement Durable au Burundi (AIDB), Burundi
101. Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad, Bangladesh
102. Bread for the World – USA
103. Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation
104. CAFOD, United Kingdom
105. CAFSO-WRAG for Development, Nigeria
106. Campaign for Human Rights and Development International – Sierra Leone
107. Carbone Guinée, Guinea
108. Caritas – Ghana
109. CCFD-Terre Solidaire – France
110. CDIA, Paraguay
111. Cedecam, Nicaragua
112. Center for Peace Education and Community Development, Nigeria
113. Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, India
114. Centre for Global Political Economy, Simon Fraser University, North America
115. Centre for Muslim Youth In Peace And Development, Ghana
116. Centre for Trade Policy and Development, Zambia
117. Centro de Derechos Económicos y Sociales – CDES, Ecuador
118. Centro de Estudios del Trabajo, Colombia
119. Centro de Estudios Paraguayos Padre Antonio Guasch (CEPAG), Paraguay
120. Centro de Investigación Sobre Inversión y Comercio, El Salvador
121. CESC (civil society C. B. Center), Mozambique
122. Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development, Nigeria
123. Civil Society Education Coalition, Malawi
124. Civil Society SDGs Campaign-GCAP, Zambia
125. CHALLENGES International – Togo
126. CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network), Bangladesh
127. CNCD-11.11.11, Belgique
128. Comisión de Justicia Social de Chimbote, Perú
129. Comisión Nacional de Enlace, Costa Rica
130. Community Resource Centre Foundation, Thailand
131. CONEYSO, Panamá
132. Conseil des Facilitateurs des Pays des Grands Lacs, Republique Democratique du Congo
133. CooperAcción, Peru
134. Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica CIASE, Colombia
135. CPM Micaela Bastidas, Peru
136. Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity – CROSOL Croatia
137. Dalit NGO Federation, Nepal
138. Debt Justice Norway, Norway
139. DECIDAMOS, Paraguay
140. Demand Progress, United States
141. Ekumenická akademie – Chequia
142. Emonyo Yefwe International, Kenya
143. Equipos Docentes del Perú
144. Erlassjahr.de / Jubilee Germany
145. Estonian Roundtable for Development Cooperation, Estonia
146. Excellent World Foundation, Nigeria
147. Federation of Environmental and Ecological Diversity for Agricultural Revampment and Human Rights (FEEDAR & HR), Cameroon
148. FOCSIV Italian Federation Christian NGOs, Italy
149. Fondazione Pangea Onlus – Italy
150. Fondo Semillas México
151. Foro Social de Deuda Externa y Desarrollo de Honduras (FOSDEH), Honduras
152. Forum de Monitoria do Orcamento, Mozambique
153. Forum Solidaridad Perú
154. Foundation For Sustainable Development And Climate Action (FSDCA), India
155. FOVIDA, Peru
156. Friends of the Earth U.S.
157. Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN), Argentina
158. Fundación Constituyente XXI, Chile
159. Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar, A. C. MEXFAM, México
160. Fundación SES, Argentina
161. Gatef organizations, Egypt
162. GCAP Italy
163. GCAP Sénégal
164. GESTOS – Brazil
165. Global Humaniste, Togo
166. Gobierno Territorial Autonomo de la Nacion Wampis, Peru
167. Gopal Kiran Samaj Sevi Sanstha Gwalior, India
168. Grupo de Formación e Intervención para el Desarrollo Sostenible (GRUFIDES), Peru
169. Halley Movement Coalition, Mauritius
170. Hellenic Platform for Development, Greece
171. Humanité Solidaire
172. Institución Universitaria Colegio Mayor de Antioquia, Colombia
173. Instituto Justiça Fiscal, Brazil
174. Instituto Popular de Capacitación-IPC, Colombia
175. Jamaa Resource Initiatives – Kenya
176. Jeunesse Active de Guinee (JAG), Guinea
177. Jubileo 2000 Red Ecuador
178. Justice is Global, United States
179. Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum KESSFF, Kenya
180. KOTHOWAIN (vulnerable peoples develpment organization) Bangladesh
181. Ligue camerounaise des droits humains Nationale, Cameroon
182. LINK2007 – Italy
183. Marcha Mundial de Mujeres – Perú
184. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, United States
185. Movimiento TZUK KIM POP, Guatemala
186. Murna Foundation, Nigeria
187. NARRATIVA ECONOMICA
188. National Campaign for Sustainable Developmen, Nepal
189. Nawi – Afrifem Macroeconomics Collective, Kenya
190. NRDS, Bangladesh
191. NETWORK OF RURAL WOMEN PRODUCERS TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, Trinidad & Tobago
192. New Generation Outreach, Kenya
193. NGO Federation of Nepal
194. NGO Platform on Climate Change, Mauritius
195. Norwegian Church Aid Norway
196. NRDS, Bangladesh
197. N’weti, Mozambique
198. Observatorio Mexicano de la Crisis
199. Ohaha Family Foundation, Nigeria
200. ONE, SINGAPORE
201. Pakistan Development Alliance, Pakistan
202. People’s Health Movement, USA
203. Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Philippines
204. PA Women’s organization Alga, Kyrgyzstan
205. Plateforme d’Information et d’Action sur la Dette et le Développement (PIADD-Guinée)
206. Plateforme Française Dette & Développement (PFDD), France
207. Plateforme nationale des Citoyens Unis pour le Développement (PCUD) Nationale, Guineé
208. Por Un Mundo Más Justo, España
209. Psychological Responsiveness NGO, Mongolia
210. National Coalition of Civil Society Organizations of Liberia
211. Reacción Climática, Bolivia
212. Red de Mujeres para el empoderamiento político y económico de la provincia de Velez, Colombia
213. Red Dot Foundation Global, USA
214. Red Dot Foundation, India
215. Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC), México
216. RENICC, Nicaragua
217. Réseau des organisations du secteur éducatifs nigeriens – Niger
218. RGIC, Romania
219. RIGHTS Foundation, Indonesia
220. Robin Hood Tax, UK
221. Rozaria Memorial Trust, Zimbabwe
222. Rural Area Development Programme (RADP), Nepal
223. Rural Infrastructure and Human Resource Development Organization (RIHRDO), Pakistan
224. Rwanda Green Initiative (RGI)
225. Sanayee Development Organization (SDO), Afghanistan
226. SDSN Kenya Youth Initiative, Kenya
227. Servicios Ecumenicos para Reconciliacion y Reconstruccion, United States
228. Sisters of Charity Federation, United States
229. Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, United States
230. Society for Promoting Rural Education and Development ( SPREAD), India
231. Stamp Out Poverty, United Kingdom
232. State Employees Federation, Mauritius
233. Tanzania coalition on debt and development, Tanzania
234. Tax Justice Network – Africa
235. Uganda Debt Network Uganda, East Africa
236. WIDE, Austria
237. Willow Empowerment for Grass Root Development Initiative, Nigeria
238. Women Empowerment Against Poverty of Nepal (WEAPoN)
239. Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), Nepal
240. Zambia Institute for Labour Research and Development (ZILARD), Zambia

ACADEMIA/RESEARCHER 

1. Alberto Arroyo Picard, Investigador jubilado Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, México
2. Diane Elson, Professor, University of Essex, UK
3. Elisa Van Waeyenberge, SOAS University of London, UK
4. Fredy Trujillo, investigador Narrativa Económica – Ecuador
5. Gabriele Koehler, Independent development economist, UNRISD senior research fellow
6. Gilberto Andrés García Batista, Asociación de Pedagogos de Cuba
7. James Naughton, SOAS PhD student focused on the IMF and responses to crises in the 21st Century, SOAS, UK
8. Jessica Dempsey, University of British Columbia, North America
9. Learnmore Nyamudzanga, Sharlearn Research and Taxation Consultancy
10. Machiko Nissanke, SOAS, University of London
11. Martin S. Edwards, Associate Professor School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University, United States
12. Nkolo Ayissi Ernest, Nationalité Camerounaise
13. Oscar Ugarteche, investigador del Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas de la UNAM México
14. Patricia Jaramillo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Crux quotes Eric LeCompte on the Puerto Rico letter sent to President Biden from major religious leaders. Read an excerpt below, and click here for the full story.

Catholic leaders call on Biden to rescue reeling Puerto Rico

By: John Lavenburg

In a conversation with Crux, Eric LeCompte notes that Puerto Rico already has a significant pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. In 2006, when Section 936 – a provision that gave companies that set up shop in Puerto Rico tax exemptions – was phased out by the federal government it meant “overnight 100,000 well-paying jobs left Puerto Rico,” LeCompte said.

“Puerto Rico already has the facilities, the expertise, the manufacturing infrastructure that there are ways to immediately activate Puerto Rico to be able to work on COVID response, the production of personal protective equipment, the ability to manufacture vaccines,” he said.

Read the full article here.

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.