Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently cited in National Catholic Reporter speaking on the Prayer Vigil for Puerto Rico and the need for rebuilding and debt relief of the people of the islands. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

Capitol Hill prayer vigil draws attention to Puerto Rico's disaster relief needs

By: Julie Bourbon

“Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee, articulated several priorities for Puerto Rico, including debt relief and a debt moratorium, a better building provision, and allowing residents of the island full access to Medicare and Medicaid benefits as well as the child tax credit.

Under the Stafford Act, LeCompte said, aid must be sufficient to rebuild infrastructure as it was. Jubilee and others are calling for the better building provision so that the island’s already failing infrastructure will be improved.

‘We know in Puerto Rico, if we rebuild what was, when the hurricane comes next year, what is rebuilt will not stand,’ LeCompte said. ‘The reality is the situation was tragic before the storm. What was a tragedy before has become a full blown humanitarian crisis.’”

Read more here.

Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently cited in National Catholic Reporter speaking on the repeal of Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank law. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

Republican attacks on the FBI are despicable

By: Michael Sean Winters

“Some bad things garner less press coverage but set back efforts to fight poverty around the world. Also on Dec. 13, the House Financial Services Committee voted to repeal Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank law, the section that required U.S. oil and mining corporations to report how much they give to foreign governments. I wrote about this issue earlier this year. ‘It's a sad day when basic anti-poverty and transparency initiatives are repealed,’ said Jubilee USA executive director Eric LeCompte after the vote.”

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Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently interviewed by Bond Buyer to discuss relief efforts in Puerto Rico. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

Humanitarian Advocates Optimistic on Aid to Puerto Rico

By: Brian Tumulty

Laura Esquivel, director of national Advocacy for the Hispanic Federation, and Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee USA Network, told The Bond Buyer they are hopeful Congress will rework the administration’s request and provide more funding[...]

LeCompte stressed the urgency of stepping up the recovery effort.

“I think Congress will step up and we will see in the coming weeks and months more packages around both relief and recovery and rebuilding aid as well as some financing issues addressed,” LeCompte said.

LeCompte said his organization supports having the oversight board established under PROMESA review contracts that are signed for spending federal funds in the recovery effort.

“There appears to be a need for some transparent and accountable way that contracts are reviewed," he said. “We just want it to be expedient and fast.” 

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Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA Network, was recently cited in IRIN News on debt relief in the Caribbean. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article. 

Recovery pledges for hurricane-ravaged Caribbean are a drop in the ocean

By: Samuel Oakford

Eric LeCompte, director of Jubilee USA, said his umbrella group of religious organisations was exploring ways of delaying payments and obligations over the coming months.

“That’s an issue where we’ve seen some progress, but we don’t have firm commitments from the IMF or Paris club over any kind of debt moratorium.”

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Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently cited in Newsweek speaking on Puerto Rico's debt crisis. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

The Pentagon Spends $250 Million on War Every Day—What Else Could We Do with That Money?

By: Carlos Ballesteros

"In the aftermath of Maria, Puerto Rico’s debt crisis stands in the way of recovery. As Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee USA Network, a religious coalition that's fighting for Puerto Rico debt relief , told USA Today last month, 'There’s no way for Puerto Rico to be able to rebuild, let alone recover, unless the debt is canceled.'"

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Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently cited in Public Finance International speaking on corrupt tax avoidance and the release of the Paradise Papers. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

By: Simone Rensch

"Campaigning groups Jubilee USA and Transparency International have called for stronger international laws and for governments to introduce stricture measures to prevent corrupt tax avoidance. 

Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee USA, said: 'Over $‎500bn a year is lost by governments around the world because of the tax avoidance revealed in the Paradise Papers.

'Unfortunately, many of these tax avoidance ‎schemes are legal and we need stronger international laws to prevent this activity.'”

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Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently featured in Public Finance International speaking on Puerto Rico. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

US lawmakers urged to extended federal health access to Puerto Rico

By: Mark Smulian

"'...Puerto Rico needs equitable access to federal healthcare programs and tax credits,' the letter from Jubilee USA executive director Eric LeCompte said.

'These recommendations are essential for reducing poverty for nearly 60% of kids who live in poverty on the island.'"

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Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA was recently cited in National Catholic Reporter speaking on the work of United Nations ambassador Archbishop Silvano Tomasi. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article.

New Book Shows Path for International Relations Inspired by Subsidiarity, Solidarity

By: Joshua McElwee 

"Eric LeCompte, who through his work as the executive director of the Jubilee USA Network came to know Tomasi as they both focused on debt, tax and trade issues at the U.N., said the archbishop is 'on the forefront of articulating the church's social teaching.'

'His recent book only shows a small part of his legacy,' he continued. 'He is one of the church's most effective diplomats. He is a moral force for good. I've watched him single-handedly move U.N. global agreements on financial policies that protect the poor, common good trade policies and disarmament.'

'[Tomasi's] published speeches show his incredible love for the poor and tireless advocacy to build God's kingdom on Earth,' he said."

Read more here.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank begin their annual meetings which run between October 13th and 15th. On Thursdayahead of the gathering of Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors and Government leaders, IMF head Christine Lagarde noted that even though they are predicting global economic growth, risks linger for another financial crisis. On Wednesday the IMF released its Global Financial Stability Report which laid out new tools for predicting financial crisis.

"Unfortunately, I think that there isn't appetite among IMF Executive Directors to move forward actual tools to prevent the next financial crisis," noted Eric LeCompte who has observed IMF and World Bank Meetings since 2010. LeCompte is the Executive Director of the religious development coalition Jubilee USA. "While IMF staff are looking at better ways to predict crisis, we are not putting in place the actual tools to prevent the next financial crisis."

On Thursday morning, LeCompte's group, Jubilee USA, hosted a panel at the IMF on putting in place solutions to end financial crises. 

"A few years ago the IMF was proactively looking at structural solutions that stop financial crises and limit austerity policies, but it seems that work has been sidelined," stated LeCompte who serves on United Nation finance expert groups.‎

Earlier in the week the IMF released its biannual World Economic Outlook report, which warned about climate impacts on vulnerable countries.

Read Jubilee USA's release on the October 2017 Global Financial Stability Report

Read Jubilee USA's release on the IMF's World Economic Outlook Report

Read the IMF's Global Financial Stability Report

Read International Monetary Funds October 2017 World Economic Outlook Report

Jubilee USA's work on debt relief for islands affected by recent hurricanes was recently featured in MarketWatch. Read excerpt below and follow link to full article. 

New Approach to Sovereign Debt Restructuring Needed, Bankruptcy Law Expert Says

By: Elizabeth Strassner

"Similarly, Jubilee USA, which co-sponsored the panel discussion at which Schwarcz and Mutazu spoke, has recently advocated for a moratorium on Caribbean debt until the countries devastated by Hurricane Irma have time to rebuild.

In a September letter to IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Jubilee USA’s leadership asked the fund to cease debt collection until recovery efforts are well under way: 'We invite the IMF to implement an immediate moratorium on debt payments for countries severely impacted by the Category 5 storm until they have rebuilt and recovered.'"

Read more here.