Don't Use Debt Relief for the Poorest Countries As a Bargaining Chip

Bread for the World
Monday, 2 October 2000

I am grateful to President Clinton, Congressman Kasich, and other leaders from both parties for coming together on behalf of debt relief for the poorest countries.

Senator Gramm and Majority Leader Armey helped to design the international debt relief initiative. Senator Gramm is wrong to now use debt relief for the world's poorest countries as a bargaining chip to get his way on other matters.

Debt relief is a religious issue. Churches and communities in many poor countries are working to make sure debt relief really benefits poor and hungry people. Millions of people and churches around the world are praying for and urging debt relief in this Jubilee Year 2000. In fact, Bread for the World members have generated more than 150,000 letters to their members of Congress in support of debt cancellation.

Individual citizens have really made a difference on this issue. This past weekend, I was in Birmingham, Alabama. People in some of Birmingham's churches have encouraged their representative in Congress, Spencer Bachus, to be a leader for debt relief. For example, Bread for the World member Elaine Van Cleave flew to Washington early last year to explain to Bachus that debt relief would give many children in Africa a chance to go to school or get medicines they need. We thank Congressman Bachus for his leadership on this issue. And we thank God for people of faith like Elaine Van Cleave.

For more information, or to contact Bread for the World, see their website at: www.bread.org