[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPPORT FOR H.R. 2634

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my full support 
for H.R. 2634, a bill that would provide for greater responsibility in 
lending and expanded cancellation of debts owed to the United States 
and the international financial institutions by low-income countries, 
and for other purposes.
  The Biblical scripture love thy neighbor, does not just call for the 
expression of care and concern for neighbors who live in close 
proximity. It also calls for reaching out to neighbors world wide. I 
believe it is especially important to be concerned about and help our 
neighbors who live in countries that are challenged daily with enormous 
issues involving poverty, hunger, homelessness, high unemployment, 
crime, illiteracy, and HIV/AIDS. Some of these countries include 
Angola, Haiti, Liberia, and Kenya just to name a few.
  I support this bill because it could help our neighbors who are 
struggling everyday to live with and combat very difficult social and 
economic problems. I suspect that if economically disadvantaged 
countries were in a position to resolve their problems without 
assistance, they would. Helping to resolve these issues would lead to 
improvements in the quality of life for our neighbors, global economic 
stability, and world peace.
  Jubilee USA Network, one grassroots organization that consists of 
churches and community organizations, has been dedicated to educating 
members of Congress and the public since the late 1990s on this issue. 
Their hard work, along with other organizations has created a movement 
that has made a difference. Some 30 nations have benefited from 
different types of debt relief estimating approximately 
$80,000,000,000.
  Other notable progress has been made with this issue. Agreements made 
with the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the Inter-American 
Development Bank, and the International Monetary Fund have eliminated 
debts by some poor countries.
  To observe the success thus far, Jubilee USA Network held a prayer 
breakfast on October 16, 2007, in the Rayburn House Office Building. 
From the overseas community, the prayer breakfast was attended by the 
Honorable Ombeni Sefue, Tanzanian Ambassador to the United States, the 
Honorable Given Lubinda, Member of Zambia Parliament, and Rt. Rev. Jean 
Zache, Episcopal Bishop of Haiti. It is important for the U.S. to gain 
support for the debt relief of poor countries as a part of its foreign 
policy and I thank Jubilee USA Network for continuing to raise 
awareness of this issue.
  Further, I thank my colleagues Maxine Waters, Spencer Bachus, Carolyn 
Maloney, Donald Payne, Emmanuel Cleaver, Barbara Lee, and Luis 
Gutierrez for introducing this bill. I urge my colleagues to support 
this bill, which is a bill to support humanity.

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