REASON FOR THIS ALERT: Late last month the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2008(S. 2166) with bipartisan support. The House of Representatives had previously passed a similar bill. The next step is for the full Senate to consider the bill. Since the fall session of the Senate is expected to be very short because of the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections, the best—and probably the only—opportunity for getting the bill passed this year would be during the next four weeks, i.e., before the Congress begins its late summer recess.
 
BACKGROUND: While major progress has been made in reducing poor country debt, a substantial number of the poorest countries continue to shoulder heavy debt burdens that draw precious government resources away from critical investments in health care, education, water and other sectors necessary to improve lives. Many poor countries have seen their debts reduced through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative that was adopted in 1996 and expanded in 1999 in response to successful advocacy by the global Jubilee 2000 movement, in which the Catholic Church played a major role. In the succeeding years, it became apparent that further efforts were required, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) continued its advocacy. USCCB strongly supported the new debt relief program called the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) that was approved under U.S. leadership in 2005. This provided major new debt cancellation for HIPC countries. Nevertheless, more than twenty very poor countries still are unable to benefit from HIPC or MDRI debt relief.
 
  TAKE ACTION NOW!

Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan are not already cosponsors of the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007 (S. 2166). Contact them and urge them (1) to become cosponsors today and (2) to support bringing the bill to the Senate floor for a vote on final passage as soon as possible.

Next week, during the Apostolic Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States, the House of Representatives will likely consider the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007 (HR 2634) which represents an essential next step in alleviating the crushing burdens of debt that plague many developing countries.  The timing is significant since the Holy See has been a strong supporter of debt relief.
 
Please use this action alert and urge your Representative Earl Pomeroy to support the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007 (HR 2634). 
 
Thanks to advocates like you substantial debt burdens have already been lifted off the backs of the poor and this legislation will build on that important work. Let's finish the work we have done on debt relief for poor people around the world. 
 
Represenative Earl Pomeroy
Washington: United States House of Representatives
1501 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Telephone: (202) 225-2611
FAX: (202) 226-0893
Bismarck: Telephone: (701) 224-0355
Fargo: Telephone: (701) 235-9760

rep.earl.pomeroy@mail.house.gov

From the USCCB:

Why this issue is important?  The Church stands firm in denouncing torture as it undermines and debases the dignity of both victims and perpetrators. Pope Benedict XVI said “the prohibition against torture cannot be contravened under any circumstance.”
 
The Senate voted 51-45 to pass HR 2082, the FY2008 Intelligence Authorization Act, which contains anti-torture legislation (Section 327) expanding the prohibition against torture of detainees to all U.S. intelligence agencies and their agents. We urge you to contact the White House and express your support for the anti-torture provisions of HR 2082 into law.
 
Background:  USCCB was successful in joining with other organizations in pressing the Senate to pass HR 2082 on February 13, 2008 with its anti-torture provisions intact. It was a triumph as it prohibits cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners held by U.S. intelligence agencies. Earlier legislation supported by USCCB had prohibited torture of those held by U.S. military and required that interrogation techniques conform to the standard now offered by the U.S. Army Field Manual. While the Conference cannot presume to be experts on the Manual, one of its guiding principles which USCCB supports echoes the Golden Rule, i.e. we should not use any technique against an enemy that we would not like to have used against our own military or civilians.
 
While USCCB does not take positions on the more technical and other provisions of the Intelligence Authorization Act, we believe the adoption of the anti-torture provision (Section 327) in HR 2082 would go a long way to restoring U.S. credibility in the international community by helping the U.S. regain the moral high ground. Respect for the dignity of every person, ally or enemy, must serve as the foundation of security, justice and peace. We cannot win the war against terror by abandoning fundamental moral values.
 
ACTION REQUESTED:  Ask your members to call the White House at 202-456-1111 or send an email to President Bush at comments@whitehouse.gov to express support for the anti-torture provisions in HR 2082 and urge him to sign this legislation.

North Dakota Catholic Conference Executive Director Christopher Dodson responded to a letter in the Forum about torture with the following:
In his Feb. 19 letter defending the use of waterboarding and other harsh techniques, Raymond Lottie makes a statement that is all too common today. He states: The relevant question for waterboarding is not whether it's torture, but whether it is effective.

That is precisely not the question we should ask. When effectiveness determines whether our government will engage in a particular interrogation technique, we stoop to a policy of the "end justifies the means." Is not rejection of such a philosophy one reason our nation fought World War II and the Cold War?

Most importantly, appeal to "effectiveness" and "results" glosses over the fact that a human person suffers. The use of physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty or obtain information violates the dignity of the human person and is always morally wrong.

Effective? Maybe. What, however, does it profit a nation to gain results, but lose its soul in the process?

The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop William S. Skylstad, Bishop of Spokane, issued a statement released Nov. 13 which calls for a responsible transition in Iraq.  During their general meeting in Baltimore Nov. 12, the bishops of the United States gave their affirmation to his letter, entitled A Call for Bipartisan Cooperation on Responsible Transition in Iraq.
 
Bishop Samuel Aquila of the Diocese of Fargo commented on the statement via an e-mail to the diocesan offices in Fargo today.  He addressed the phrase “responsible transition” and called for continued prayer.
 
“‘Responsible’ means political leaders must put aside their partisan views and vote-seeking agendas and work in cooperation with each other to determine how to incrementally lessen the U.S. presence in Iraq while providing for the support and safety of the people of Iraq.  Definite strategies must be developed that ensure a shift from an environment of war to an existence in peace,” Bishop Aquila wrote.
 
“‘Transition’ means a gradual, well-planned movement which focuses on the care and dignity of each human person who is involved in the war in Iraq,” he continued.  “Responsible transition can be accomplished only if our politicians put others before themselves – put peace, life and the common good before their own political popularity or party agenda.  They must ask those most close to the conflict – the Iraqis, the refugees, the military personnel – what they see as needs, rather than sitting behind desks, determining strategies that look good on paper but fail when implemented.
 
“A pull-out from Iraq based on the schedules of politicians is not the answer nor is remaining in Iraq based on the interests of the U.S. alone.  Responsible transition, based upon the dignity, safety and needs of the human persons whose lives are most closely affected by this war, is the only answer.
 
Bishop Aquila concluded with a call for continued prayer.  “I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Fargo continue to pray for peace in the Middle East, for our service men and women, and for wisdom for all leaders and politicians involved in resolving the present conflict.”

WASHINGTON-The United States and its leaders must work together in a bipartisan fashion to bring about a responsible transition in Iraq that ends the war at the earliest opportunity and minimizes the loss of lives, American and Iraqi.  This was the major thrust of a statement by Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,  that was affirmed by the full body of bishops at their general meeting on November 12 in Baltimore. 

“As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gathers in Baltimore, our thoughts and prayers are with our military personnel in Iraq, their families, and all the suffering people of Iraq,” Bishop Skylstad said.

The statement decried “the political stalemate in Iraq that blocks national reconciliation” and “finds a parallel” in “the political and partisan stalemate in Washington.”  Bishop Skylstad continued, “Our country needs a new direction to reduce the war’s deadly toll and to bring our people together to deal with the conflict’s moral and human dimensions.  Our nation needs a new bipartisan approach to Iraq policy based on honest and civil dialogue.”

The statement noted that our nation faces important challenges and decisions about the terrible dilemmas in Iraq.  “Our nation must focus more on the ethics of exit than on the ethics of intervention.  The morally and politically demanding but carefully limited goal of responsible transition should aim to reduce further loss of life and address the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, the refugee crisis in the region, the need to help rebuild the country and human rights, especially religious freedom.”

Read the full statement.

Questions and Answers on the War in Iraq