“We live in a globalized, interconnected world. It is in America’s best interest to help all countries protect the health and wellbeing of their populations. Fortunately, the IMF can provide these resources at no cost to the United States or to other member countries. They are not loans and do not have to be repaid.” —Linda Bilmes, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard University and co-chair of Economists for Peace and Security, August 5, 2020
A HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
One of the key steps in moving away from a violent militant approach to foreign policy, is to refocus towards diplomacy and humanitarian efforts.
We are in the midst of a serious global pandemic and economic crisis, and the need for humanitarian relief is greater than ever. Economies around the world are stretched to not only provide lifesaving health care but also monetary assistance to keep their countries safe. Many nations around the world are not equipped to adequately respond, and we must act in solidarity to avoid global economic collapse and the death of millions of people worldwide.
CAPA has joined over 110 organizations including Action Corps, Bread for the World, Oxfam, and Save the Children US to support a major issuance of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). SDRs are a type of international currency that are in reserve for emergencies such as this global pandemic. This issuance would come at NO COST to American taxpayers, and we must ensure this issuance to support the global economy and save lives.
Reps. Garcia and Schakowsky have introduced legislation in the house (H. 6581), and Sen. Durbin has introduced legislation in the Senate (S. 4139) for international funding for COVID relief – with no cost to American taxpayers. Now Congress and the White House should enact these provisions in the next COVID stimulus package.
CAPA has been a vital voice in supporting this work since the beginning of the pandemic. We’ve been in constant contact with US legislators from the Chicago area to urge them forward in the critical push for special drawings.
You can learn more about this solution and special drawings rights at GlobalCOVIDResponse.org
Encouragement and thank you’s are too often overlooked as important advocacy tools. To encourage Sen. Durbin for his leadership on SDRs, we worked with some of our partners to create a spirited thank you video.
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