If you agree with this statement - "I strongly support U.S. foreign assistance efforts that alleviate poverty, fight disease, and create opportunity in developing countries" - sign Bread for the World's petition to President Obama:
Right now, President Obama and his senior advisors are preparing recommendations that will shape the future of U.S. efforts to alleviate poverty, fight disease, and create economic opportunity for the world’s poorest people.
Please sign the petition launched by Bread and our partners asking the White House to send a strong signal about America’s commitment to development. We need 150,000 signatures by December 17. Add your name today.
Showing posts with label development assistance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label development assistance. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
MFAN Partners comment on Rajiv Shah appointment
So many of you may know that we now have a USAID administrator named Dr. Rajiv Shah. Want to know what people think about it? Here's a site from the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network that sums up the various positions of prominent anti-poverty organizations including Bread for the World, Oxfam, ONE, etc.
MFAN Partners comment on USAID leadership
Here's what Bread for the World said about it:
"“We are hopeful that Dr. Shah’s unique combination of knowledge about global health, agriculture, and other issues will allow him to provide a strong and indispensable development voice as major decisions are made about U.S. foreign policy,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president, Bread for the World. “Since he has lived in a developing country, he knows first-hand the importance of long-term, sustainable development – in contrast to the State Department’s typically short-term, political approaches."
MFAN Partners comment on USAID leadership
Here's what Bread for the World said about it:
"“We are hopeful that Dr. Shah’s unique combination of knowledge about global health, agriculture, and other issues will allow him to provide a strong and indispensable development voice as major decisions are made about U.S. foreign policy,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president, Bread for the World. “Since he has lived in a developing country, he knows first-hand the importance of long-term, sustainable development – in contrast to the State Department’s typically short-term, political approaches."
Monday, September 21, 2009
Foreign Assistance Call-in Event: S. 1524
An immediate call-in action From Bread for the World. NOTE: Sens Durbin and Burris are not yet co-sponsors!
---------------------------------------
We need 25 senators to cosponsor S. 1524, the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act, when the Senate begins discussing it on September 22.
Please call your senators at 1-800-826-3688 before Tuesday, September 22, and urge him/her to cosponsor S. 1524.
S. 1524 is a bipartisan bill which lays out several initial and important reforms of the U.S. foreign assistance system. If your senator is not a cosponsor please ask for cosponsorship. If your senator is already a cosponsor, please call and thank him/her for supporting this important legislation.
S. 1524 was introduced in August by John Kerry (D-MA), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Richard Lugar (R-IN), ranking member, along with Bob Corker (R-TN), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Jim Risch (R-ID). We need to have at least 25 cosponsors when they meet on Sept. 22. Currently, the bill has 10 cosponsors.
S. 1524 complements H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act, introduced in the House in April. (Thanks to your support, we now have more than 100 cosponsors for the House bill). These two bills are key to the success of our 2009 Offering of Letters which urges Congress and the administration to reform U.S. foreign assistance.
While not identical, the Senate and House bills would begin the reform process. S. 1524 will strengthen the badly decimated U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and make all our foreign aid programs more accountable and transparent.
Message and Key Points:
Your main message should be: Please cosponsor S. 1524, the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act.
You can explain your message further by adding either or both of these points:
-S. 1524 is a strong building block to make our nation’s foreign assistance more effective and accountable. We need you to cosponsor the bill.
-S. 1524 focuses on rebuilding the policy, planning, and evaluation capacity of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID.) It stresses that U.S. policy should be to promote global development, good governance, and the reduction of poverty and hunger.
For more info, visit www.bread.org. Thank you for your support!
---------------------------------------
We need 25 senators to cosponsor S. 1524, the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act, when the Senate begins discussing it on September 22.
Please call your senators at 1-800-826-3688 before Tuesday, September 22, and urge him/her to cosponsor S. 1524.
S. 1524 is a bipartisan bill which lays out several initial and important reforms of the U.S. foreign assistance system. If your senator is not a cosponsor please ask for cosponsorship. If your senator is already a cosponsor, please call and thank him/her for supporting this important legislation.
S. 1524 was introduced in August by John Kerry (D-MA), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Richard Lugar (R-IN), ranking member, along with Bob Corker (R-TN), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Jim Risch (R-ID). We need to have at least 25 cosponsors when they meet on Sept. 22. Currently, the bill has 10 cosponsors.
S. 1524 complements H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act, introduced in the House in April. (Thanks to your support, we now have more than 100 cosponsors for the House bill). These two bills are key to the success of our 2009 Offering of Letters which urges Congress and the administration to reform U.S. foreign assistance.
While not identical, the Senate and House bills would begin the reform process. S. 1524 will strengthen the badly decimated U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and make all our foreign aid programs more accountable and transparent.
Message and Key Points:
Your main message should be: Please cosponsor S. 1524, the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act.
You can explain your message further by adding either or both of these points:
-S. 1524 is a strong building block to make our nation’s foreign assistance more effective and accountable. We need you to cosponsor the bill.
-S. 1524 focuses on rebuilding the policy, planning, and evaluation capacity of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID.) It stresses that U.S. policy should be to promote global development, good governance, and the reduction of poverty and hunger.
For more info, visit www.bread.org. Thank you for your support!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Foreign Aid Reform Introduced in the Senate
Bread for the World Urges Senators To Pass Initial Aid Reform Bill
Washington, DC, July 28, 2009—Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann urged members of the Senate to promptly pass a bill introduced today aimed at revitalizing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The bipartisan bill -- the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2009 (S.1524) -- was introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA), Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bob Corker (R-TN), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Jim Risch (R-ID).
“Revitalizing USAID is crucial to the overall reform of U.S. foreign assistance,” said Rev. Beckmann. “If the Obama Administration and Congress improve the effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance, our dollars will do more good for decades to come.”
USAID was created to lead U.S. development efforts and was once the premier development agency in the world. However, after years of benign neglect and proliferating aid programs across the U.S. government, USAID has lost much of its professional capacity, expertise and authority.
The bill includes a formal statement that it is U.S. policy to promote global development, good governance, and the reduction of poverty and hunger. It contains provisions for restoring planning, policy, and evaluation capacities to USAID. It also lays out new transparency measures for U.S. foreign assistance.
Rev. Beckmann, who is also co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Aid Network, called for the immediate appointment of an administrator for USAID. He said that an administrator should be in place to provide a development perspective as the State Department institutes a quadrennial review and develops a blueprint for U.S. diplomatic and development efforts.
He cautioned that without a USAID administrator, the State Department’s review has the potential to blur the important distinction between diplomacy and development. “When we try to achieve development and diplomatic goals with the same dollars, aid is usually much less effective in reducing poverty,” said Rev. Beckmann.
The Senate bill introduced today complements the efforts of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA-28) and his initial aid reform bill, H.R. 2139, which currently has 91 bipartisan cosponsors.
Rev. Beckmann added that the White House, the State Department, and USAID should work closely with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in order to coordinate foreign aid reform efforts.
Washington, DC, July 28, 2009—Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann urged members of the Senate to promptly pass a bill introduced today aimed at revitalizing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The bipartisan bill -- the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2009 (S.1524) -- was introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA), Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bob Corker (R-TN), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Jim Risch (R-ID).
“Revitalizing USAID is crucial to the overall reform of U.S. foreign assistance,” said Rev. Beckmann. “If the Obama Administration and Congress improve the effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance, our dollars will do more good for decades to come.”
USAID was created to lead U.S. development efforts and was once the premier development agency in the world. However, after years of benign neglect and proliferating aid programs across the U.S. government, USAID has lost much of its professional capacity, expertise and authority.
The bill includes a formal statement that it is U.S. policy to promote global development, good governance, and the reduction of poverty and hunger. It contains provisions for restoring planning, policy, and evaluation capacities to USAID. It also lays out new transparency measures for U.S. foreign assistance.
Rev. Beckmann, who is also co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Aid Network, called for the immediate appointment of an administrator for USAID. He said that an administrator should be in place to provide a development perspective as the State Department institutes a quadrennial review and develops a blueprint for U.S. diplomatic and development efforts.
He cautioned that without a USAID administrator, the State Department’s review has the potential to blur the important distinction between diplomacy and development. “When we try to achieve development and diplomatic goals with the same dollars, aid is usually much less effective in reducing poverty,” said Rev. Beckmann.
The Senate bill introduced today complements the efforts of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA-28) and his initial aid reform bill, H.R. 2139, which currently has 91 bipartisan cosponsors.
Rev. Beckmann added that the White House, the State Department, and USAID should work closely with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in order to coordinate foreign aid reform efforts.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
2009 Bread Lobby Day a success
I couldn't attend Bread for the World's Lobby Day in Washington, DC to lobby for Foreign Assistance Reform, but many of my colleagues did. Sounds like it was a great success. I, myself, followed up a week later with the RESULTS group (more on that later!)...but I did keep my Bread hat on and made sure we talked about Foreign Aid as well to reinforce the message! Here's a Bread update about it... -ccyl
------------------------------------------
Foreign Assistance Reform
Lobby Day 2009, held June 16, was an enormous success! Some 320 participants from 38 states held more than 180 meetings with members of Congress or their staff.
By the end of the week, 11 more members of Congress cosponsored H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009. The bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), received more than 25 phone calls from other congressional offices asking for more information.
As of yesterday, H.R. 2139 had 46 cosponsors. More are set to cosponsor as a result of Lobby Day and your calls and letters.
We are preparing for the introduction of an initial foreign assistance reform bill in the Senate within the next few weeks.
Thank you to all who attended, and also to all who could not attend Lobby Day but phoned their representatives about H.R. 2139.
------------------------------------------
Foreign Assistance Reform
Lobby Day 2009, held June 16, was an enormous success! Some 320 participants from 38 states held more than 180 meetings with members of Congress or their staff.
By the end of the week, 11 more members of Congress cosponsored H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009. The bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), received more than 25 phone calls from other congressional offices asking for more information.
As of yesterday, H.R. 2139 had 46 cosponsors. More are set to cosponsor as a result of Lobby Day and your calls and letters.
We are preparing for the introduction of an initial foreign assistance reform bill in the Senate within the next few weeks.
Thank you to all who attended, and also to all who could not attend Lobby Day but phoned their representatives about H.R. 2139.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Kerry-Lugar Amendment Passes Unanimously!!!
From Bread for the World's Senior International Policy Analyst, sent 3:26PM on Wed, April 1
--------------------------
"Way to build the pressure everyone!! The Kerry-Lugar amendment passed by unanimous consent just a few minutes ago!! This will bring the Senate FY10 budget resolution back in line with the President’s request and put us in a much better position for conference with the House.'
Thank you for all of your help on this – this was a great community effort!
--------------------------
"Way to build the pressure everyone!! The Kerry-Lugar amendment passed by unanimous consent just a few minutes ago!! This will bring the Senate FY10 budget resolution back in line with the President’s request and put us in a much better position for conference with the House.'
Thank you for all of your help on this – this was a great community effort!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Bread for the World's 2009 Offering of Letters
Hundreds of Bread for the World Covenant churches around the nation are holding the Offering of Letters with their congregations. Maybe the best way I can explain it is by posting my opening remarks I've written for my own congregation this Sunday.... -ccyl
---------------------------
Welcome to “Offering of Letters” Sunday!
This is my favorite Sunday at First Church. Easter’s coming up and it’s very impressive, but today is when we collectively take on one of the biggest tasks Christianity calls us to do… you and I will take action together in an effort to do no less than end poverty.
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Every year at Bread for the World’s Offering of Letters, we sit down after worship in the Great Hall to write letters to Congress on behalf of people in poverty. We each write 3 letters (to 2 Senators and one Representative) to join over a hundred thousand more letters from other churches pushing for policies reflecting our moral obligation to aid the poorest people in our world.
This year, we have a simple request about a complicated system of Foreign Aid. All the money the U.S. sends to fight global poverty is regulated by a 48 yr old Foreign Assistance Act. It’s outdated and now has aid going through across 12 departments, 25 agencies and nearly 60 government offices – all with different and sometimes conflicting priorities.
Foreign aid works for people like Nubia Bacca of Nicaragua. Two years after nearly losing her dairy cattle when her husband died, she is now running a self-sufficient farm employing 9 others in her community using farming and husbandry techniques she learned from a US development assistance program. So, our aid works, but we need it to work better and for more people.
We’re not even asking for more money this year. We just want better use of our tax dollars in a time when we have none to waste.
Here’s our message today: Reform foreign aid. Make it efficient, accountable and effective for children, women and men living and dying on less than $1.25 a day. A poverty-focused foreign assistance system would provide help faster and more effectively when the world needs it most.
Please join us in the Great Hall after worship today. Your letters are a fit offering to God.
---------------------------
Welcome to “Offering of Letters” Sunday!
This is my favorite Sunday at First Church. Easter’s coming up and it’s very impressive, but today is when we collectively take on one of the biggest tasks Christianity calls us to do… you and I will take action together in an effort to do no less than end poverty.
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Every year at Bread for the World’s Offering of Letters, we sit down after worship in the Great Hall to write letters to Congress on behalf of people in poverty. We each write 3 letters (to 2 Senators and one Representative) to join over a hundred thousand more letters from other churches pushing for policies reflecting our moral obligation to aid the poorest people in our world.
This year, we have a simple request about a complicated system of Foreign Aid. All the money the U.S. sends to fight global poverty is regulated by a 48 yr old Foreign Assistance Act. It’s outdated and now has aid going through across 12 departments, 25 agencies and nearly 60 government offices – all with different and sometimes conflicting priorities.
Foreign aid works for people like Nubia Bacca of Nicaragua. Two years after nearly losing her dairy cattle when her husband died, she is now running a self-sufficient farm employing 9 others in her community using farming and husbandry techniques she learned from a US development assistance program. So, our aid works, but we need it to work better and for more people.
We’re not even asking for more money this year. We just want better use of our tax dollars in a time when we have none to waste.
Here’s our message today: Reform foreign aid. Make it efficient, accountable and effective for children, women and men living and dying on less than $1.25 a day. A poverty-focused foreign assistance system would provide help faster and more effectively when the world needs it most.
Please join us in the Great Hall after worship today. Your letters are a fit offering to God.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Barbara Lee introduces res: 1% of GDP for foreign aid
Feb 25, 2009, Rep Barbara Lee of California Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced legislation expressing support for providing, on an annual basis, an amount equal to no less than one percent of United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for non-military foreign assistance programs. Click here to see the announcement on her website.
"Yay!" that it is even an official resolution to consider, debate and inspire public discussion no matter what is in it! I don't yet know the particulars of the resolution or how it is being received, but I did think it was interesting is that ONE wasn't immediately jumping all over this. They are probably just being prudent and taking their time to develop a proper statement about it, but ONE activists in her district have been talking about how they are waiting on ONE's position...saying that ONE is waiting for the bill to have bipartisan support.
I mean, this is what many anti-pov groups have been pushing for...ONE more than any of them. So I hope they come out with a supportive statement soon...supportive of Rep. Lee's commitment if not for the details of the legislation. Anyway, I thought the existence of the resolution might make a good launching point for some media writing about foreign aid since ONE, Bread, RESULTS, Oxfam and everyone else are agreeing that no matter how much or how little we are spending on foreign assistance, we ought to be doing it wisely by reforming the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
ccyl
"Yay!" that it is even an official resolution to consider, debate and inspire public discussion no matter what is in it! I don't yet know the particulars of the resolution or how it is being received, but I did think it was interesting is that ONE wasn't immediately jumping all over this. They are probably just being prudent and taking their time to develop a proper statement about it, but ONE activists in her district have been talking about how they are waiting on ONE's position...saying that ONE is waiting for the bill to have bipartisan support.
I mean, this is what many anti-pov groups have been pushing for...ONE more than any of them. So I hope they come out with a supportive statement soon...supportive of Rep. Lee's commitment if not for the details of the legislation. Anyway, I thought the existence of the resolution might make a good launching point for some media writing about foreign aid since ONE, Bread, RESULTS, Oxfam and everyone else are agreeing that no matter how much or how little we are spending on foreign assistance, we ought to be doing it wisely by reforming the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
ccyl
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Bread for the World 2009 Offering of Letters
Here is the Bread for the World 2009 Offering of Letters video about foreign assistance which has now been posted on youtube. It's an 8 1/2 min viewing that sums up our upcoming event quite nicely. Stay tuned for more details about the Offering of Letters!
2009 Offering of Letters
ccyl
2009 Offering of Letters
ccyl
Thursday, January 29, 2009
House Passes American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
from Bread for the World...
-------------------------
Late last night, the House of Representatives passed the $819 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An unprecedented recession demands bold action; and the House bill provides that.
Roughly half of the funding in the $819 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is for programs that benefit low-income people, such as SNAP (food stamp) benefits, unemployment insurance, and refundable tax credits. This bill provides support to people hit the hardest by the recession and will help low-income families put food on the table.
Thank you for your phone calls, letters, and emails. They make a difference.
However, our work is not yet finished. The Senate will start debating their version of the economic stimulus plan on Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. All of us can contact our senators and urge them to act boldly. Encourage them to speedily pass a similar economic stimulus bill that will protect hungry and poor people who are suffering the most from the current recession as well as stimulate the economy to produce and retain jobs. You can find out how to contact your Senator at our Web site, www.bread.org.
Grace and peace,
David Beckmann
President
-------------------------
Late last night, the House of Representatives passed the $819 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. An unprecedented recession demands bold action; and the House bill provides that.
Roughly half of the funding in the $819 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is for programs that benefit low-income people, such as SNAP (food stamp) benefits, unemployment insurance, and refundable tax credits. This bill provides support to people hit the hardest by the recession and will help low-income families put food on the table.
Thank you for your phone calls, letters, and emails. They make a difference.
However, our work is not yet finished. The Senate will start debating their version of the economic stimulus plan on Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. All of us can contact our senators and urge them to act boldly. Encourage them to speedily pass a similar economic stimulus bill that will protect hungry and poor people who are suffering the most from the current recession as well as stimulate the economy to produce and retain jobs. You can find out how to contact your Senator at our Web site, www.bread.org.
Grace and peace,
David Beckmann
President
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Bill Gates' Next Big Thing
Op-Ed Columnist
Bill Gates' Next Big Thing
Article Tools Sponsored By
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: January 24, 2009
The New York Times
Nicholas D. Kristof
Here's a paradox: In these brutal economic times, one of the leading
advocates for the world's poorest people is one of the richest.
Bill Gates will publish his first "annual letter" on Monday outlining
his work on his twin passions — health and development in the poorest
nations and education in America — and calling for the United States
to do more even during this economic crisis. I came here to Seattle
for an advance peek at the letter and to ask how he is adjusting to
his transition from tycoon to philanthropist.
Mr. Gates ended his full-time presence at Microsoft last July and
since then has thrown himself into work at his foundation. He is now
trying to do to malaria, AIDS, polio and lethal childhood diarrhea
what he did to Netscape, and he just may succeed.
He does seem to be going through withdrawal, for software engineering
was his passion. "I miss that," he said, but added that he is becoming
equally maniacal (that's his word) about poverty and education.
Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda, are already having an effect on the
developing world that is simply transformative. Just one of their
investments, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, has
saved more than three million lives since 2000.
That's a down payment.
In 1960, almost 20 million children died annually before age 5, Mr.
Gates notes. There are more children today, yet the death toll has
been halved to under 10 million annually. Now his goal is to see it
halved again, saving an additional five million children's lives annually.
"We're on the verge of some big advances," Mr. Gates said. In
particular, a promising malaria vaccine will enter its final phase of
human trials this year, with others behind it. Mr. Gates said he is
"absolutely confident" that a successful malaria vaccine will be
achieved, probably within a half dozen years, and an AIDS vaccine 10
or more years from now.
Look, I'm a cynical journalist, and I don't want to sound too
infatuated. I think the Gates Foundation has missed the chance to
leverage the revolution in social entrepreneurship, hasn't been as
effective in advocacy as it has been in research, and has missed an
opportunity to ignite a broad social movement behind its issues.
But if Mr. Gates manages to accomplish as much in the world of
vaccines, health and food production as he thinks he can, then the
consequences will be staggering. Squared. In that case, the first few
paragraphs of Mr. Gates's obituary will be all about overcoming
diseases and poverty, barely mentioning his earlier career in the
software industry.
Mr. Gates said he got the idea for an annual letter from Warren
Buffett, who writes such a letter ruminating about investments and the
business world. (You can sign up to get Mr. Gates's letter, or read it
beginning Monday, at www.gatesfoundation.org.)
In the letter, Mr. Gates goes out of his way to acknowledge setbacks.
For example, the Gates Foundation made a major push for smaller high
schools in the United States, often helping to pay for the creation of
small schools within larger buildings.
"Many of the small schools that we invested in did not improve
students' achievement in any significant way," he acknowledges. Small
schools succeeded when the principal was able to change teachers,
curriculum and culture, but smaller size by itself proved
disappointing. "In most cases," he says, "we fell short."
Mr. Gates comes across as a strong education reformer, focusing on
supporting charter schools and improving teacher quality. He suggested
that when he has nailed down the evidence more firmly, he will wade
into the education debates.
"It is amazing how big a difference a great teacher makes versus an
ineffective one," Mr. Gates writes in his letter. "Research shows that
there is only half as much variation in student achievement between
schools as there is among classrooms in the same school. If you want
your child to get the best education possible, it is actually more
important to get him assigned to a great teacher than to a great school."
Mr. Gates told me he was optimistic that President Obama would make
progress on these issues, notwithstanding the economic crisis, and he
noted that the downturn had only added to the need for foreign
assistance and education spending. "The poorer you are, the worse the
impact is," he said.
I asked Mr. Gates what advice he had for ordinary readers who might
want to engage in micro-philanthropy.
"The key thing is to pick a cause, whether its crops or diseases or
great high schools," he said. "Pick one and get some more in-depth
knowledge." If possible, travel to see the problems firsthand, then
pick an organization to support with donations or volunteer time.
So try it. The only difference between you and Mr. Gates is scale.
Bill Gates' Next Big Thing
Article Tools Sponsored By
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: January 24, 2009
The New York Times
Nicholas D. Kristof
Here's a paradox: In these brutal economic times, one of the leading
advocates for the world's poorest people is one of the richest.
Bill Gates will publish his first "annual letter" on Monday outlining
his work on his twin passions — health and development in the poorest
nations and education in America — and calling for the United States
to do more even during this economic crisis. I came here to Seattle
for an advance peek at the letter and to ask how he is adjusting to
his transition from tycoon to philanthropist.
Mr. Gates ended his full-time presence at Microsoft last July and
since then has thrown himself into work at his foundation. He is now
trying to do to malaria, AIDS, polio and lethal childhood diarrhea
what he did to Netscape, and he just may succeed.
He does seem to be going through withdrawal, for software engineering
was his passion. "I miss that," he said, but added that he is becoming
equally maniacal (that's his word) about poverty and education.
Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda, are already having an effect on the
developing world that is simply transformative. Just one of their
investments, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, has
saved more than three million lives since 2000.
That's a down payment.
In 1960, almost 20 million children died annually before age 5, Mr.
Gates notes. There are more children today, yet the death toll has
been halved to under 10 million annually. Now his goal is to see it
halved again, saving an additional five million children's lives annually.
"We're on the verge of some big advances," Mr. Gates said. In
particular, a promising malaria vaccine will enter its final phase of
human trials this year, with others behind it. Mr. Gates said he is
"absolutely confident" that a successful malaria vaccine will be
achieved, probably within a half dozen years, and an AIDS vaccine 10
or more years from now.
Look, I'm a cynical journalist, and I don't want to sound too
infatuated. I think the Gates Foundation has missed the chance to
leverage the revolution in social entrepreneurship, hasn't been as
effective in advocacy as it has been in research, and has missed an
opportunity to ignite a broad social movement behind its issues.
But if Mr. Gates manages to accomplish as much in the world of
vaccines, health and food production as he thinks he can, then the
consequences will be staggering. Squared. In that case, the first few
paragraphs of Mr. Gates's obituary will be all about overcoming
diseases and poverty, barely mentioning his earlier career in the
software industry.
Mr. Gates said he got the idea for an annual letter from Warren
Buffett, who writes such a letter ruminating about investments and the
business world. (You can sign up to get Mr. Gates's letter, or read it
beginning Monday, at www.gatesfoundation.org.)
In the letter, Mr. Gates goes out of his way to acknowledge setbacks.
For example, the Gates Foundation made a major push for smaller high
schools in the United States, often helping to pay for the creation of
small schools within larger buildings.
"Many of the small schools that we invested in did not improve
students' achievement in any significant way," he acknowledges. Small
schools succeeded when the principal was able to change teachers,
curriculum and culture, but smaller size by itself proved
disappointing. "In most cases," he says, "we fell short."
Mr. Gates comes across as a strong education reformer, focusing on
supporting charter schools and improving teacher quality. He suggested
that when he has nailed down the evidence more firmly, he will wade
into the education debates.
"It is amazing how big a difference a great teacher makes versus an
ineffective one," Mr. Gates writes in his letter. "Research shows that
there is only half as much variation in student achievement between
schools as there is among classrooms in the same school. If you want
your child to get the best education possible, it is actually more
important to get him assigned to a great teacher than to a great school."
Mr. Gates told me he was optimistic that President Obama would make
progress on these issues, notwithstanding the economic crisis, and he
noted that the downturn had only added to the need for foreign
assistance and education spending. "The poorer you are, the worse the
impact is," he said.
I asked Mr. Gates what advice he had for ordinary readers who might
want to engage in micro-philanthropy.
"The key thing is to pick a cause, whether its crops or diseases or
great high schools," he said. "Pick one and get some more in-depth
knowledge." If possible, travel to see the problems firsthand, then
pick an organization to support with donations or volunteer time.
So try it. The only difference between you and Mr. Gates is scale.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Let's Talk Bread- Thurs, Jan 22 2009
Global Development, Poverty and US Foreign Assistance
We'll discuss these and related matters at the next Let's Talk Bread discussion group to be held at 7:30PM on Thurs, Jan 22 at United Lutheran Church in Oak Park. The church is located at 409 Greenfield Street (Greenfield and North Ridgeland, two blocks south of the Ridgeland-North Avenue intersection).
For background, we are encouraged to read the Executive Summary and Chapters 2 and 3 of Bread for the World's 2009 Hunger Report and Oxfam's Foreign Aid 101. If you have not completed the readings, don't let that deter you from attending.
Let's Talk Bread is a Chicago-area group that promotes regular conversations about poverty and hunger. For more info, contact John (johnrichst@comcast.net) or Rich (rich.liefer@sbcglobal.net)
We'll discuss these and related matters at the next Let's Talk Bread discussion group to be held at 7:30PM on Thurs, Jan 22 at United Lutheran Church in Oak Park. The church is located at 409 Greenfield Street (Greenfield and North Ridgeland, two blocks south of the Ridgeland-North Avenue intersection).
For background, we are encouraged to read the Executive Summary and Chapters 2 and 3 of Bread for the World's 2009 Hunger Report and Oxfam's Foreign Aid 101. If you have not completed the readings, don't let that deter you from attending.
Let's Talk Bread is a Chicago-area group that promotes regular conversations about poverty and hunger. For more info, contact John (johnrichst@comcast.net) or Rich (rich.liefer@sbcglobal.net)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Bono on Wall Street
"I am not qualified to comment on what has happened in the last week where this city has changed shape, certainly psychologically, and in terms of some people's wallets. And I'm not qualified to comment on the interventions that have been put forth. I presume these people know what they're doing. But it is extraordinary to me that you can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can't find $25 billion to save 25,000 children who die every day of preventable, treatable disease and hunger." -Bono at the Clinton Global Initiative
Link to Clinton Global Initiative (Dig that Rocketeer music that introduces Pres Clinton!!!)
Link to Clinton Global Initiative (Dig that Rocketeer music that introduces Pres Clinton!!!)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tell Jim Lehrer to ask a Global Poverty question!
Only two questions about global poverty have been asked in the history of modern presidential debates.
It's a shocking figure and in 2008, we need debate moderator Jim Lehrer to ask John McCain and Barack Obama "Just ONE question" on their plans to fight global poverty this Friday.
I just took action with the ONE Campaign and you can too, here:
Ask ONE question, please, Jim!
You can point out that poverty focused development assistance is one of the “civilian instruments of national security” promoted by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and thus very relevant to national security and foreign policy.
It's a shocking figure and in 2008, we need debate moderator Jim Lehrer to ask John McCain and Barack Obama "Just ONE question" on their plans to fight global poverty this Friday.
I just took action with the ONE Campaign and you can too, here:
Ask ONE question, please, Jim!
You can point out that poverty focused development assistance is one of the “civilian instruments of national security” promoted by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and thus very relevant to national security and foreign policy.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Improving American Aid
I just finished sending an on-line letter to people of prominence in the effort to improve the quality of foreign aid. Here's a message on behalf of me and the ONE campaign....
---------------------------
I think it's important that we not only give more foreign assistance, but that what we do give is spent in the most effective way possible. To that end, I just sent a letter to the Director of US Foreign Assistance, the President of the World Bank, and a couple of other important development figures asking them to publish information about what aid projects they are funding.
I hope that you'll join me in taking action by sending a letter: http://www.one.org/international/accra/?rc=accrataf
We've seen aid achieve some amazing things in recent years - like over 29 million more children in school for the first time, and over 2 million more Africans with access to AIDS medications. But some aid money could be spent more effectively, and this is our best chance to make it happen.
Thank you
ccyl
---------------------------
I think it's important that we not only give more foreign assistance, but that what we do give is spent in the most effective way possible. To that end, I just sent a letter to the Director of US Foreign Assistance, the President of the World Bank, and a couple of other important development figures asking them to publish information about what aid projects they are funding.
I hope that you'll join me in taking action by sending a letter: http://www.one.org/international/accra/?rc=accrataf
We've seen aid achieve some amazing things in recent years - like over 29 million more children in school for the first time, and over 2 million more Africans with access to AIDS medications. But some aid money could be spent more effectively, and this is our best chance to make it happen.
Thank you
ccyl
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
An email from Obama
An email from Barack Obama regarding a recent letter I wrote to him regarding poverty and the food crisis. -ccyl
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for taking the time to write about hunger and poverty throughout the world. I completely agree that we can and must do more to address the global food crisis.
The rising price of food is causing immense hardship for the world's poorest people. According to the World Bank, an estimated 100 million people may be pushed into deeper poverty and hunger because of soaring food prices. Press reports have described the crippling effects of the high prices and the suffering of those who are most vulnerable, especially young children. The risk of civil unrest is significant in dozens of countries, making this an important global security issue as well.
We cannot afford to let this situation continue. I strongly support an increase in emergency food aid and funding for agricultural and rural development programs to address this crisis. We need to make sure that this assistance is adequate, well-targeted to reach those who are most in need, and well-coordinated within the international community. You may be interested to know that on May 22, 2008, I voted in favor of a domestic spending amendment to the FY08 emergency supplemental appropriations bill, which included $850 million for international food assistance to address the crisis. Similar legislation was agreed to by the House, and the two versions are now being reconciled in conference between the two chambers of Congress. As these deliberations move forward, I will keep your views in mind.
In addition to expanding food assistance efforts, we also have to take step to break the cycle of poverty that makes people around the world so vulnerable to rising prices. Over 1 billion people worldwide live on less than $1 per day, and another 1.6 billion people struggle to survive on less than $2 per day. We need a comprehensive, bipartisan approach to make significant strides in addressing a problem of this magnitude and importance.
Last year, I worked with Senators Chuck Hagel and Maria Cantwell to introduce the Global Poverty Act (S. 2433), which requires the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to advance the goal of cutting extreme poverty in half by 2015. Key components of this strategy would be foreign aid, trade, debt relief, and coordination with the international community, businesses, and non-governmental organizations. The bill requires that the President's strategy include specific and measurable goals, efforts to be undertaken, benchmarks, and timetables. The President would also be required to report back to Congress on progress made in the implementation of the global poverty strategy. The bill was reported favorably out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this year.
You may rest assured that I will continue to work with colleagues in the Senate to address global poverty. In the days ahead, I hope you will stay in touch.
Thank you again for writing.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for taking the time to write about hunger and poverty throughout the world. I completely agree that we can and must do more to address the global food crisis.
The rising price of food is causing immense hardship for the world's poorest people. According to the World Bank, an estimated 100 million people may be pushed into deeper poverty and hunger because of soaring food prices. Press reports have described the crippling effects of the high prices and the suffering of those who are most vulnerable, especially young children. The risk of civil unrest is significant in dozens of countries, making this an important global security issue as well.
We cannot afford to let this situation continue. I strongly support an increase in emergency food aid and funding for agricultural and rural development programs to address this crisis. We need to make sure that this assistance is adequate, well-targeted to reach those who are most in need, and well-coordinated within the international community. You may be interested to know that on May 22, 2008, I voted in favor of a domestic spending amendment to the FY08 emergency supplemental appropriations bill, which included $850 million for international food assistance to address the crisis. Similar legislation was agreed to by the House, and the two versions are now being reconciled in conference between the two chambers of Congress. As these deliberations move forward, I will keep your views in mind.
In addition to expanding food assistance efforts, we also have to take step to break the cycle of poverty that makes people around the world so vulnerable to rising prices. Over 1 billion people worldwide live on less than $1 per day, and another 1.6 billion people struggle to survive on less than $2 per day. We need a comprehensive, bipartisan approach to make significant strides in addressing a problem of this magnitude and importance.
Last year, I worked with Senators Chuck Hagel and Maria Cantwell to introduce the Global Poverty Act (S. 2433), which requires the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to advance the goal of cutting extreme poverty in half by 2015. Key components of this strategy would be foreign aid, trade, debt relief, and coordination with the international community, businesses, and non-governmental organizations. The bill requires that the President's strategy include specific and measurable goals, efforts to be undertaken, benchmarks, and timetables. The President would also be required to report back to Congress on progress made in the implementation of the global poverty strategy. The bill was reported favorably out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this year.
You may rest assured that I will continue to work with colleagues in the Senate to address global poverty. In the days ahead, I hope you will stay in touch.
Thank you again for writing.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
Monday, June 16, 2008
CALL CONGRESS on Tues, June 17 (Bread lobby day)
From Bread for the World...
----------------------------------
Join people from all over the country who are walking the halls of Congress on Tuesday, June 17, to speak up for hungry and poor people.
During Bread for the World's annual Lobby Day, hundreds of hunger activists from across the United States are visiting their members of Congress, asking them to increase funding for poverty-focused development assistance-- real programs that can make a significant contribution to improving the lives of the world's poorest people. Learn more about poverty-focused development assistance.
Let your voice be heard, too. Please call your members of Congress on Tuesday, June 17, and ask them to increase poverty focused development assistance by $5 billion in the fiscal year 2009 budget. Use this special toll-free number, and ask to be transferred to your senators' and representative's offices: 1-800-826-3688. Find out who your members are.
Talking points:
-In light of the recent hunger crisis, we must increase our commitment to programs that provide sustainable assistance to hungry and poor people.
-Poverty-focused development assistance is focused primarily on programs that reduce hunger, poverty and disease in the world's poorest countries.
-An additional $5 billion will help to ensure that the United States keeps the commitments we have made to world's most vulnerable people.
Thank you!
David Beckmann
President
Bread for the World
----------------------------------
Join people from all over the country who are walking the halls of Congress on Tuesday, June 17, to speak up for hungry and poor people.
During Bread for the World's annual Lobby Day, hundreds of hunger activists from across the United States are visiting their members of Congress, asking them to increase funding for poverty-focused development assistance-- real programs that can make a significant contribution to improving the lives of the world's poorest people. Learn more about poverty-focused development assistance.
Let your voice be heard, too. Please call your members of Congress on Tuesday, June 17, and ask them to increase poverty focused development assistance by $5 billion in the fiscal year 2009 budget. Use this special toll-free number, and ask to be transferred to your senators' and representative's offices: 1-800-826-3688. Find out who your members are.
Talking points:
-In light of the recent hunger crisis, we must increase our commitment to programs that provide sustainable assistance to hungry and poor people.
-Poverty-focused development assistance is focused primarily on programs that reduce hunger, poverty and disease in the world's poorest countries.
-An additional $5 billion will help to ensure that the United States keeps the commitments we have made to world's most vulnerable people.
Thank you!
David Beckmann
President
Bread for the World
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Criticisms of the Global Poverty Act
This "anonymous" comment just popped up on a very old post of mine about the Global Poverty Act. Since there is likely to be a lot of debate and misconceptions about this legislation this year, I thought the dialogue was worth bringing up to the front....
--------------------------------------------
"Why would you want American citizens to be taxed more in order to give money to the UN, who then will steal as much as possible and give the rest to nations who will steal some more, then give the remainder to people who hate us in the first place? This "act" and people like yourself who support such nonsense are what is wrong with this country today."- anonymous
Here's my reply...
"I'm always amazed at how free "anonymous" is to be rude and accusatory in tone!
Anonymous, I suggest you read the post again and perhaps read the actual Global Poverty Act. Neither one actually mentions a tax. That would be a subject of another post. But to address some of your other concerns...
The UN and the World Bank and other institutions are, no doubt, imperfect organizations. But that does not excuse us from participating in the effort to save millions of innocents from dying.
History has shown we've been unable to eradicate extreme poverty (which kills more people than wars, tsunamis, cyclones and earthquakes) with just charity groups and individuals. The problems are simply too complex and, in many cases, political. To characterize this bill as a "tax" is not only inaccurate, but also ignoring the bigger picture of getting our country to work with others. The GPA would require us to have a plan and to optimize the way our existing federal orgs do development work. We need to have the federal government involved to help facilitate the good work that fed programs, individuals, charities and corporations already do.
Why would we want this? Here are a few out of many reasons:
-We harm so many impoverished nations with our own policies (farm subsidies, for example), it is only logical that we work to undo or mitigate the damage we ourselves cause.
- Failing governments with citizens in extreme poverty cultivate desperation and resentment... which creates a breeding ground for organizations who would resent a wealthy, consumer culture like ours. There are plenty of people who don't "hate" us, but harmful economic policies and lack of cooperation with the rest of the world could certainly push them over to that viewpoint.
-As far as helping people who hate us...do the millions of children under 5 who die from easily preventable and treatable diseases deserve our apathy? If you had a starving child suffering from malaria, I would want to help you even if you were not fond of me.
Anyway, if I were to make an accusation about what is "wrong" with this country, I would not point at you...someone I don't even know. I would say it is policies like the US Farm Bill that keep farmers in developing nations into extreme poverty while oppressing our own farmers and rural families of modest means. That is something wrong with our country that we can fix.
Thank you for adding to the conversation about ending poverty. It's a conversation this nation desperately needs to have."
--------------------------------------------
"Why would you want American citizens to be taxed more in order to give money to the UN, who then will steal as much as possible and give the rest to nations who will steal some more, then give the remainder to people who hate us in the first place? This "act" and people like yourself who support such nonsense are what is wrong with this country today."- anonymous
Here's my reply...
"I'm always amazed at how free "anonymous" is to be rude and accusatory in tone!
Anonymous, I suggest you read the post again and perhaps read the actual Global Poverty Act. Neither one actually mentions a tax. That would be a subject of another post. But to address some of your other concerns...
The UN and the World Bank and other institutions are, no doubt, imperfect organizations. But that does not excuse us from participating in the effort to save millions of innocents from dying.
History has shown we've been unable to eradicate extreme poverty (which kills more people than wars, tsunamis, cyclones and earthquakes) with just charity groups and individuals. The problems are simply too complex and, in many cases, political. To characterize this bill as a "tax" is not only inaccurate, but also ignoring the bigger picture of getting our country to work with others. The GPA would require us to have a plan and to optimize the way our existing federal orgs do development work. We need to have the federal government involved to help facilitate the good work that fed programs, individuals, charities and corporations already do.
Why would we want this? Here are a few out of many reasons:
-We harm so many impoverished nations with our own policies (farm subsidies, for example), it is only logical that we work to undo or mitigate the damage we ourselves cause.
- Failing governments with citizens in extreme poverty cultivate desperation and resentment... which creates a breeding ground for organizations who would resent a wealthy, consumer culture like ours. There are plenty of people who don't "hate" us, but harmful economic policies and lack of cooperation with the rest of the world could certainly push them over to that viewpoint.
-As far as helping people who hate us...do the millions of children under 5 who die from easily preventable and treatable diseases deserve our apathy? If you had a starving child suffering from malaria, I would want to help you even if you were not fond of me.
Anyway, if I were to make an accusation about what is "wrong" with this country, I would not point at you...someone I don't even know. I would say it is policies like the US Farm Bill that keep farmers in developing nations into extreme poverty while oppressing our own farmers and rural families of modest means. That is something wrong with our country that we can fix.
Thank you for adding to the conversation about ending poverty. It's a conversation this nation desperately needs to have."
Monday, April 7, 2008
Bill Moyers interview with David Beckmann on PBS
Bill Moyers talks with the president of Bread for the World, David Beckmann, about the challenges of combatting hunger. This interview ran on April 4. Right off the bat, Beckmann eloquently talks about the dignity of people in extreme need and talks about the importance of advocacy.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04042008/watch3.html
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04042008/watch3.html
IL Call-in: Calls needed to Durbin about Foreign Operations bill
From Bread for the World:
--------------------------------------------------------
Four weeks ago, your voice was a crucial factor in an overwhelming 73-23 vote by the Senate to restore $4.1 Billion to the International Affairs Budget. This was a tremendous victory on the road to keeping our nation's promise to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals, but our work is far from over.
The next step in the budget process is ensuring this money is available for effective poverty-focused development assistance programs. (Note: If you are a Bread for the World member, you probably received an action alert about this in the mail in the past week)
Congressional leaders are currently setting spending limits for all of the appropriations bills, including for the State Department/Foreign Operations bill, which contains hope-giving and life-saving programs like the Child Survival and Health Fund. This is one of the most important steps in Bread for the World's campaign to boost poverty-focused development assistance by $5 Billion, and Senator Durbin is one of a small handful of leaders who will have a voice in making this happen.
By April 11, please call Senator Durbin at 1-800-826-3688. Message: please do all in your power to allocate at least $38.2 billion to the State Department/Foreign Operations subcommittee for fiscal year 2009. This special, toll-free number will connect you to the Capitol switchboard, where you can ask to be transferred to your senator Durbin's office.
Points to Make
The United States needs to increase funding to meet the commitments to hungry and poor people around the world.
We signed onto the Millennium Development Goals. We must do our part to meet them.
Poverty-focused development assistance goes to the programs that most directly address the root causes of hunger and poverty such as agriculture, clean water, nutrition, education and health.
After you have called, please click here to report your call. It literally only takes two clicks and it helps us make sure you have the most up-to-date information about this campaign.
More information about this call-in effort is available below. Thank you for raising your voice!
Peace and Blessings,
The Staff at Bread for the World
Why?
Congress is at an important point in the process of determining next year's budget. Congressional leaders will make decisions in the next few weeks that will greatly affect how much poverty-focused development assistance will be available next year. Your voice is important.
The leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees are working now to determine fiscal year (FY) 2009 spending levels for each of the 12 federal appropriations bills(Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, etc.) These spending levels serve as caps on the amount of funding that Congress can allocate to each bill. One of the appropriations bills, State Department/Foreign Operations, contains almost all of U.S. foreign assistance programs, including those that fight hunger and poverty. Keeping the promises our country has made to fight global poverty, hunger and disease depends on securing the highest amount possible for State/Foreign Operations as a whole as we continue through the appropriations process.
Senator Durbin is one of a handful of leaders who will determine these allocations.
Later this year, we will be urging the State Foreign Operations subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee to appropriate the highest possible funding specifically for poverty-focused development assistance. We will have a better chance of success then, if they receive an adequate allocation now.
The responsibility for determining the overall funding level for State/Foreign Operations falls on the chairmen and ranking members (top Republicans) of the appropriations committees, the party leadership of the House and the Senate, and other influential members of Congress. As a constituent of Senator Durbin, you have an important role to play in securing this funding.
Background
Bread for the World's 2008 Offering of Letters is pushing for more and better poverty-focused development assistance - more: to fund programs in the U.S. budget that give people in poor countries the skills and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty permanently; better: to pass the Global Poverty Act, which requires greater coordination of U.S. efforts.
Nations around the world, including the United States, have already agreed to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight international development goals to combat poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and promote gender equality. The U.N. Millennium Project estimates that to achieve the MDGs, the international community must significantly increase poverty-focused development assistance to poor countries. The goal is to globally contribute an additional $75 billion annually by 2010. For the United States to do its part, we must increase our spending on these effective programs by at least $5 billion a year. This funding would include long-term investments in education, agriculture, nutrition, health, and clean water.
The State Department/Foreign Operations spending bill must receive the largest allocation possible in order to fund programs that alleviate poverty and hunger. This allocation process determines whether or not we can keep our promise to help the world's poorest people.
--------------------------------------------------------
Four weeks ago, your voice was a crucial factor in an overwhelming 73-23 vote by the Senate to restore $4.1 Billion to the International Affairs Budget. This was a tremendous victory on the road to keeping our nation's promise to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals, but our work is far from over.
The next step in the budget process is ensuring this money is available for effective poverty-focused development assistance programs. (Note: If you are a Bread for the World member, you probably received an action alert about this in the mail in the past week)
Congressional leaders are currently setting spending limits for all of the appropriations bills, including for the State Department/Foreign Operations bill, which contains hope-giving and life-saving programs like the Child Survival and Health Fund. This is one of the most important steps in Bread for the World's campaign to boost poverty-focused development assistance by $5 Billion, and Senator Durbin is one of a small handful of leaders who will have a voice in making this happen.
By April 11, please call Senator Durbin at 1-800-826-3688. Message: please do all in your power to allocate at least $38.2 billion to the State Department/Foreign Operations subcommittee for fiscal year 2009. This special, toll-free number will connect you to the Capitol switchboard, where you can ask to be transferred to your senator Durbin's office.
Points to Make
The United States needs to increase funding to meet the commitments to hungry and poor people around the world.
We signed onto the Millennium Development Goals. We must do our part to meet them.
Poverty-focused development assistance goes to the programs that most directly address the root causes of hunger and poverty such as agriculture, clean water, nutrition, education and health.
After you have called, please click here to report your call. It literally only takes two clicks and it helps us make sure you have the most up-to-date information about this campaign.
More information about this call-in effort is available below. Thank you for raising your voice!
Peace and Blessings,
The Staff at Bread for the World
Why?
Congress is at an important point in the process of determining next year's budget. Congressional leaders will make decisions in the next few weeks that will greatly affect how much poverty-focused development assistance will be available next year. Your voice is important.
The leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees are working now to determine fiscal year (FY) 2009 spending levels for each of the 12 federal appropriations bills(Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, etc.) These spending levels serve as caps on the amount of funding that Congress can allocate to each bill. One of the appropriations bills, State Department/Foreign Operations, contains almost all of U.S. foreign assistance programs, including those that fight hunger and poverty. Keeping the promises our country has made to fight global poverty, hunger and disease depends on securing the highest amount possible for State/Foreign Operations as a whole as we continue through the appropriations process.
Senator Durbin is one of a handful of leaders who will determine these allocations.
Later this year, we will be urging the State Foreign Operations subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee to appropriate the highest possible funding specifically for poverty-focused development assistance. We will have a better chance of success then, if they receive an adequate allocation now.
The responsibility for determining the overall funding level for State/Foreign Operations falls on the chairmen and ranking members (top Republicans) of the appropriations committees, the party leadership of the House and the Senate, and other influential members of Congress. As a constituent of Senator Durbin, you have an important role to play in securing this funding.
Background
Bread for the World's 2008 Offering of Letters is pushing for more and better poverty-focused development assistance - more: to fund programs in the U.S. budget that give people in poor countries the skills and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty permanently; better: to pass the Global Poverty Act, which requires greater coordination of U.S. efforts.
Nations around the world, including the United States, have already agreed to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight international development goals to combat poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and promote gender equality. The U.N. Millennium Project estimates that to achieve the MDGs, the international community must significantly increase poverty-focused development assistance to poor countries. The goal is to globally contribute an additional $75 billion annually by 2010. For the United States to do its part, we must increase our spending on these effective programs by at least $5 billion a year. This funding would include long-term investments in education, agriculture, nutrition, health, and clean water.
The State Department/Foreign Operations spending bill must receive the largest allocation possible in order to fund programs that alleviate poverty and hunger. This allocation process determines whether or not we can keep our promise to help the world's poorest people.
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