FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2008

Nearly 30,000 Letters Sent to Congress in Opposition to Use of American Tax Dollars to Bail out Corrupt Foreign Regimes

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) this week announced that its supporters and activists, along with other concerned taxpayers, have sent nearly 30,000 letters to Congress in the last week urging their Representatives to vote against H.R. 2634, the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation.

The collective voices of thousands of Americans indicate the groundswell of resistance to the use of tax dollars to fund debt relief initiatives that benefit corrupt foreign rulers and dictators. Next week, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Jubilee Act ahead of Pope Benedict’s visit to the US from April 15-20.

The United States already sponsors numerous debt relief programs that include strict eligibility requirements, including the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. These programs require that aid candidates adopt economic and political reforms, establish property rights, respect the rule of law and increase fiscal transparency before receiving aid. HR 2634 eliminates crucial accountability standards for nations receiving American aid.

“Passage of the Jubilee Act would undermine existing aid programs which encourage responsible reforms that will lead to economic growth and development. While the goal of poverty alleviation is laudable, HR 2634 will only lead to greater indebtedness in the future.” said CFIF President Jeffrey Mazzella. “If the US Government wants to help developing nations eliminate poverty, it must recognize and work to eliminate the rampant corruption and profligate spending by the leaders of nations who are recipients of American aid.”

The nearly 30,000 letters urge Congress to protect taxpayer income by voting against HR 2634 rather than perpetuating the cycle of poverty in developing nations. “American taxpayers have spoken loud and clear. The use of tax dollars to repeatedly and unconditionally bail out corrupt regimes is simply unacceptable,” Mazzella concluded.

Founded in 1998, the Center for Individual Freedom (www.cfif.org) is a Constitutional and free-market advocacy organization with more than 250,000 supporters and activists nationwide.