For Immediate Release: August 23, 2021
Contact: Kevin Gerson, kgerson@skdknick.com

Groups Urge US Senate to Authorize Additional Relief to Combat the COVID-19 Crisis 

Washington, DC — Today, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is distributing about 450 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to its 190 member countries, valued at $650 billion. More than 50 prominent humanitarian, international development, human rights, faith-based, and policy organizations representing tens of millions of Americans are calling for congressional support for an additional IMF issuance of this economic relief to help lower- and middle-income countries stop the global spread of COVID-19. 

SDRs are reserve assets the IMF can use to help countries facing economic downturns — with no cost to U.S. taxpayers. US and world leaders are warning that as the threat from the Delta variant continues to increase, vulnerable countries need additional assistance to bolster the infrastructure needed to acquire life-saving medical supplies and ramp up vaccine distribution programs. 

In a sign of the growing momentum for an additional allocation of SDRs, last month the House of Representatives passed an appropriations package that includes authorization for 1.5 trillion SDRs, with nearly $1 trillion of these IMF resources going to direct economic support for low- and middle-income countries struggling to respond to the deadly pandemic. The law requires congressional authorization of an SDR issuance of this scale.

In the following statement, prominent groups representing tens of millions of Americans are calling on US senators to support an additional allocation of SDRs:

“Today the International Monetary Fund is taking a step in the right direction by helping struggling nations respond to the COVID-19 crisis with the largest allocation of Special Drawing Rights in history. Countries in need can convert these reserve assets into currency that will be used to buy medical supplies and support their economies.

Yet, as the Delta variant spreads rapidly in lower-income countries with tragically low vaccination rates, it is clear that at least 2 trillion SDRs will be required to meet the global community’s needs. The House of Representatives has already voted to make this possible, and now it is time for the Senate to do the same.

We thank Senators Durbin, Leahy, Reed, and others who have cosponsored legislation to authorize the issuance of 2 trillion SDRs and we encourage them to ensure the passage this fall of the authorization of an additional SDR allocation. At no cost to US taxpayers, these reserve assets will save countless lives and boost the international economy.”

The following groups signed the joint statement: 

• Action Corps

• Action Corps Florida

• Action Corps Illinois

• Action Corps New York

• Action Corps Rhode Island

• Action Corps Vermont

• Advocacy Network for Africa (AdNA)

• AFL-CIO

• Africa Faith and Justice Network 

• American Friends Service Committee

• Amnesty International of the USA, Inc.

• Avaaz

• Baltimore Nonviolence Center

• Brooklyn For Peace

• Center for Economic and Policy Research

• Central Florida Jobs With Justice

• Chicago Area Peace Action

• Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

• Church World Service

• CODEPINK

• Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach

• Concerned Citizens For Change

• Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces

• Demand Progress

• El Centro: New Sanctuary Empowerment Center

• Faiths for Safe Water

• Freedom Forward

• Friar Servants of Mary/USA Province

• Friends Committee on National Legislation

• Helping Hand for Survivors

• International Brotherhood of Teamsters

• Iowa Interfaith Power & Light

• Jobs With Justice

• Just Foreign Policy

• Justice Is Global 

• Leadership Conference of Women Religious

• MADRE

• Maisha Project 

• Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

• Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

• National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd

• One More Percent

• Peace Action Bay Ridge

• Peace Action Maine

• Peace Action New York State

• Providence FCNL Advocacy Team

• Public Citizen

• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas - Justice Team

• Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt, New York

• Sojourners

• The Hunger Project

• The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society

• Think Big Experts-Thicos, "The Voice Of Reason In The World"

• Union for Reform Judaism

• United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

• Vishal Himalaya Foundation

• Win Without War

###