Letter
Letter in Support of Haiti Debt Cancellation Bill - HR 4573, March 3, 2010
Letter from Bishop Howard Hubbard, Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace in Support of Haiti Debt Cancellation Bill - HR 4573, March 3, 2010
As Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), I write to express the Conference’s support for the Debt Relief for Earthquake Recovery in Haiti Act (HR 4573). We urge quick action on the bill so that the people of Haiti can redirect their limited resources to recovery efforts. Debt relief is a concrete expression of our nation’s moral commitment to care for the least among us; it reflects the deep-rooted humanitarian concerns of the American people who are responding so generously in the earthquake’s aftermath.
While it will take a comprehensive strategic plan to help Haiti recover fully from the earthquake of January 12, 2010, the people of Haiti cannot wait until one is developed. Haiti was beginning to show progress in some areas before this disaster. As the earthquake destroyed this progress and thrust millions of Haitians into deeper poverty, it is essential to minimize the time lost in returning to a path of sustainable growth and development.