COMMENTARY: To manifest the vision of the Millennium Development Goals, we must be spiritual and political advocates. As Christians we are able to call upon the Great Provider, and as citizens we can call upon our elected officials to join our mission to help realize the MDGs.

The Bible is chock full of activists. In my eyes, Moses, Elijah, Jesus and Paul are all examples of activists working to free an oppressed people. Today, Episcopalians are presented with the opportunity to be activists for the oppressed. Our brothers and sisters living in extreme poverty are oppressed by hunger and disease and trapped by inequality.

The Episcopal Church has recognized this oppression and is fighting for reconciliation. In fact, we as a church have declared the mission of global development our No. 1 priority. This mission is outlined in the vision of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

To manifest this vision we must be spiritual and political advocates. As Christians we are able to call upon the Great Provider, and as citizens we can call upon our elected officials to join our mission to help realize the MDGs.

There are several bills in Congress sponsored by Georgia legislators with MDG components. Two bills in the U.S. Senate still need support from our senators.

Please take a few minutes to read over the Jubilee Act and the Global Poverty Act and follow the link to contact our senators. For more global poverty fighting bills visit the One Campaign (http://www.one.org/takeaction/). 

• The Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Debt Cancellation (H.R. 2634 and S.2166)

Description: This bill would expand debt cancellation, a proven means of fighting poverty, to all the impoverished countries that need it to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.  

Action: This bill has passed in the House and is now up for a vote in the Senate. Sen. Johnny Isakson is currently a co-sponsor for this bill. Please e-mail or call Sen. Chambliss today to urge him to support this bill.

 

• The Global Poverty Act (S.2166)

Description: This bill would require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive policy to cut extreme global poverty in half by 2015 through aid, trade, debt relief and coordination with the international community -- all key elements of the MDGs. The House version of this bill already has been passed.

Action: This bill needs more sponsors in the Senate. There are currently no Georgia senators co-sponsoring this bill.

 

To write/e-mail Sen. Chambliss, click here.

To write/e-mail Sen. Isakson, click here.

 

Here is an example of what to write:

 

Re: Jubilee Act

I am writing today to urge Senator________ to co-sponsor S2166, the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Debt Cancellation. This bill would expand eligibility for debt cancellation to 67 impoverished countries. I urge Senator __________ to co-sponsor this important legislation. Without debt cancellation these 67 countries will not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (You can stop there, or add an additional sentence about why this issue is important to you).

 

Re: Global Poverty Act

I am writing today to urge Senator ___________ to co-sponsor S.2166, the Global Poverty Act. This bill will enable the US to play a pivotal role in helping impoverished countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals. To achieve the MDGs we must create the global partnership outlined in this bill. Please consider co-sponsoring this legislation.  (You can stop there, or add an additional sentence about why this issue is important to you).

The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta has work to do! As supporters of the Millennium Development Goals for a means to end poverty, we must become advocates.

 

Amanda Meng is a member of the Diocese of Atlanta MDG Task Force and All Saints', Atlanta. She is a graduate student at Georgia Tech.