Funeral for Debt Event

Jubilee Oregon held a "funeral" for debt here in Portland yesterday (October 10th) as part of the Jubilee USA rolling cancel debt fast actions going on across the country. October 10th is the cancel debt fast day focused on HIV/AIDS. We were joined by our friends in the PAGAC in this cancel debt fast ceremony to highlight the strong links between debt cancellation and the crucial need to fund HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Over 20 participants, dressed in black, attended the funeral ceremony. Three coffins depicted debt in Latin America, Asia and Africa were front and center.


We started our rally at Senator Gordon’s Smith’s local office. We gave speeches on the importance of the Jubilee act and its link to funding for AIDS prevention and treatment. We sang songs and chanted debt cancellation demands.


We presented plates to Senator Smith's representative and then headed out on our funeral procession. The procession carried the coffins through downtown Portland, calling out the names of the 67 countries "presente" who are targeted in the Jubilee Act.
We arrived at Senator Wyden’s office for our second presentation of plates. Six of our group met with Senator Wyden’s staffer Loretta Smith while the rest of us remained outside chanting for debt cancellation, calling out the names of the 67 Jubilee Act countries and signing songs.





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Jubilee Act Update : new cospnsors/ senate version

Two great news items from Washington D.C. regarding the Jubilee Act.

First in the House of Representatives, we have secured the support of Representatives Peter DeFazio, Darleen Hooley and Greg Walden as co-sponsors of the Jubilee Act (HR 2634). Since we already have Blumenauer and Wu signed on, that means we have four out of Oregon\'s five representatives sponsoring the Act. Now, all we need is to have Representative Darlene Hooley sign on as a co-sponsor and we will have all the Oregon House delegation on board. PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL HER OFFICE IMMEDIATELY TO ASK FOR HER SUPPORT OF HR 2634 - The Jubilee Act.
Oregon Office phone: 503 557-1324Washington D.C. office: (202) 225-5711 phoneEmail: jennifer.wagner@mail.house.gov

Next, a companion bill has finally been introduced into the Senate The brand new Senate bill (S2166) currently has 6 co-sponsors: Senators Casey (D-PA), Lugar (R-IN), Dodd (D-CT), Biden (D-DE), Sununu (R-NH), and Obama (D-IL).

We're working hard to have the entire Oregon Congressional delegation stand up and speak out for an end to global poverty. So contact Wyden and Smith and ask them to co-sponsor S2166 now.

Pick up the phone and call the Capitol Switchboard: 202.224.3121.

Ask to be connected to your Senator's office. The receptionist will answer. Introduce yourself a constituent from Oregon and ask the Senator to support S2166, The Jubilee Act.

Thanks for your help - Andy Szatkowski