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Foreign Aid Reform

On April 28, Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Act of 2009.

This week, 59 ELCA Bishops sent a letter to all Members of the House of Representatives urging them to co-sponsor H.R. 2139. Now is the perfect time for you to take action as well. Help your brothers and sisters who are suffering from extreme poverty, disease and hunger throughout the world. Urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 2139.

Talking Points

We encourage you to add a personal story to the letter before you send it to your Representative.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

As your constituent and a Lutheran, I am deeply concerned about the plight of my brothers and sisters who are suffering from extreme poverty, disease and hunger throughout the world. I support the wide array of U.S. foreign assistance programs that help meet the immediate needs of those living in poverty and suffering from diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well as programs that seek to equip individuals and communities to develop in economically sustainable ways. That's why I'm writing to urge your co-sponsorship of H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Act of 2009.

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which provides the framework for how foreign assistance is delivered, is outdated and in need of revision. H.R. 2139, introduced by Congressmen Berman and Kirk, is an important first step in updating and modernizing our foreign assistance structures and programs to meet the development challenges of the 21st Century. Specifically, H.R. 2139 will require the Obama Administration to develop a global strategy for development - a critical first step in achieving the following goals:

+ Elevating development as a key pillar of U.S. foreign policy alongside defense and diplomacy;

+ Ensuring tax-payer dollars are used effectively by reducing duplication and increasing coordination among U.S. agencies;

+ Implementing a more robust system of monitoring and evaluation to ensure U.S. foreign aid is as effective as possible; and

+ Encouraging local capacity building and broad-based economic growth in developing countries.

While the current global financial crisis has put a strain on us all, I know that our global partners are going to be hardest hit by the ongoing recession. Taking steps now to make sure that our foreign assistance is as effective and transparent as possible is not only important to me as a U.S. taxpayer, but it is also critical to the well-being of the millions of people who are facing new life-threatening challenges during this time of financial crisis.

I urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 2139 as a clear demonstration of your commitment to fighting global poverty and to making sure our constituents tax dollars are put to effective use. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]