Local nun joins call for global recovery

A local nun has joined churches representing thousands of Idahoans calling on Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo to include zero-cost provisions for global recovery in a stimulus package.

"The U.S. has an opportunity to demonstrate global leadership at this critical moment in history" reads a letter signed by Roberta Lamanna, Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in Coeur d'Alene, and other men and women of religious and faith organizations.

The clergy called on Risch and Crapo to authorize the release of a global stimulus from the International Monetary Fund to help countries around the world recover from the economic effects of COVID-19.

"As representatives of faith-based organizations in Idaho, we are deeply concerned for the lives and well-being of people living in poverty in developing countries under the twin threats of the devastating public health and economic crises," the letter reads."We ask you, as our Senator, and the Chairman of a key Senate committee, to co-sponsor S.4139, the Support for Global Financial Institution Pandemic Response Act, and ensure its provisions are enacted through must-pass legislation this year."

Idaho’s two senators are committee chairmen and Risch’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee is key to getting the resources released.

The letter reads, in part: "The International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s prediction of the decline in global growth is pushing millions of people into starvation. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that coronavirus-related starvation is leading to the death of 10,000 children a month, over 50% of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa."

It goes on to say the issuance of international resources would enable developing countries to purchase U.S. exports, benefitting the U.S. economy, and would provide developing countries with liquidity to address the critical needs of their people — at no cost to the U.S. taxpayer.

This allocation would not need to be repaid and would save lives by enabling developing countries to recover economically and invest in health care to slow the spread of COVID-19, it reads.

"Rescuing the global economy will be good for people around the world — including Idahoans," the letter reads.