In a letter today to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Dick Durbin and Rep. Ilhan Omar, together with more than 300 lawmakers from over two dozen countries, called for “significant fiscal stimulus to help stabilize the global economy” and “extensive debt forgiveness for more than 70 of the world’s poorest countries” in response to the global economic crisis sparked by the pandemic, the Washington Post reports.

“The vulnerable communities that lack the resources and privileges to adopt adequate public health measures will ultimately face the disproportionate burden of coronavirus,” their letter said. “Such harm means that global supply chains, financial markets, and other interconnected exchanges will continue to be disrupted and destabilized.” 

Sanders, Durbin, and Omar called for the IMF to issue “special drawing rights,” or SDRs, that could bring trillions of dollars of new liquidity into the global economy, the Post reports, noting that this is a mainstream economic idea, backed by economists and government officials around the world, which would not cost taxpayers of the rich countries anything. “Taking commonsense measures to cancel debts and provide financial stability — steps which do not cost U.S. taxpayers a penny — is the very least we can do to prevent an unimaginable amount of poverty, hunger, and disease that could harm hundreds and hundreds of millions of people,” Sen. Sanders told the Post. 

In order for this crucial reform to happen, the U.S. government has to agree, because the U.S. has veto at the IMF. That’s why the leadership of Sen. Sanders, Sen. Durbin, and Rep. Omar on this is so crucial right now. We need other Senators and Representatives to stand with Sen. Sanders, Sen. Durbin, and Rep. Omar now in advocating for this crucial reform. 

Urge your Senators and Representative to stand with Sen. Sanders, Sen, Durbin, and Rep, Omar for action to rescue poor people in other countries from the global pandemic economic crisis by signing our petition.