Oxfam America Applauds House Passage Of Coffee Crisis Resolution; Calls On Senate To Approve Measure Before Recess

Posted: 15 November 2002

Washington, DC--2:30AM this morning, the House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 604 that directs Congress to "adopt a global strategy to respond to the current coffee crisis." Since 1997, the global price of coffee has crashed by nearly 70 percent, effectively forcing many coffee-farming families out of business.

Oxfam launched a global campaign in September to rally international support for its Coffee Rescue Plan with the release of the report, Mugged: Poverty in Your Coffee Cup. The report urges governments, corporations, international institutions, civil society organizations, and consumers to support an emergency strategy to immediately create the conditions needed for a sustainable coffee market.

"This House resolution is a critical first step on the road to comprehensive legislation that could effectively stop this world-wide calamity," stated Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America. "Oxfam strongly believes the Senate will follow their colleagues' example and pass this breakthrough resolution before it adjourns next week."

This resolution is the first effort by Congress to address the severe hardship that 25 million coffee farmers in over 50 developing countries endure as a result of rock-bottom coffee prices. Leaders among the resolution's original co-sponsors were Representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Benjamin Gilman (R-NY), and Cass Ballenger (R-NC).

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