Congresswoman Waters and 41 other Members of Congress urge President Bush to seek the release of Fr. Jean-Juste from prison in Haiti

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35) sent a letter to President Bush, urging him to take action to seek the release of Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste from prison in Haiti and enable him to obtain medical care. A total of 42 Members of Congress signed her letter. The text of the letter follows:

We are deeply concerned about the continuing imprisonment and precarious health of Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste in Haiti. We urge you to take action to seek Fr. Jean-Juste's immediate release from prison and ensure that he is able to obtain the medical care he needs.

Fr. Jean-Juste is a widely-respected Catholic priest and a courageous advocate for peace and justice. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and has called for his unconditional release. The injustice of his imprisonment is all the more blatant because of his failing health.

On December 1, Fr. Jean-Juste received a medical exam by Dr. John Carroll, who reported that he has swollen lymph nodes in his neck and armpits and an elevated white blood count. This could indicate any of several serious medical conditions, including a blood cancer or an infectious disease. Many blood cancers have a good prognosis if they are treated early by specialists. It is therefore imperative that Fr. Jean-Juste be able to receive prompt medical attention.

We respectfully request that you urge the Interim Government of Haiti to release Fr. Jean-Juste immediately and enable him to obtain appropriate medical care. We appreciate your attention to our concerns. Your action at this critical time could save the life of this gentle priest.

List of Signers:
Maxine Waters	Major R. Owens	Al Green
Tom Lantos	Marcy Kaptur	Maurice Hinchey
William Delahunt	Sheila Jackson-Lee	Earl Blumenauer
Barbara Lee	Corrine Brown	Cynthia McKinney
Jan Schakowsky	Kendrick B. Meek	Dennis Kucinich
John Conyers	Raúl Grijalva	Sherrod Brown
Joseph Crowley	Julia Carson	Tammy Baldwin
Charles Rangel	Robert Wexler	Melvin L. Watt
Barney Frank	Fortney Pete Stark	Bobby L. Rush
Peter DeFazio	James P. McGovern	Betty McCollum
Eleanor Holmes Norton	Robert Andrews	Robert Menendez
Donald Payne	Thomas Allen	Jim McDermott
Edolphus Towns	Donna Christensen	Gregory Meeks
Lynn Woolsey	Carolyn Kilpatrick	Michael Capuano

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