sfnatldc@labrea.stanford.edu (10/12/89)
SANE/FREEZE WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT--Week of October 9, 1989
The Weekly Legislative Report is updated on the second business day
of each week by the SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global Security
Legislative Department. This report is based on the political
objectives adopted by the SANE/FREEZE National Congress. Please
help us by reporting your local lobbying activities to Mark W.
Harrison at (202) 546-7100 or send us a message via "mail" on
PeaceNet to sfnatldc.
SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE ALERT
SANE/FREEZE organized a demonstration in front of the White House on
Tuesday, October 10 in response to a front page article in the
Washington Post on Oct 9 reporting that President Bush is determined
to continue manufacturing binary chemical weapons no matter when the
chemical weapons treaty is signed--a position which has shocked many
scientists and diplomats around the world. William Sloane Coffin,
our president, led the demonstration with a mask of George Bush and
bore a sign which read "Poison Gas President." As part of his
statement, Coffin highlighted the number of times Bush pledged "to
seek a verifiable ban on chemical weapons." He further stated, "It
is a dangerous and duplicitous thing the President has done. By
refusing to end our own production of chemical weapons, he is
jeopardizing the world-wide ban he himself called for; he is by
example, sanctioning the production of chemical weapons by other
nations and thereby promoting the very proliferation he sought to
halt; and he has broken his promise to the American people and to
the peoples of the world. Coffin called "on the American people to
protest vigorously as possible his timid, waffling leadership," and
for Congress to refuse to fund any further development of any kind
of chemical weapons. For a copy of the SANE/FREEZE press release on
the demonstration and Bill's statement, PeaceNet users should see
sf.media, while others should write/call the Legislative Department.
ACTION: On June 2, 1989, 74 Senators wrote President Bush in
"strong support of his personal commitment to ridding the world of
chemical weapons." The letter stated, "...it is clear to us that a
total, verifiable, international treaty banning the production and
stockpiling of all chemical weapons ultimately will be the most
effective way of addressing this threat [of chemical weapons
proliferation." The letter ended with "Your personal commitment to
securing a treaty give us hope, however, that the United States will
exert strong leadership in bringing the international community
together to rid the world of this threat."
If your Senator(s) signed this letter call/write him/her to protest
President Bush insistence on continuing the production of binary
chemical weapons after the treaty goes into effect and to refuse now
to fund further production of these hideous weapons. The Capitol
Hill switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You may wish to call
their local office.
Signers of the June 2 letter are: Hatfield, Pryor, Cohen, Pell,
Mitchell, Kassebaum, Biden, Byrd, Nunn, Lugar, Boschwitz, Sarbanes,
Levin, McCain, Garn, Bumpers, Danforth, D'Amato, Inouye, Leahy,
Boren, Bradley, Kennedy, Chafee, Bingaman, Bentsen, Cranston,
Wilson, Hatch, Exon, Murkowski, Johnston, Adams, Kohl, Packwood,
Jeffords, Kerry, Durenberger, Sasser, Reid, Conrad, Sanford,
Burdick, Gore, Harkin, Daschle, Lieberman, Moynihan, Heinz, Dodd,
Ford, Metzenbaum, Specter, Gorton, Burns, Graham, Grassley, Wirth,
Simon, Bryan, DeConcini, Breaux, Rockefeller, Glenn, Lautenberg,
Riegle, Pressler, Kerrey,, Matsunaga, Baucus, Fowler, Mikulski, Robb
and Mack.
UPDATE
**Current status and messages for ongoing lobbying**
CONFERENCE ON DEFENSE BILL
Nothing new to report on conference on the FY 90 Defense
Authorization bill. Several committee meetings took place last
week, but nothing was resolved. The House is standing firm on
several of its positions. Don't be overly concerned that there has
been no agreement. At this stage, the longer it takes, the better
it appears that there will be cuts of several weapons programs
toward lower levels. Restrictive language on various systems may
also be adopted.
If a compromise is not reached on the FY 90 Defense Authorization
bill by October 25, conferees on the companion FY 90 Defense
Appropriations bill may try to work out a deal on the strategic arms
issues currently stalling the authorization conference.
Message: See September 25 Legislative Report.
HOUSE APPROVES "AID" FOR NICARAGUA ELECTION
By a vote of 263-156, the House approved an additional $9 million
for the February 25, 1990 elections in Nicaragua. The aid package
approves $5 million, through the National Endowment for Democracy,
to implement election procedures and to help monitor the voting, and
$4 million for "non-partisan, technical" support of the election.
$3.5 million has already been spent in 1989. The aid package now
goes to the Senate where passage is expected.
SANE/FREEZE NATIONAL CONGRESS - NOVEMBER 16-19
The National Congress is one month away. Please send in your
registration as soon as possible.
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