sfnatldc@cdp.uucp (08/24/89)
/* Written 3:19 pm Aug 22, 1989 by sfnatldc in cdp:nwfc.lobby */
/* ---------- "Weekly Legislative Report 8/21/89" ---------- */
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.
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SANE/FREEZE: CAMPAIGN FOR GLOBAL SECURITY
3RD ANNUAL NATIONAL CONGRESS
NOVEMBER 16-19, 1989
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
For more information contact Randy Coffin in the national office at
(202) 546-7100 after Sept. 1. Brochures have been mailed. BE THERE!!
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GREETINGS!! - Your Lobbyist has returned.
UPDATE
**Current status and messages for ongoing lobbying**
DO NOTHING SENATE ON ARMS CONTROL
During the week of July 31, the Senate completed floor consideration
of the FY 90 Defense Authorization bill. This body of
"distinguished men and women" rejected all arms control amendments.
The amendments rejected were:
*Johnston amendment to freeze SDI funding at last year's level -
Rejected 50-47
*Kennedy amendment to stop site preparation of SIS - Rejected 50-49
*Levin amendment to cut $502 million for MX Rail Garrison - Rejected
61-39
The Kerry-Jeffords amendment on an ASAT moratorium was not offered
because of a cloture vote to limit debate on the bill. Yes, we and
and Sens. Kerry and Jeffords are angry over this. The amendment will
be offered when the Senate considers the FY 90 Defense
Appropriations bill in September.
On the B-2 Bomber program - the Senate approved a number of
restrictions on the program. The number of planes that could be
procured in FY 90 and 91 was not cut as in the House.
Did the Senate do anything right? Yes, one thing. They rejected a
Bond amendment to earmark $100 million for development of an
accidental-launch protection system (ALPS) by a vote of 53-44. Like
SDI, ALPS would violate the ABM Treaty.
If you wish to know how your Senators voted on the amendments above,
call the SANE/FREEZE Legislative Department at (202) 546-7100.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON THE FY 90 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL
The Conference Committee, made up of Members (conferees) of the
House and Senate Armed Services Committees, will meet in early
September to iron out differences in House and Senate versions of
the FY 90 Defense Authorization bill. House conferees may be
announced as soon as the August reqy.nH9+=n September 6. Senate
conferees on arms control issues are usually Members of the
Strategic Forces and Nuclear Deterrence Subcommittee: Exon (D-NE),
Levin (D-MI), Kennedy (D-MA), Bingaman (D-NM), Glenn (D-OH), Gore
(D-TN), Thurmond (R-SC), Cohen (R-ME), Wilson (R-CA), Wallop (R-WY),
and Gorton (R-WA).
House and Senate conferees will have to strike compromises on a
number of key programs:
*Star Wars - The House approved $3.1 billion; the Senate $4.5
billion.
*MX/Midgetman - The House cut $502 million of the $1.1 billion
request for MX Rail Garrison and eliminated funds for Migetman.
The Senate approved the $1.1 billion request for MX Rail Garrison
and $100 million for Midgetman.
*B-2 Bomber - The House approved funds for two planes in FY 90 and
components for two more planes in FY 91. The Senate approved the
request to buy three planes in FY 90 and components for five planes
in FY 91. House level of funding $3.9 billion; Senate $4.4 billion.
*SIS - The House adopted language which forbids site preparation at
the SIS site in Idaho. The Senate version allows site preparation.
*Cleanup Funds - The House approved an additional $335 million; the
Senate approved an additional $418 million plus an additional $100
million for cleanup technology development. (In this program, the
Senate did better than the House.)
*Study Commission - The Senate bill would establish a Blue Ribbon
Task Force to review the long-term funding of and requirements for
environmental restoration and waste activities. The special panel
would complete its work by January 15, 1991. No similar provision
was adopted by the House.
Message: If your Representative or Senator is a conferee urge
him/her to:
1) Maintain spending levels for Star Wars, MX and B-2 Bomber
adopted by the House. Stand firm on no money for the Midgetman.
2) Support Senate spending levels for DOE cleanup and the House
prohibition of on site preparation of SIS.
If your Representative and Senators are not conferees, urge them to
lobby conferees on the above points.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS
On August 4, the House approved a $286 billion Defense
Appropriations bill for FY 90. It rolled into the bill spending
levels and arms control provisions that were adopted in the FY 90
Defense Authorization bill.
The Senate will consider its version of the FY 90 Defense
Appropriations bill in middle or late September. Two key arms
control amendments will be offered:
*Kerry-Jeffords amendment to prohibit funds for the testing of anti-
satellite (ASAT) weapons as long as the Soviet Union refrains from
such tests
*Leahy amendment to kill the B-2 Bomber program.
Message: Urge your Senators to support the amendments above.
ECONOMIC CONVERSION
If we are going to pass economic conversion legislation in the first
session of the 101st Congress, then September is the month. During
that month House and Senate Banking Committees, which are no longer
burdened by S&Ls, will consider the Defense Production Act (DPA), a
bill which is reauthorized every two years. [The DPA makes sure
that the industrial base of the economic is adequate just in case of
war.] It is the DPA that will serve as a vehicle to attach
conversion legislation.
The House version of the DPA, H.R. 486 (Oakar bill), includes a
provision on economic conversion which is not as comprehensive as
the Weiss economic conversion bill, H.R. 101. Reps. Gejdenson (D-
CT) and Mavroules (D-MA) have introduced an economic conversion
bill, H.R. 2852, which is weaker than the program in the DPA. In a
review of each of these bills, the National Commission on Economic
Conversion and Disarmament, an organization set-up by conversion
expert Seymour Melman, found that on the bases of 11 criteria for a
conversion program, the Gejdenson-Mavroules bill met 2 1/2, the
Oakar bill met 7, and the Weiss bill met all 11. (For a copy of
this review, contact the SANE/FREEZE Legislative Department.)
No economic conversion legislative has been introduced in the
Senate.
Message: 1) Urge your Representative to co-sponsor the Weiss
economic conversion bill, H.R. 101. Present co-sponsors of H.R. 101
are: Weiss, Ackerman, Dellums, Fauntroy, Oberstar, Mavroules,
Kastenmeier, Gejdenson, Torres, Roe, Studds, Bates, Rangel, Garcia,
Boxer, Wheat, Moakley, Crockett, Espy, Mfume, Hayes (IL), Dymally,
Stokes, Pelosi, Berman, Owens (NY), Kildee, Towns, Brown (CA),
Markey, Nowak, Clay, Solarz, Wolpe, Collins, Dwyer (NJ), DeFazio,
Swift, McDermott, Matsui, Campbell (CO), Jontz, Bustamante, Kennedy,
Richardson, Feighan, Martinez and Sangmeister.
2) If your Representative is a Member of the Economic Stabilization
Subcommittee of the House Banking Committee urge him/her to
substitute the Weiss conversion bill, H.R. 101, for the economic
conversion provision (Title II) already in the DPA.
Key Members are: Oakar (D-OH), LaFalce (D-NY), Vento (D-MN), Kaptur
(D-OH), Kanjorski (D-PA), Garcia (D-NY), Patterson (D-SC), Neal (D-
MA), Saiki (R-HI) and Roukema (R-NJ).
3) Urge Members of the Senate Banking Committee to attach the Weiss
economic conversion bill to their version of the DPA. (Has not been
written) Key Members are: Riegle (D-MI), Cranston (D-CA),
Sarbanes (D-MD), Dodd (D-CT), Dixon (D-IL), Sasser (D-TN), Sanford
(D-NC), Shelby (D-AL), Graham (D-FL), Wirth (D-CO), Kerry (D-MA),
Bryan (D-NV), Heinz (R-PA), D'Amato (R-NY) and Kassebaum (R-KS).
Talking points for economic conversion:
1. The Cold War is winding down.
2. The defense industry has begun to layoff workers in large
numbers. A significant number of military bases are closing.
3. Military spending is not increasing as fast.
4. Conversion is essential for disarmament planning.
5. Conversion will encourage new employment opportunities, provide
resources for social investment needs and public infrastructure, and
help make American competitive.
6. Conversion saves jobs of defense-dependent workers and
communities.
DOE ISSUES
1) International Plutonium Control Act - It is possible that there
may be hearing on this bill (S. 1047) in the Senate Foreign Affairs
Committee in September. These hearings would help highlight the
issue and would provide support for a version of the bill to be
voted out of Conference Committee on the FY 90 Defense Authorization
bill.
Message: If your Senator(s) is a Member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, please urge him/her to push for a hearing on the binding
version of the International Plutonium Control Act. Members are:
Pell, Biden, Sarbanes, Cranston, Dodd, Kerry, Simon, Sanford,
Moynihan, Robb, Helms, Lugar, Kassebaum, Boschwitz, Pressler,
Murkowski, McConnell, Humphrey and Mack.
2) Glenn Bill - Sen. John Glenn (D-OH) introduced the DOE Nuclear
Safety and Environmental Act, S. 1304, in July. This eight-title
reform bill would require approval by four separate Senate
committees, and thus is not expected to reach the Senate floor as
written. Specific parts of the bill may be attached as amendments
to other bills or introduced separate as separate bills. It deals
with DOE facility health and safety, OSHA compliance, independent
oversight, and environmental oversight.
3) Yes, yes the trust fund bill as finally been introduced. The
Federal Nuclear Facilities Environmental Response Act, H.R. 3065 and
S. 1462, was introduced by Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) and Sen. Brock
Adams (D-WA) on August 2. This bill would establish a federal trust
fund to finance cleanup at DOE sites. Revenues would come from
primarily DOE's defense budget. Additional sources would be DOE's
civilian nuclear budget; commercial users of DOE nuclear services,
such as uranium enrichment for nuclear utilities; and environmental
fines. The bill creates a DOE Office of Environmental Management
and Remedial Action, requires DOE to prepare five-year cleanup
plans, creates a grant program for state enforcement, and
establishes a joint DOE/EPA cleanup research program.
Message: Urge your Senators to co-sponsor the Glenn bill, S. 1304
and the Adams bill, S. 1462. Urge your Representative to support
the Dicks bill, H.R. 3065.
---
Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations
patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information
patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange
-=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-djones@decwrl.dec.com (Dave Jones) (08/26/89)
>From article <2772@ccnysci.UUCP>, by sfnatldc@cdp.uucp: ... > > Did the Senate do anything right? Yes, one thing. They rejected a > Bond amendment to earmark $100 million for development of an > accidental-launch protection system (ALPS) by a vote of 53-44. I know absolutely nothing about this, but it would seem on the face of it that $100 million is a very small percentage of the defence budget, (less than one percent?), and that accidental launches are potentially rather embarrassing, and might better be avoided. What gives? > Like SDI, ALPS would violate the ABM Treaty. Oh? --- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-