rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (06/14/91)
SANE/FREEZE WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT--Week of June 10, 1991
The Weekly Legislative Report is updated on the second business day
of each week by the SANE/FREEZE Legislative Office. This report is
based on the political objectives adopted by the SANE/FREEZE
National Congress. Please help us by reporting your lobbying
activities to the Legislative Office at (202) 862-9740, by FAX at
(202) 862-9762, by written report (form available from Legislative
Office), or send us a message via "mail" on PeaceNet to sfnatldc.
UPDATE
**Current status and messages for ongoing lobbying**
DON'T BE INVISIBLE DURING STEALTH WEEK
This week is Stealth Week in Washington. The Air Force has flown
three stealth aircraft--B-2, Advanced Tactical Fighter, F117A
fighter--and a stealth cruise missile into Andrews Air Force Base
outside of Washington. Members of Congress and key congressional
staff aides will view these aircraft and be given a classified
briefing.
Message: We must get the Senate to support the House position to
terminate the B-2. Sen. Leahy (D-VT) will offer a B-2 termination
amendment during Senate consideration of the FY 1992 Defense
Authorization bill in July. Urge your Senators to support this
amendment. Michigan SANE/FREEZE and WAND have a good slogan: "The
B-2 Will B-2 Costly!"
ARMS SALES TO THE MIDDLE EAST CONTINUE
Last week Secretary of Defense Cheney said that achieving a Middle
East arms control agreement will be a "long, complicated process"
and that in the meantime the U.S. will continue arms sales or
transfers to nations in the region. Cheney announced a sale of 20
Apache attack helicopters to the United Arab Emirates. So much for
Bush's call for an agreement to restrain arms sales or transfers to
the region.
In the Senate this week, the Foreign Relations Committee is
expected to adopt language based on the Kerry-Brown and Biden
proposals. (See Legislative Report for the week of May 20). It
will be attached to the FY 1992 Foreign Aid Authorization bill.
On Tuesday, the House will begin consideration of the FY 1992
Foreign Aid Authorization bill. The Fascell arms sales provision
(see Week of May 27 Legislative Report) is expected to be approved
by the full body.
MX RAIL GARRISON
The House rejected by a vote of 229-155 the Frank amendment to the
FY 1992 Defense Appropriations bill to terminate the MX rail
garrison program by deleting the $260 million for research and
development.
EL SALVADOR UPDATE
This week during markup of the FY 1992 Foreign Aid Authorization
bill by the Senate Foreign Relations committee Sen. Dodd is
expected to offer an amendment updating conditions from last year's
legislation, and including two important steps forward. First, the
withholding of military aid would apply not only to new funds, but
also to money yet to be delivered from previous years. There is
some $180 million in undelivered military aid, half of which would
be withheld. Second, the President's ability to restore withheld
funds would be severely restricted by "reprogramming procedures,"
meaning that committees with foreign policy jurisdiction could
object, and hold up, release of funds. Dodd's amendment is
viciously opposed by the Bush Administration because of the
withhold military aid in the pipeline and the increase in
congressional control through reprogramming procedures. Prospects
are good for winning this language in Committee.
In the House there will be no amendments on El Salvador during
floor consideration of the FY 1992 Foreign Aid Authorization bill
this week. In a letter to President Bush, House Democratic leaders
(Moakley, Obey, Torricelli, Fascell, Murtha, Bonior, Hamilton,
Studds and Solarz) stated that they were deferring legislative
action on El Salvador until after Labor Day as a result of progress
in current negotiations. They wrote, however, that after that
time, the House will consider a separate measure to authorize aid
to El Salvador that would be included in the final foreign aid
authorization bill.
On May 31 the McHugh-Green letter (see Legislative Report for the
week of May 27) was sent to Foreign Affairs Committee Fascell.
Other signers of the letter were: Abercrombie, Ackerman, Andrews
(ME), Annunzio, Atkins, AuCoin, Beilenson, Berman, Borski Boucher,
Boxer, Brown (CA), Bryant, Bustamante, Cox (IL), Coyne, DeFazio,
DeLauro, Dellums, Dicks, Dixon, Dorgan, Durbin, Edwards (CA),
Evans, Fazio, Foglietta, Frank, Gonzalez, Green, Hall (OH), Hayes
(IL), Hochbrueckner, Horn, Horton, Jacobs, Kaptur, Kennedy,
Kennelly, Kleczka, Kopetski, LaFalce, Lehman (FL), Lowey,
McCloskey, McDermott, McHugh, McNulty, Manton, Markey, Martinez,
Matsui, Mavroules, Mfume, Miller (CA), Mineta, Mink, Moakley,
Moody, Morella, Mrazek, Nagle, Neal (NC), Oakar, Oberstar, Owens
(NY), Panetta, Payne (NJ), Pelosi, Penny, Peterson (MN), Poshard,
Reed, Riggs, Roybal, Russo, Sabo, Sanders, Sangmeister, Scheuer,
Serrano, Shays, Sikorski, Skaggs, Slattery, Stark, Swift, Synar,
Torres, Towns, Traficant, Unsoeld, Walsh, Waxman, Wheat, Williams,
Wyden, and Yates.
JUNE 16-19: SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL DAYS OF ACTION
On June 16, 1976 thousands of Black South African students held a
peaceful demonstration protesting the unequal system of education
and the imposition of the Afrikaans language in place of English.
Their demonstration--known as the Soweto Uprising--was met with
violence by the South African security forces, sparking a year-long
series of violent confrontations between students and police. The
uprising left 1,000 dead, and over 4,000 youth were forced to flee
the country. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Soweto
Uprising.
Message: During the week of June 16 send a letter to your
Congressional delegation urging that sanctions against South Africa
not be lifted until a democratic, Black majority government is
elected. A letter written by SANE/FREEZE board member Gerald Horne
opposing the lifting of sanctions will be delivered to all Members
of Congress along with letters from religious and anti-apartheid
organization.
JULY 4TH RECESS
Congress will be in recess June 28-July 8. Please set up meetings
with your Senators. Urge them to support amendments during debate
of the FY 1992 Defense Authorization bill:
*Leahy amendment to terminate the B-2 Bomber;
*significant cuts in Star Wars spending; and
*a cut in the nuclear testing budget by terminating the SRAM-T
missile and the B-90 Nuclear Depth/Strike Bomb (similar to what the
House adopted).
This bill is expected to be on the Senate floor in July.
SANE/FREEZE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE TRANSITION
This is my (Mark W. Harrison) last week with you. Here is our
transitional plan:
*If you need legislative information on B-2, Star Wars, other
weapons systems and DOE issues, call and ask for Alexander
Buettner, our new intern until the end of July. He knows where to
get the information you need.
*Arms Sales/Transfers, call and ask for Ira Shorr
*Central America, call the Central America Working Group at (202)
546-7010 or its 24-hour legislative hotline at (202) 543-2282.
A new Legislative Coordinator is expected to be hired in July.
I WILL MISS YOU ALL!!!
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