senate sanctions bill (r)

[simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

>a few questions:
>
>1) this bill is absolutely amazing and asks for almost everything 
>tangible that we are asking for. So, why aren't we focusing on it more? 
>We could make a huge impact by organizing massive outreach sessions, 
>targeting specific congrespeople etc...

The House bill is weaker but the Senate version is almost completely spot
on. (I would replace the ban on travel with a ban on tourism.)

The outreach is already happening.  The grassroots groups have been
targeting their Senators since early January. Although the House bill was
inroduced fairly recently, there are already efforts to get more House
members signed on as co-sponsors. In Massachusetts, our best bets are
Moakley and Joe Kennedy whereas in the Bay Area, Jane Jerome is looking at
Lantos, Lofgren and Pelosi.

We could really use a concerted effort by students to write their Senators
and Representatives. Since many students go to school outside their home
district and state, they are often able to write to four Senators and two
Representatives.

Let's discuss this further at the Bay Area Burma Roundtable tomorrow!

>
>2) Does anyone know what would happen re. GATT if this law passed? 
>Couldn't Texaco, for example, use its foreign subsidaries (or even its US 
>one) to sue the US for trade infringement?

Companies cannot sue under GATT, only countries. Since the sanctions bill
only affects US companies, there's no chance of a suit under GATT.

>
>3) What Congressmen and women are specifically opposed to the bill?
>peace, nick

We're not entirely sure. Senator John Kerry has replied to constituents
expressing his opposition to sanctions on Burma.  

The value of having students around the country write their Senators and
Representatives is that we can let the NCGUB and others in Washington know
who is for or against the bill.  That's why, in my sample letter to
Congress, I always ask people to send any replies to the NCGUB, which is
keeping track of where people stand.

Simon Billenness
Franklin Research & Development
(617) 423 6655 x 225
simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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>Nick Thompson	    Stanford SEAC
>(415) 723-3307      (415) 725-7339 (fax)	   
>nickt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx     seac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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