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THIS IS IT! GET BACK ON THE PHONES!



Subject: THIS IS IT! GET BACK ON THE PHONES! 7/22/96

FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS REACHES SENATE FLOOR

THIS IS IT!  GET BACK ON THE PHONES!

Monday, July 22, 1996 

The Foreign Operations Appropriations Act will be debated on the Senate
floor on Tuesday, July 23 or Wednesday, July 24.

Senator Bennett Johnston (D, Louisiana) and Senator Don Nickles (R,
Oklahoma) have already distributed - at the behest of Texaco and Unocal - a
letter to their Senate colleagues in opposition to sanctions on Burma. It is
expected that they will offer an amendment very soon to eliminate or water
down the sanctions on Burma.

EVERY LAST PHONE CALL COUNTS!

Washington is finally focused on Burma. Every phone call you make on
Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 24 will count.

Even if you called before, call your Senators ON MORE TIME and:

1. Ask for the staff person responsible for foreign policy issues. 

2. Stress that you want your Senator to support the economic sanctions on
Burma moved by Senators McConnell and Moynihan and contained in Section 569
of HR.3540: the "Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 1997". 

3. Ask them to oppose any alternative language brought by Senators Johnston
and Nickles.

4. Ask if your Senator has taken a position on the Burma sanctions amendment.

5. DON'T FORGET TO ASK YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CO-WORKERS TO CALL THEIR
SENATORS TOO. 

You can call your Senators toll-free at: (800) 972-3524

Happy lobbying!

-----------------------------
Simon Billenness
Franklin Research & Development
(617) 423 6655 x 225
(617) 482 6179 fax
simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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BACKGROUND ON BURMA SANCTIONS

The mandatory sanctions provisions of the "Burma Freedom and Democracy Act"
(S.1511) have been incorporated into HR.3540: the "Foreign Operations,
Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997" as an
amendment (section 569).

H.R.3540
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 1997 (Reported in the Senate) 

SECTION 569

LIMITATION ON FUNDS FOR BURMA 

     SEC. 569. Until such time as the President determines and certifies
to the Committees on Appropriations that an elected government of Burma has
been allowed to take office, the following sanctions shall be imposed on
Burma :

          (1) No national of the United States shall make any investment
in Burma;
          (2) United States assistance to Burma is prohibited;
          (3) The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States
executive director of each international financial institution to vote
against any loan
or other utilization of the funds of the respective bank to or for Burma ;
and
          (4) Except as required by Treaty obligations, any Burmese national
who formulates, implements, or benefits from policies which hinder the
transition of Burma to a democratic country shall be ineligible to receive a
visa and shall be excluded from admission to the United States.
-----------------------------------------------------------

For your interest, HR.3540: the "Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and
Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997" also contains the following
language on Burma:

BURMA 

     Of the funds appropriated by this Act to carry out the provisions of
chapter 8 of part I and chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961, not less than $2,500,000 shall be made available to support activities
in Burma , along the Burma -Thailand border, and for activities of Burmese
student groups and other organizations located outside Burma , for the
purposes of fostering democracy in Burma , supporting the provision of
medical supplies and other humanitarian assistance to Burmese located in
Burma or displaced Burmese along the borders, and for other purposes:
Provided, That of this amount, not less than $200,000 shall be made available
to support newspapers, publications, and other media activities promoting
democracy inside Burma:

Provided further, That funds made available under this heading may be
made available notwithstanding any other provision of law: Provided further,
That provision of such funds shall be made available subject to the regular
notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations.
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