[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Urgent Action Alert on Massachusett



TELL YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO SUPPORT AN AMENDMENT THAT DEFENDS THE
MASSACHUSETTS BURMA LAW

September 23, 1997

A bipartisan group of US Representatives have moved an amendment in
Congress that would help support the Massachusetts Burma selective
purchasing law. 

It is expected that the amendment will be moved AND voted on in Congress on
Wednesday, September 24.

SO PLEASE CALL ON TUESDAY AND EARLY WEDNESDAY!

BACKGROUND

Six Members of Congress (Sanders, Rohrabacher, Stearns, Defazio, Ney, Brown
and Dellums) plan to move an amendment to Commerce-State-Justice
Appropriations Bill that would help defend state and local laws from the
World Trade Organization.

The amendment cuts $1 million from the US Commerce Department budget. The
amendment reallocates the $1 million to the US Trade Representative's
office (USTR) "for the express purpose of better equipping [the USTR] to
identify and defend current national, state, local, tribal, territorial or
DC laws adversely affected by international trade and investment agreements." 

This amendment puts additional explicit pressure on the USTR to defend the
Massachusetts Burma selective purchasing law from the challenge by the
European Commission and the Japanese government at the World Trade
Organization. Modeled on a previous South Africa anti-apartheid law, the
Massachusetts Burma law effectively bars state agencies from buying goods
or services from companies that do business in Burma.

If this amendment is successfully attached to the Appropriations bill in
the House of Representatives, the action will move to the Senate where, it
is hoped, a similar amendment will be moved.

WHAT TO DO

1. Call your US Representative at (888) 723-5246 (toll-free) or (202) 224-3121

2. Ask for the Congressional aide responsible for trade and/or foreign policy

3. Ask the aide to ensure that the Member supports the
Sanders-Rohrabacher-DeFazio-Ney-Brown-Dellums amendment to the
Commerce-State-Justice Appropriations Bill (HR2267)

4. Explain that the bill transfers $1 million to the office of the US Trade
Representative to identify and defend state and local laws threatened by
the World Trade Organization

5. Explain that you are calling specifically to defend the Massachusetts
Burma law and that you support the enactment of similar Burma laws in your
home town and state

6. Be prepared to give your name, address and phone number proving that you
live in the Congressman's or Congresswoman's district

And most importantly?

7. Even if you obtain a commitment of support, call EVERY DAY to discover
if the amendment came to a vote that day and how the Representative voted
on it

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Email me and let me know how your Members of Congress responded.  I will
report back on the results of the vote and what we can do next.

Simon Billenness
* for the New England Burma Roundtable *
Franklin Research & Development
711 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-6655 x225
(617) 482 6179 fax
sbillenness@xxxxxxxx
=============================================