NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #16/NN_1992_16.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/5280

Text File | 1992-07-21 | 10.2 KB | 193 lines

Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Path: sparky!uunet!gatech!destroyer!gumby!wupost!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!rich
From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: El Salvador: Congressional Record Update
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: [e-mail]
Sender: [e-mail]
Nntp-Posting-Host: pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 03:46:46 GMT
Approved: [e-mail]
Lines: 177

/** reg.elsalvador: 93.0 **/
** Topic: Congressional Update 7-20-92 **
** Written  3:26 pm  Jul 20, 1992 by cuanes in cdp:reg.elsalvador **
CUANES 7-20-92  Congressional Update

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 5368, the fiscal year 1993
foreign aid appropriations bill, on June 25.

The Senate will take up the foreign aid bill sometime in late July or
early August, beginning with the mark up by the Subcommittee on Foreign
Operations.  This subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee is
chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

Key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee are:

Byrd, D-VW, chair; Inouye, D-HI; Hollings, D-SC; Johnston, D-LA;
Burdick, D-ND; Sasser, D-TN; DeConcini, D-AZ; Bumpers, D-AR;
Lautenberg, D-NJ; Harkin, D-IA; Mikulski, D-MD; Reid, D-NV;
Adams, D-WA; Fowler, D-Ga; Kerrey, D-NE; Hatfield, R-OR; D'Amato, R-NY;
Rudman R-NH; Specter, R-PA; Domenici, R-NM; Gorton, R-WA

Each of these Senators should be asked to speak with Sen. Leahy and ask
him to include these points in the FY93 foreign aid appropriations bill:

*** Eliminate ALL military aid to El Salvador which is not intended for
demobilization.

*** All aid to El Salvador should be subject to reprogramming, a form of
Congressional oversight.

*** U.S. should use its leverage to promote the implementation of the
accords and the Congress should require the Administration to report on
how it is advancing the implementation process.

*** Reconstruction and development aid should be allocated only to
projects developed through consensus between the Salvadoran government,
the FMLN and the popular movement.

For up to date information on the process contact the National Agenda
for Peace in El Salvador 202-544-0701.  Hotline [phone]

______________________________________________________________________


The following is a valuable two page summary from the Central American
Working Group in Washington, D.C. dated July 2, 1992.  The background
information is especially useful for preparing delegations to visit
local congressional offices, and in letter writing campaigns.  The
Central American Working Group (CAWG) can be reached at 202-543-7647.
Hotline [phone].

CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION

On June 1st, 104 Representatives sent a letter initiated by Rep. John
Cox (D-IL) to Secretary of State Baker, urging the Administration to be
vigorous in pressing both sides to meet their obligations under the
accords.  The letter was a strong showing of congressional concern,
given that El Salvador has not been in the news much.  Constituents'
calls urging Members to sign the letter kept many offices focused on El
Salvador, and congressional staff report that Administration officials
were very impressed with the number and range of signers.

Nine key House and Senate leaders wrote to Secretary Baker on May 28th
urging the Administration to fully cooperate with and assist the
investigations being carried out be the Salvadoran Truth Commission
(reviewing major human rights cases during the war) and the Ad Hoc
Commission (charged with cleansing the Salvadoran officer corp).
Both bodies are to complete their work in 1992, with the Ad Hoc
Commission's recommendations due by mid-August.  Salvadoran democratic
leaders have cited the congressional letter as an important expression
of support for the work of the two commissions.  On May 26 and June 16,
the Ad Hoc Commission sent letters to key Administration and
congressional offices urgently soliciting their collaboration with the
investigations, but as early as July, no U.S. agency had yet made
available files or other information to these bodies.  The directors of
the Ad Hoc Commission will be in Washington, D.C. the week of July 6th
to plead directly with Pentagon, State Department and congressional
offices for fuller cooperation.

On June 17th, the peace accords were the subject of an historic hearing
on El Salvador in the Western Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee, chaired
by Rep. Torricelli (D-NJ).  The hearings featured three Salvadorans:
Ernesto Altschul, Vice-Minister of the Presidency representing the ARENA
government; Ruben Zamora, Vice-President of the National Assembly,
representing the Democratic Convergence; and Joaquin Villalobos, member
of the General Command of the FMLN.  Each witness described difficulties
in the current peace process and challenges for the future.  Coming on
the heels of the ONUSAL announcement about breakthroughs in
implementation, they all stressed their commitment to the peace process
and their assumption of good faith on behalf of long-time foes.  Copies
of each of the opening statements are available from the Central America
Working Group at [phone].

Through much of June, Rep. David Obey (D-WI), chair of the House
Appropriations Foreign Operations Subcommittee, placed a "hold" on
delivery of $82 million in FY92 Economic Support Funds for El Salvador.
Obey can hold up disbursement of assistance for new programs because of
his position as subcommittee chairman.  Obey used the "hold" to both
pressure and question the Salvadoran government on several issues,
including land reform (particularly the controvery surrounding the
pending breakup of the El Espino cooperative) and delays and problems in
establishing the academy to train a new national civilian police force.
Obey formally lifted his hold on Tuesday, June 30th, and the funds are
likely to be disbursed in August.

FY93 FOREIGN AID BILL: Throughout June, Obey's subcommittee crafted the
fiscal year 1993 foreign operations appropriations bill and brought it
to the floor of the House.  Covering all U.S. foreign aid programs, the
bill was approved by the Foreign Operations Subcommittee on June 12, by
the full Appropriations Committee on the 18th, and passed the floor of
the House on June 25th.

On El Salvador, the bill language is almost identical to the language of
the FY92 Continuing Resolution approved in March except it does not
include $1 million for the Truth Commission since those funds have
already been made available.  The bill puts a ceiling of $150 million in
Economic Support Fund assistance; the Administration had requested $160
million.  In the report accompanying the bill, which is designed to
clarify congressional intent to the Administration, the House notes
concerns about the Salvadoran government's national reconstruction plan
and "in particular that it be carried out in a fashion involving
consultation of all affected groups."

The House approved $11 million in non-lethal military aid for FY1993.
The Administration originally requested $40 million in military aid and
then revised that request level to $27 million.  (The current level of
FY92 military aid is $21 million.)  In the draft brought to the Foreign
Operations Subcommittee, Chairman Obey had earmarked the military aid at
$8 million.  Rep. Livingston (R-LA) offered an amendment to increase
that level to $20 million.  Obey offered a "compromise" of $11 million,
but Livingston did not withdraw his amendment for $20 million, which was
then voted down.  The subcommittee then defeated an Edwards (R-OK)
amendment to set the level at $13.5 million by a vote of 7-5, and
finally approved the $11 million level 9-2.  During debate, Reps. Green
(R-NY), Alexander (D-AR) and Yates (D-IL) indicated they would favor
eliminating military aid entirely.  The bill also appropriates $29
million for the Demobilization and Transition to Peace Fund.

As with FY92 funds, the bill defines the FY93 military aid as "only for
non-lethal items for maintenance, sustainment, restructuring, and
reduction and only in strict accordance with the newly defined mission
of the Salvadoran Armed Forces as embodied within the Salvadoran Peace
Accords."  The report further sets out a new "conceptual approach" to
the military aid question:  "Now that the war is over U.S. assistance
should be provided in a similar mode to other countries in the region.
That is, if it is appropriate to provide it at all, it should be on a
sustainment basis only. . .The Committee expects that military
assistance levels for El Salvador will steadily decline in the future
until they reach pre-war levels.  The decisions on force structure and
weapons inventory then will fall squarely on the government, as they
will be required to use their own funds to finance their armed forces."

The report accompanying the bill also highlights the recent ONUSAL
report.  This is important because it keeps the focus on the peace
process as the cornerstone of a constructive policy.  The report cites
ONUSAL criticism of the Salvadoran government's "delay in implementing
those aspects of the Agreement that would facilitate the re-integration
of excombatants of the new National Civil Police, and political activity
of the FMLN. . ." and takes the opportunity to "strongly urge the
Salvadoran government to make necessary decisions and to meet the
deadlines specified in the Peace Accords."

Religious, human rights and solidarity organizations which have
advocated an end to aid to the Salvadoran military should continue to do
so, but they should also be proud of the dramatic decrease in this
program from $85 million in FY90 to the $ll million just approved by the
House.  Only the most deluded optimist in the Salvadoran military could
interpret this cutback in U.S. funding as a sign of support.  During the
House floor debate on the foreign aid bill, several Representatives made
statements emphasizing the shift in Salvador policy away from military
aid toward support of the peace process.  Several went further and
called for elimination of the militay aid program.  Those who should be
thanked for addressing the issue during House debate are Reps. Cox (D-
IL), Pelosi (D-CA), Edwards (D-CA), Skaggs (D-CO), Kostmayer (D-PA), and
Brown (D-CA).

** End of text from cdp:reg.elsalvador **