NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #16/NN_1992_16.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/5315

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: SANE/FREEZE LEGISLATIVE REPORT July 21, 1992
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/** sf.lobby: 101.0 **/
** Topic: S/F Weekly Leg. Report 7-21-92 **
** Written  6:14 pm  Jul 21, 1992 by sfnatldc in cdp:sf.lobby **
SANE/FREEZE:CGS WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT
For The Week Of July 21, 1992

     The Weekly Legislative Report is updated on the second
business day of each week by the SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global
Security legislative office (while Congress is session). This
report is based on the political objectives adopted by the 1991
SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global Security National Congress. A
short version of this report is available each week on the
SANE/FREEZE Legislative Hotline. The number: [phone].

     Please help us by reporting your lobbying activities to Burt
Glass at [phone], by fax at [phone], by PeaceNet
mail message to "sfnatldc," or by written report (form available
from our legislative office) to SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global
Security, attn.: Burt Glass, 1819 H Street, NW, Suite 640,
Washington, D.C., 20006-3603.

TOP PRIORITY: NUCLEAR TESTING MORATORIUM

     Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-OR) may offer a nuclear testing
moratorium amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill
before the Senate Appropriations Committee as soon as Wednesday
(July 22). The vote will be extremely close.

     The following Senators serve on the Appropriations
Committee, in order of seniority: Democrats - Byrd (*), Inouye
(*), Hollings, Johnston (*), Burdick, Leahy, Sasser, DeConcini,
Bumpers, Lautenberg, Harkin, Mikulski, Reid, Adams, Fowler,
Kerrey; Republicans - Hatfield, Stevens, Garn (*), Cochran,
Kasten (*), D'Amato (*), Rudman, Specter, Domenici, Nickles,
Gramm (TX), Bond (*), Gorton (*). (Senators marked by asterisks
should be targeted for calls.)

     If the amendment loses, or is not offered, Hatfield is
expected to offer it before the full Senate for a vote, perhaps
as early as Friday. The House already has amended its version of
the Energy and Water Appropriations bill to include a one-year
testing moratorium.

     Regardless of what occurs in the Appropriations Committee,
Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), chair of the Armed Services Committee, is
expected to offer a watered-down version of a moratorium as part
of the Senate Defense Authorization bill, to be considered by his
committee beginning this Wednesday or Thursday. The full Senate
will consider the defense bill in two to three weeks, just prior
to the August recess.

     And on Thursday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
finally will hold hearings on S. 2064, the Nuclear Testing
Moratorium Act, the bill on which the Energy and Water
Appropriations amendment is based. The hearings will help
generate momentum and publicity behind the moratorium, but it is
doubtful the committee will act further on the bill.
     ACTION: If your Senator serves on the Appropriations
Committee (listed above), please call him/her immediately and
urge him/her to support the Hatfield amendment. Oregon activists
should call Hatfield and thank him for his leadership on this
issue.

UPDATE: SENATE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

      The fiscal 1993 Defense Authorization Bill, S. 2629, is
expected to come to the Senate floor for a vote prior to the
August recess. Possible amendments to the defense authorization
bill include:

     * Strategic Defense Initiative: Sen. Bennett Johnston (D-LA)
may offer an amendment to reduce SDI funding. Sen. Dale Bumpers
(D-AR) is expected to offer an amendment to reduce SDI funding to
about $3.0 billion.

     * B-2 "Stealth Bomber": Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) may offer an
amendment terminating new production of the B-2 bomber after
completion of the 15 planes funded before FY 1992.

     * Troops Overseas: Sen. Harris Wofford (D-PA) is expected to
offer an amendment to limit U.S. troops stationed in Europe to no
more than 100,000 by 1995, about 50,000 less than planned by the
Bush Administration.

     ACTION: Call your Senators today and urge them to support
the Johnston, Leahy, Bumpers and Wofford amendments to the Senate
defense authorization bill.

UPDATE: SOUTH AFRICA

     Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL), with Senators Pell, Cranston and
Kennedy, submitted a new non-binding resolution criticizing the
recent killings in South Africa and urging the South African
government to "take effective steps to end the violence and
protect all South African citizens regardless of race, color or
creed."

     The bill (Senate Resolution 301) was referred last month to
the Foreign Relations Committee.

UPDATE: ARMS SALES TO INDONESIA

     Reacting to the continuing Indonesian atrocities against
East Timor, the House voted last month to stop funding the
Indonesian military, and now the Senate is expected to take up
the issue this week.

     The Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee
will mark up its annual spending bill this week, and in so doing
will consider whether to adopt the House position on military aid
to Indonesia as well as the questions of commercial and
government sales to that country. During fiscal 1992, the United
States delivered $116 million in commercial military weaponry to
Indonesia and signed $15 million in new weapons sales agreements.

     ACTION: Call subcommittee chair Pat Leahy (D-VT) or Foreign
Relations Committee chair Claiborne Pell (D-RI) and urge to
follow the House lead and stop military aid to Indonesia.

7-21-92


** End of text from cdp:sf.lobby **