NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #16/NN_1992_16.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/5451

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: SANE/FREEZE LEGISLATIVE REPORT July 27, 1992
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/** sf.lobby: 102.0 **/
** Topic: S/F Legislative Report 7-27-92 **
** Written 10:40 am  Jul 28, 1992 by sfnatldc in cdp:sf.lobby **
SANE/FREEZE:CGS WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE REPORT
For The Week Of July 27, 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

     Good News! The nuclear testing moratorium act, S. 2064, has
picked up another co-sponsor, Sen. Bob Kerry (D-NE). The big list
now stands at 53 co-sponsors.

     Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-OR) was expected to offer S. 2064 as
an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill before
the Senate Appropriations committee earlier this week. However,
believing that, when push came to shove, he would not have the
votes to win in committee, Hatfield held back from offering the
amendment.

     Hatfield now is prepared to offer the amendment when it
reaches the full Senate floor. The House already has amended its
version of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill to include a
one-year testing moratorium.

     THE SKINNY: In an effort to secure the passage of the Senate
energy bill, the bill's floor manager, Sen. J. Bennett Johnston
(D-LA), attached the energy (authorization) bill to the Energy
and Water Appropriations bill, the legislative vehicle for S.
2064 on the Senate floor. Problems surrounding the energy bill,
including a conflict of interest dealing with health care
payments for retired unionized coal miners, are now beginning to
plague the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, thus keeping the
bill from coming to the floor. With this delay, the bill is
expected to be voted upon on the floor no earlier than Thursday.

     THE SKINNY NO. 2: Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), chair of the Armed
Services Committee, is expected to offer a watered-down version
of a moratorium to the Senate defense authorization bill once it
reaches the Senate floor. The full Senate will consider the
defense bill in two to three weeks, just prior to the August
recess.

     ACTION: If your Senator is currently a co-sponsor of S.
2064, please call him/her immediately and urge him/her to vote
for the amendment; Many of their votes cannot be taken for
granted. Nebraska activists should call Kerry and thank him for
his support on this issue.

UPDATE: SENATE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

     SENATE ARMED SERVICES ACTION: In a vote of 17-3, the Senate
Armed Services committee on July 24 approved its defense
authorization bill. The bill would result in an overall defense
budget of $274.5 billion, $3.5 billion more than the bill's House
counterpart that was passed in June.

     Funds authorized by the Senate committee bill include $4.3
billion for SDI, the same amount approved by the House, and $2.7
billion to buy four addition B-2s, bringing the total number of
planes approved to 20.

      FULL SENATE ACTION: 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 tell them that as it
stands now, the authorized defense budget is way too high. Urge
them to support the Johnston, Leahy, Bumpers and Wofford
amendments to the Senate defense authorization bill.

UPDATE: WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT (WIPP) VOTE

     After a lengthy deadlock, the House on July 21 finally
approved H.R. 2637, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdraw
act by a vote of 382-10 - leading the way for the facility's
opening.

     Prior to the vote, the House rejected a strong amendment to
the bill by Rep. Bill Richardson (D-NM) that would have prevented
any waste from being placed in WIPP before DOE achieved
compliance with EPA's final radioactive waste standards (which
have yet to be issued). Opponents argued that compliance cannot
be achieved without placing some waste within WIPP to conduct
tests, and that adequate safeguards are already in place. The
amendment was defeated by a 148-253 vote.

THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET: OPINIONS ON U.S./IRAQ RELATIONS

     As the United States-Iraqi conflict makes its way back to
the front page, both Presidential candidate Bill Clinton and his
Vice-Presidential running mate Al Gore have appeared to take a
tough-guy stance toward Saddam Hussein.

     After receiving several calls questioning this position and
in an effort to gauge public opinion on the issue of whether or
not the U.S. should once again use force against Iraq, Clinton's
campaign headquarters in Little Rock has started to keep a tally
of the for/against phone calls they receive. It is speculated
that the results of such a tally could have an impact on
Clinton's approach to the issue.

     ACTION: Please call Clinton's campaign headquarters in
Little Rock and let it be known that you oppose the use of force
against Iraq. The number at the campaign office is 501-372-1992.

UPDATE: ARMS SALES TO PAKISTAN

     On Thursday, Foreign Relations will hold a hearing on
whether government-licensed commercial military sales to Pakistan
violates the Pressler amendment's prohibition on aid to Pakistan
due to its nuclear weapons program. Those present will include
Sen. John Glenn (D-OH) and former arms control negotiator Ralph
Earle II.

7-27-92


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