NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18/NN_1992_18.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/5798

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: FCNL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- 08/14/92
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/** fcnl.updates: 22.0 **/
** Topic: FCNL Legislative Action Msg 8/14 **
** Written  3:10 pm  Aug 14, 1992 by fcnl in cdp:fcnl.updates **

           FCNL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- 08/14/92

This is the Friends Committee on National Legislation,
with updated legislative information.  To speak with a
staff member, call [phone].

This message was prepared at 6:00 p.m. on Friday,
August 14.  It contains information and action
suggestions on the following subjects:  CONGRESS'S
RECESS; FOREIGN AID; MILITARY SPENDING, and the
CONFLICTS IN YUGOSLAVIA AND SOMALIA.  Because Congress
will not be in session, this message will not be
updated until Friday, September 11 -- UNLESS critical
and unforeseen events require urgent action.
Therefore, this message is longer than usual.

CONGRESS'S RECESS.  Both Houses adjourned on August
12, and are expected to reconvene on September 8.
Most members will be in their home districts at least
part of this time.  We urge you to use this
opportunity to visit your representative and/or
senators to express your concerns directly to them
about the following issues -- issues Congress will
face in September.  Whenever possible, organize a
small delegation of like-minded people drawn from
various segments of your community.

FOREIGN AID.  In late June, the House of
Representatives passed their foreign aid legislation.
The total appropriation of $13.8 billion was the
lowest foreign aid bill since 1977.  The Senate
Appropriations Committee and then the full Senate will
take up their version of the bill in September.  FCNL
calls your attention to two particular sections: aid
to Central America and aid to Africa.

ACTION:  Urge your senators to support these measures
on aid to Central America: 1) assist the rebuilding of
El Salvador through the transfer of funds that
formerly supported the military into the
Demobilization and Transition Fund, and 2) grant the
full amount of aid ($190 million) which the
administration has requested for Nicaragua.  For more
information, request document L-231-FOR from FCNL.

     In addition, senators should be asked to assist
the victims of drought and war in Africa by approving
special funds for Africa in this year's foreign aid
bill.  For more information, request document G-227-
FOR from FCNL.

SENATE MILITARY SPENDING AUTHORIZATION BILL:

Your strong grassroots messages to senators for
reduced military spending and to stop funding SDI, the
B-2 bomber, and to bring U.S. armed forces home have
begun to take effect.  Something unusual occurred in
the Senate the week of August 10th.  Advocates of
military spending reductions and deep cuts in big
weapons systems won a victory.  The Senate events are
too complex to report in this space.  In short, the
first amendment to the DoD Authorization bill which
called for cuts in SDI (Star Wars), from $4.3 to $3.3.
billion, picked up momentum and threatened to pass.
An effort to derail it by a tabling amendment failed
43 - 49.  This signaled that the entire Armed Services
Committee bill could suffer weakening amendments.
Subsequently, this Senate military authorization bill
was withdrawn from consideration until September -- or
it may not be taken up at all.

ACTION:  Senators will return in September to this
same military spending authorization.  During the
August congressional recess, please reenforce your
previous messages:  the Cold War is over; the Soviet
Union is gone; cut military spending now; stop SDI;
stop the B-2; bring U.S. troops home; put military
savings into peace conversion, into human needs and
into deficit reduction.

CONFLICTS IN YUGOSLAVIA AND SOMALIA:

Armed conflicts ravage Somalia and Yugoslavia.  Masses
of civilians face hunger, malnutrition, and
starvation, as well as violent death.  Children and
aging people are the most vulnerable.   The senseless
killing and suffering follow the terrible logic of
ethnic bigotry, nationalist pride, religious
intolerance, and avenging of historical injustices.
In these complex situations, good and evil abide on
all sides of conflict.  We cannot sort out the parties
to the conflict into victims and executioners.  Taking
sides will not make things better.

At the same time, evil and brutal acts of violence and
tragic human consequences are real.  We cannot ignore
them; we should not stand aside.  Engaging either of
these conflicts in timely and helpful ways perplexes
us all, especially governments and international
authorities.  Good intentions will not be sufficient.
Quick action can aid or do additional harm.  The moral
imperative to do something is clear.  What to do that
will be moral and effective is not clear.  We have no
ready solutions at hand and are humbled by the
challenge these conflicts present those in authority.

We offer these queries for policy makers considering
what actions to take in Somalia or Yugoslavia:

o    Enemy Images:  does the problem definition on
     which the policy action is based avoid enemy
     images and seek justice and protection of
     civilians on all sides of the conflict?

o    De-escalate the conflict:  does the action
     proposed create conditions to de-escalate the
     armed conflict?

o    Taking Sides:  Can the UN be a peacemaker if it
     becomes a party to the military conflict?  Is the
     action to be taken consistent with the role of
     peacemaker?

o    Conflict Resolution:  Does your action raise up
     and use intensive diplomatic and political
     contact with all parties to the conflict?

o    Humanitarian Aid:  Have you kept humanitarian
     actions separate from political and military
     agendas?

o    Options of Last Resort:  Military action in
     Somalia or Yugoslavia may be seen as necessary,
     but can this option of last resort deliver the
     promise of saving civilians from the violence and
     an end to the conflict?

o    Seeking Wisdom:  Is the action guided by
     political expediency or by truth.

For FCNL's general document on the conflict in
Yugoslavia, request G-235-FOR.  Also, the American
Friends Service Committee has an excellent talking
points memo and article, "The Unraveling of
Yugoslavia."

During the months of August, September, and October,
Ruth Flower, FCNL's legislative secretary for domestic
issues, will be on sabbatical leave.  FCNL staff will
continue to monitor domestic issues in Ruth's absence,
and we will respond to your inquiries.

This concludes our message.  For more information,
please write to the Friends Committee on National
Legislation, 245 Second St., NE, Washington, DC 20002.
To follow these and related issues on a regular basis,
subscribe to the FCNL WASHINGTON NEWSLETTER.  Send $25
to the above address and receive 11 issues per year.

** End of text from cdp:fcnl.updates **