NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #20/NN_1992_20.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/6470

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: FCNL Legis. Action Message 9/11/92
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/** fcnl.updates: 29.0 **/
** Topic: FCNL Legis. Action Message 9/11/92 **
** Written  2:35 pm  Sep 11, 1992 by fcnl in cdp:fcnl.updates **

      FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE -- [09/11/92]

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 6:00pm on Friday,
September 11.  Congress is entering its end-of-session
crunch, and the next couple of weeks will be crowded
with decisive votes on crucial issues.  Therefore,
this message is longer than usual, while the
descriptions are briefer.  If you need more
information, contact the FCNL office.  The topics
covered in this message are: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
RESTORATION ACT, MILITARY SPENDING AUTHORIZATION, F-15
SALE TO SAUDI ARABIA, LAND MINES MORATORIUM, and
FOREIGN AID APPROPRIATIONS.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT.  The House
Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights has
approved the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  The
bill now is supposed to go before the full House
Judiciary Committee.  However, subcommittee chair Rep.
Edwards CA, has indicated some reluctance to move the
bill along.  Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee
is expected to hold a hearing on S. 2969, the Senate
companion bill, in the very near future.

ACTION:  Please contact Rep. Edwards and urge him to
continue his support for H.R. 2797.  He needs to hear
from constituents in his California district, as well
as from across the country.  The number for his
district office is 408/247-1711, and his Washington
number is 202/225-3072.  Also please contact Rep.
Brooks TX and Sen. Biden DE, chairs of the House
Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee
respectively, and urge their leadership on H.R. 2797
and S. 2969.  Please continue to urge your own
representative and senators support the Religious
Freedom Restoration Act.

MILITARY SPENDING AUTHORIZATION.  Next week, the
Senate is expected to take up the Defense
Authorization for fiscal year 1993.  The first step
will be a vote to cut off debate and permit a vote on
the amendment by Senator Sasser TN to cut $1 billion
from SDI.  That will open the way for other amendments
to reduce military spending further.

ACTION:  Please urge your senators to support the
Sasser amendment to cut SDI spending, and to support
deep cuts in the 1993 Defense authorization, such as
amendments to cut funding for the B-2 Bomber, U.S.
troops abroad, Pentagon subsidies of arms bazaars.

F-15 SALE TO SAUDI ARABIA.  President Bush announced
today his plan to sell up to 72 advanced F-15 fighter-
bombers to Saudi Arabia.  He said that this sale will
protect thousands of McDonnell Douglas jobs and jobs
of subcontractors.  For a detailed answer to this
false claim, please send a self addressed stamped
envelope to the FCNL and request document G-239-FOR.

ACTION:  Congress has 30 days within which it can vote
to disapprove the F-15 sale.  Please urge your members
of Congress to take strong initiatives to disapprove
the sale, because it will be an obstacle to arms
control.  Also, point out that the jobs claims have
been highly inflated.

LAND MINES MORATORIUM.  Next week Rep. Evans IL will
introduce legislation to stop the U.S. development,
production, and sale of land mines.  He is seeking as
many co-sponsors as possible by Tuesday, September 15.
For details about the issue, please request FCNL
document G-219-FOR.

ACTION:  Please contact your representative on Monday
or Tuesday to urge her or him to call Rep. Evans and
sign on as a co-sponsor of the land mines moratorium.

FOREIGN AID APPROPRIATIONS.  The Foreign Operations
Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee is
expected to vote on the foreign aid bill on Tuesday,
September 15.  The full Appropriations Committee may
then vote on the bill as soon as Thursday, September
17.  Action on the floor of the Senate must take place
this month.

The foreign aid legislation, which was passed by the
House of Representatives in late June, has numerous
provisions, including aid for Central America, Africa,
and Israel.

ACTION ON AID TO CENTRAL AMERICA:  Please urge your
senators to support the following: (1) assist the
rebuilding of El Salvador through the transfer of U.S.
military aid into the Demobilization and Transition
Fund, and (2) grant, without restrictive conditions,
the full amount of aid ($190 million) which the
administration has requested for Nicaragua.

ACTION ON AID TO AFRICA:  Ask your senators to support
the $80 million, one-time appropriation earmarked for
drought relief in Africa (already appropriated by the
House of Representatives).

ACTION ON LOAN GUARANTEES FOR ISRAEL:  Urge your
senators to include the following conditions on loan
guarantees to Israel: (1) a freeze on Israeli
settlement activity, (2) official Israeli affirmation
of UN Resolution 242, the land-for-peace formula, and
(3) no forced expropriation of land or displacement of
existing communities in Israel or the Occupied
Territories.

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 **