FCNL: Legislative Action Message (fwd)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 13:01:31 -0500
From: "Kathleen J. Wininger" <wininger@usm.maine.edu>
To: chapkis@usm.maine.edu
Subject: FCNL: Legislative Action Message

>                 FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE  April 15, 1999
>
>The following are updates and action suggestions from the Friends
>Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) for the coming week.
>These messages focus on selected legislation which Congress is
>considering now, and suggest some points that you may wish to
>make in your communications with Congress.  These messages are
>intended as a supplement to other FCNL materials and do not
>reflect FCNL's complete policy position on any issue, nor do they
>include all pertinent facts on any topic.
>This update was prepared and uploaded at 4:00 pm on Thursday,
>April 15.  It includes information and action suggestions on
>THE WAR IN SERBIA AND KOSOVO, MILITARY SPENDING AND BUDGET
>PRIORITIES
>
>THE WAR IN SERBIA AND KOSOVO:  On April 12, Rep. Campbell (CA)
>introduced two resolutions in the House, H.Con. Res. 82 and H.J.
>Res. 44 under the provisions of the "War Powers Resolution of
>1973."  (Copies of the resolutions have been posted on FCNL's
>website at <http://www.fcnl.org/kosres82.htm> and
><http://www.fcnl.org/kosres44.htm>.  Copies of resolutions 82 and
>44 may also be obtained by calling FCNL and requesting documents
>no. R-949-FOR and R-948-FOR, respectively.)
>
>H. Con. Res. 82, would direct the President "to remove United
>States Armed Forces from their positions in connection with the
>present operations against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
>within 30 days after the passage of this resolution or within
>such longer period as may be necessary to effectuate their safe
>withdrawal."
>
>H.J. Res. 44 would, conversely, declare that a state of war
>exists between the U.S. and the Government of the Federal
>Republic of Yugoslavia.
>
>By introducing these resolutions, Rep. Campbell is attempting to
>assert the important role that Congress should play in matters of
>war.  In a democracy, the decision to wage war should not reside
>solely with the President.  The House is expected to debate and
>vote on Rep. Campbell's resolutions by the end of May.
>
>Meanwhile, the forces of the Yugoslav government continue to
>force ethnic Kosovo-Albanians from their homes and villages, and
>the U.S.-NATO bombing continues.  There are mounting reports of
>rape, murder, mass killings, and torture by President Milosevic's
>forces.  The civilian death toll from the NATO bombings is
>growing.  The violence threatens to spread into adjoining
>countries, and the NATO bombing poses a dangerous threat to
>cooperation between Russia, the U.S., and NATO.
>
>These actions have served only to harden hearts and close minds
>to the possibilities of a peaceful, just resolution to this
>conflict.  War is not the answer.  To prevent further death and
>destruction for the peoples of Kosovo and Serbia and to prevent a
>broader escalation of the war, Milosevic forces should return to
>their barracks, NATO should end its bombing, and all parties
>should begin negotiating under the auspices of the United Nations
>or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
>(OSCE).  Toward that end, FCNL supports the passage of H.Con.
>Res. 82, to cease U.S. participation in the NATO bombing.
>
>We urge President Clinton and the heads of other NATO states to
>end the bombing of Yugoslavia immediately.
>
>We call upon the United States government to work cooperatively
>and constructively with the UN Security Council and OSCE as they
>initiate steps to build peace in Kosovo.
>
>We urge the UN Security Council and OSCE to take the following
>steps.
>
>1. Renegotiate an immediate cease-fire in the civil war between
>the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and the Federal Republic of
>Yugoslavia.
>
>2. Return massive numbers of OSCE civilian monitors (or OSCE or
>UN peacekeepers, composed primarily of Russian and other non-NATO
>personnel) to Kosovo to protect civilians.  Disperse these
>monitors throughout the Kosovo region and maintain their presence
>until a political settlement is reached.
>
>3. Open a new political process within the framework of
>international law for parties to the conflict to negotiate a
>settlement.  Seek to ensure that eminent leaders of civil society
>institutions are represented as well as governing officials,
>military officers, and leaders of armed fighters.
>
>4. Immediately fund and begin radio and TV broadcasts to Serbia
>and Kosovo of objective, international reporting of events in
>Serbia and the Kosovo region.
>
>5. Hold accountable under international law all, without
>exception, who have committed crimes, war crimes, or crimes
>against humanity.
>
>ACTION: (1) Please contact your representative now and encourage
>her/him to vote for H. Con. Res. 82 and against H.J. Res. 44.
>Tell your representative that you support an immediate cease-
>fire, not continued U.S.-NATO bombing or a declaration of war.
>Explain that you believe that the U.S.-NATO bombing is not
>eliminating the suffering of the Kosovars; it is only causing
>more death and destruction.
>
>(2) Humanitarian support to the war victims is vitally needed.
>Please send contributions to the American Friends Service
>Committee project, Emergency Kits for Kosovars.  For information,
>contact Tom Moore, AFSC, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA
>19102; (215)241-7041.
>
>MILITARY SPENDING AND BUDGET PRIORITIES:   The House and Senate
>have both approved the FY2000 Budget Resolution.  The votes
>largely followed party lines.  This budget resolution lays out a
>blueprint for a massive shift in priorities from domestic
>programs to military spending and tax cuts.  Over the next five
>years this budget would increase military spending by $150
>billion, cut taxes by $142 billion,  and cut almost all other
>discretionary programs by a total of $231 billion below FY99
>appropriated levels.   This increase in military spending will
>devastate domestic and international programs.
>
>The budget resolution gives the Appropriations committees overall
>spending targets.  Each committee must decide specific
>allocations and cuts.  Appropriators could choose to cut military
>spending and to increase funding for key domestic programs.  In
>fact, several key appropriators have already expressed concern
>over finding adequate funding for non-military programs under the
>existing budget caps.
>
>ACTION:  Please contact your members of Congress, especially if
>they sit on Appropriations Committees.   Tell them that this
>budget endangers human security at home and abroad with its
>shortsighted increase in military spending and its devastating
>cuts in domestic spending.  Urge them to introduce or support
>legislation to reduce military spending.
>
>    CONTACTING LEGISLATORS:
>    Representative_____
>    House of Representatives
>    Washington, D.C. 20515.
>
>    Senator____
>    U.S. Senate
>    Washington, D.C. 20510
>
>    Capitol Switchboard: (202)224-3121.
>
>    Information on your members is available at
>    <http://congress.org/congdir.html>.