Possible House vote on Colombia this week
Friends --
We have been specifically requested to make sure that Senators Kennedy and Kerry sign on to the Senate letter. It should be a no-brainer for them but they need to hear from us.
-- Cathy Crumbley (Colombia Vive)
--Avi Chomsky (North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee)

July 12, 2004
Take Action!

Senate Letter on protecting Human Rights Defenders, Labor Leaders needs signatures! Possible House vote on Colombia this week!

Help the Senate send a strong message on human rights to Colombian President Uribe. Please call your senators' offices (202-224-3121) before July 22nd and ask to speak with the foreign policy aide.
Sample message: "I am a constituent from ___ and I am calling to urge Senator ___ to sign the dear colleague letter on human rights in Colombia that is being circulated by Senators Feingold and Dodd. It is important for the US Congress to send a strong message to Colombia in support of human rights and the Colombian citizens who defend them. I hope Senator ___ can sign this important letter before it closes on July 22nd."



Dear Colombia Advocates,

We knew from the beginning that changing US policy toward Colombia would not be easy. We've worked hard, and there will be more to do through the end of July, when Congress leaves for the August recess. Keep up the great work! The foreign aid bill continues to move forward, and there may be an amendment offered on Colombia when the bill reaches the House floor later this week. There's also an important Colombia letter circulating in the Senate which closes next week, and we need your help urgently to send a strong message on human rights! Please take a few minutes this week for these important actions:


1. Senate Letter to President Uribe: Take Action by July 22nd!
Senators Feingold (D-WI) and Dodd (D-CT) are currently collecting signatures for a letter that will be sent to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. We need your help before July 22nd to ensure that this important letter gets a lot of signatures in the Senate! Even senators who usually support US policy in Colombia should be able to sign on. If you've been frustrated by your senator's record on Colombia, this is your chance to push him or her in the right direction. As of Monday, July 12, the following senators had already signed the letter: Feingold, Dodd, Leahy (D-VT), Murray (D-WA) and Durbin (D-IL).

The letter urges President Uribe to comply with UN recommendations on human rights, including breaking ties between the Colombian military and brutal paramilitary groups. It also expresses concerns over continued threats and attacks against union leaders, human rights and peace workers, and journalists. To see the full text of the letter, go to www.lawg.org/docs/colombiadearcolleague0630_1.pdf (this is a pdf document).

ACTION: Before July 22, please call your senators and urge them to sign the dear colleague letter on Colombia that is being circulated by Senators Feingold and Dodd . See above for a sample message. Most offices may never even see the letter if you don't bring it to their attention.

Contact Info: Call the congressional switchboard in Washington at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected, or find your senators' state office numbers by going to www.senate.gov. You should ask to speak with the foreign policy aide. Leaving a voice mail is fine-- remember to leave your phone number so they can return the call!

Why is this important? Votes are not the only way we can help change policy. A large number of signers on this letter will send a strong message in support of human rights to President Uribe and give badly needed support to our friends and colleagues in Colombia who are working each day for peace and justice. Please add your voice to this effort!

2. Update on House Foreign Aid Bill Debate: Another Possible Amendment This Week! Rep. Sam Farr offered an amendment last Friday, when the 2005 foreign aid bill was debated before the House Appropriations Committee, which would have limited US troop presence in Colombia. Reps. Farr (D-CA), Kennedy (D-RI), and Lowey (D-NY) all spoke in support of the amendment-- please thank them if you live in one of their districts! Reps. Kolbe (R-AZ) and Lewis (R-CA) spoke against it, but raised procedural issues with the amendment, rather than directly supporting an increase in US troops in Colombia. The amendment was voted on by voice vote only, and the chair declared that the nays had won-- the amendment was defeated. There was no vote count taken. But the process, as always, is not over yet: It is likely that another, similar amendment will be offered when the full House debates the foreign aid bill later this week or early next week. Please keep an eye out for another alert in the next few days. We may need your help mobilizing for a full House vote!

Thank you for everything you do in the name of a more just and humane US policy in Colombia-- and keep it up!

Best,
Elanor