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Action Alert! New Amendment to Prot (r)



Subject: Action Alert! New Amendment to Protect Local Democracy From WTO &

NAFTA
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Action Alert! New Amendment to Protect Local Democracy From WTO

=============================================================
July 23, 1999

1. Help Defend State and Local Democracy From the WTO & NAFTA
2. Background
3. What to ask your Member of Congress
4. How Your Member of Congress Voted Last Year
=============================================================

1. Help Defend State and Local Democracy From the WTO & NAFTA

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) plan to
shortly introduce an amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State
Appropriations Bill in Congress that would protect important state and
local laws from challenges at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and under
the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Last year, this amendment narrowly failed to pass the House on a close vote
of 200 in favor and 228 opposed.

Let's make sure we win the 15-18 additional votes to make this amendment
pass Congress this year! 

Call or write your Member of Congress today and ask them to co-sponsor the
Kucinich/Ros-Lehtinen amendment and vote in favor of it when it reaches the
House floor.

This year, a vote is expected on the House floor in the first week of August.

====================================================
2. Background

The amendment would protect state and local lawmaking by denying funding
for federal legal challenges to any state, local or tribal law that is
inconsistent with any international trade or investment agreement.
Pursuant to the General Agreement on Trade & Tariffs (GATT) and the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) implementing legislation, the U.S.
federal government is obligated to pursue every means, including a federal
legal suit, to have repealed state and local laws that are inconsistent
with the WTO agreements. The Kucinich/Ros-Lehtinen amendment simply denies
funds for those legal challenges in federal court.

In the past two years, foreign corporations and governments have challenged
several important state and local laws that support human rights, preserve
the environment, or protect consumers.

** Human Rights **

The European Union and Japan challenged the Massachusetts law that
effectively bars the state from awarding contracts to companies that do
business with the military junta that rules Burma. This challenge seeks to
revoke the right of citizens to ensure that their tax dollars do not go to

companies that support dictatorships - a key legacy of the anti-apartheid
campaign.

If successful, this challenge could stop cities from boycotting Swiss banks
that hoard the assets of Holocaust survivors or companies that engage in
employment discrimination in Northern Ireland or Tibet.

** Environment **

In California, a Canadian chemical company - Methanex -- is challenging a
state law prohibiting the use of a harmful gasoline additive (MTBE), on the
grounds that the Canadian company will lose future profits as a result of
the ban.  The California ban is intended to prevent the poisoning of
drinking water.

** Consumer Protection **

In Mississippi, Canadian-based Loewen Group, a major funeral conglomerate,
was the defendant in a Mississippi lawsuit involving allegations of
fraudulent and malicious business practices.  After a trial highlighting
how the conglomerate had set out to ruin a local small business, the jury
found Loewen liable and awarded huge damages to the plaintiff, a local
funeral home and insurance operator. Loewen ultimately settled the case for
$150 million.

Now, Loewen is claiming that the Mississippi state court award constituted
a violation of the investor rights and protections granted by NAFTA. Loewen
is seeking hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars in compensation.

Supporters

In 1998, the amendment was endorsed by, B'nai B'rith, TransAfrica, American
Cause, Pat Buchanan, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Free Burma Coalition,
American Jewish Congress, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, Ralph Nader, The
Africa Fund, Citizens Trade Campaign, US Business and Industry Council and
many other groups.  It nearly passed, with a vote of 200-228.

====================================================
3. What to ask your Member of Congress

Simply call or write your Member of Congress and ask that they:

a) co-sponsor the Kucinich/Ros-Lehtinen amendment and 
b) vote on favor of the amendment when it reaches the House floor in early
August

Call your Member of Congress toll-free at (888) 449-3511.

Make sure you contact your Member of Congress before the first week of August.

But remember faxing a letter has more impact than a single phone call. If
you write, personalize your letter: describe your roots in your Member's
district and explain why you are particularly concerned by the WTO/NAFTA
challenges to state and local laws.

Send a copy of your letter to Rep. Dennis Kucinich at:

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5745 -fax

====================================================
4. How Your Member of Congress Voted Last Year

Please find below how your Member of Congress voted on the Kucinich
amendment last year.

For more details, again check the Congressional Record for August 5, 1998
online at <http://thomas.loc.gov/home/r105query.html>.  The Kucinich
amendment is amendment #49 to the DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND
STATE, AND JUDICIARY, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999 

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 401

H R 4276     RECORDED VOTE      5-AUG-1998 AUTHOR(S): Kucinich of Ohio
Amendment QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Amendment


By Party: AYES-NOES-NOT VOTING

REPUBLICAN: 71-153-4 
DEMOCRATIC: 128-75-3 
INDEPENDENT: 1-0-0

TOTALS 200-228-7

--- AYES    200 --- 

Abercrombie (D-HI)  Ackerman (D-NY)  Aderholt (R-AL)  Andrews (D-NJ) Bachus
(R-AL)  Baesler (D-KY)  Baldacci (D-ME)  Barcia (D-MI)  Barr (R-GA) Barrett
(D-WI)  Bartlett (R-MD)  Becerra (D-CA)  Berman (D-CA)  Bishop (D-GA)
Bonior (D-MI)  Borski (D-PA)  Boucher(D-VA)  Boyd (D-FL)  Brady (R-TX)
Brown (D-FL)  Brown (D-OH)  Bunning (R-KY)  Burton (R-IN)  Canady (R-FL)
Capps (D-CA)  Carson (D-IN)  Chabot (R-OH)  Chenoweth (R-ID)  Clay (D-MO)
Clayton (D-NC)  Clyburn (D-SC)  Condit (D-CA)  Conyers (D-MI)  Costello
(D-IL)  Coyne (D-PA)  Cramer (D-AL)  Crapo (R-ID)  Cummings (D-MD) Danner
(D-MO) Davis (D-IL)  DeFazio (D-OR)  Delahunt (D-MA)  Deutsch (D-FL)
Diaz-Balart (R-FL) DeGette (D-CO)  DeLauro (D-CT)  Dixon (D-CA)  Doggett
(D-TX)  Doolittle (R-CA) Doyle (D-PA)  Duncan (R-Tn)  Emerson (R-MO)
Ensign (R-NV)  Engel (D-NY) Evans (D-IL) Farr (D-CA)  Fattah (D-PA)  Filner
(D-CA)  Forbes (R-NY) Fowler (R-FL)  Fox (D-PA)  Frank (D-MA)  Franks
(R-NJ)  Furse (D-OR) Gephardt (D-MO)  Gibbons (R-NV)  Gilchrest (R-MD)
Gillmor (R-OH)  Gilman (R-NY)  Goode (D-VA)  Goodling (R-PA)  Gordon (D-TN)
Graham (R-SC)  Green (D-TX)  Gutierrez (D-IL) Gutknecht (R-MN)  Hall
(D-TX)  Hastings (D-FL) Hayworth (R-AZ) Hefley (R-CO)  Hefner (D-NC)
Hilleary (R-TN)  Hinchey (D-NY)  Hilliard (D-AL) Holden (D-PA)  Hunter
(R-CA)  Inglis (R-SC)  Istook (R-OK)  Jackson (D-IL) Jenkins (R-TN)
Johnson (D-WI)  Jones (R-NC)  Kaptur (D-OH)  Kelly (R-NY) Kennedy (D-RI)
Kennedy (D-MA)  Kildee (D-MI)  Kilpatrick (D-MI)  King (R-NY) Kleczka
(D-WI)  Klink (D-PA)  Klug (R-WI)  Kucinich (D-OH)  Lantos (D-CA) La
Tourette (R-OH)  Lee (D-TX)  Lewis (D-GA)  LoBiondo (R-NJ)  Lucas (R-OK)
Maloney (D-NY)  Manton (D-NY)  Markey (D-MA)  Mascara (D-PA)  McCarthy
(D-NY)  McDade (R-PA)  McGovern (D-MA)  McHugh (R-NY)   McIntosh (R-IN)
McIntyre (D-NC)  McKinney (D-GA)   McNulty (D-NY)   Meehan (D-MA)  Meek
(D-FL)  Meeks (D-NY)  Menendez (D-NJ)  Metcalf (R-WA)   Mica (R-FL)
Millender-McDonald (D-CA)  Miller (D-CA)   Mink (D-HI)   Mollohan (D-WV)
Murtha (D-PA)  Nadler (D-NY)  Nethercutt (R-WA)  Neumann (R-WI)  Ney (R-OH)
Oberstar (D-MN)  Obey (R-WI)  Owens (D-NY)  Pallone (D-NJ)  Pappas (R-NJ)
Pascrell (D-NJ)  Pastor (D-AZ)  Paul (R-TX)  Payne (D-NJ)  Pelosi (D-CA)
Peterson (D-MN)   Pombo (R-CA)  Pomeroy (D-ND)  Poshard (D-IL)  Quinn
(R-NY) Radanovich (R-CA)  Rahall (D-WV)  Rangel (D-NY)  Riley (R-AL)
Rivers (D-MI) Rodriguez (D-TX)  Rohrabacher (R-CA)  Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Rothman (D-NJ) Roybal-Allard (D-CA)  Rush (D-IL)  Sanders (I-VT)  Saxton
(R-NJ) Scarborough (R-FL)  Schaffer, Bob (R-CO)  Schumer (D-NY)  Serrano
(D-NY) Shaw (R-FL)  Sherman (D-CA)  Smith (R-MI)  Smith (R-NJ)  Smith,
Linda (R-WA) Spence (R-SC)  Stabenow (D-MI)  Stark (D-CA)  Stearns (R-FL)
Stokes (D-OH) Strickland (D-OH)  Stupak (D-MI)  Taylor (D-MS)  Thurman
(D-FL)  Tierney (D-MA) Torres (D-CA)  Towns (D-NY)  Traficant (D-OH)
Velazquez (D-NY)  Visclosky (D-IN) Walsh (R-NY)  Wamp (R-TN)  Waters (D-CA)
Watkins (R-OK)  Watts (R-OK) Waxman (D-MA)  Weldon (R-PA)  Wexler (D-FL)

Wise (D-WV)  Wolf (R-VA) Woolsey (D-CA)


--- NOES    228 ---

Allen (D-ME)  Archer  (R-TX)  Armey  (R-TX)  Baker (R-LA)  Ballenger (R-NC)
Barrett (R-NE)   Barton (R-TX)  Bass (R-NH)  Bateman (R-VA)  Bentsen (D-TX)
Bereuter (R-NE)  Berry (D-AR)  Bilbray (R-CA)  Bilirakis (R-FL)
Blagojevich (D-IL)  Bliley (R-VA)  Blumenauer (D-OR)  Blunt (R-MO) Boehlert
(R-NY)  Boehner (R-OH)  Bonilla (R-TX)  Bono (R-CA)  Boswell (D-IA)  Brady
(R-TX)  Brown (D-CA) Bryant (R-TN)  Burr (R-NC)  Buyer (R-IN)  Callahan
(R-AL)  Calvert (R-CA) Camp (R-MI)  Campbell (R-CA)  Cannon (R-UT)  Cardin
(D-MD)  Castle (R-DE) Chambliss (R-GA)  Christensen (R-NE)  Clement (D-TN)
Coble (R-NC)  Coburn (R-OK)  Collins (R-GA)  Combest (R-TX)  Cook (R-UT)
Cooksey (R-LA)  Cox (R-CA) Crane (R-IL)  Cubin (R-WY)   Davis (D-FL)  Davis
(R-VA)  Deal (R-GA)  DeLay (R-TX)  Dickey (R-AR)  Dicks (D-WA)  Dingell
(D-MI)  Dooley (D-CA)   Dreier (R-CA) Dunn (R-WA)  Edwards (D-TX)  Ehlers
(R-MI)  Ehrlich (R-MD)  English (R-PA) Eshoo (D-CA)  Etheridge (D-NC)
Everett (R-AL)  Ewing (R-IL)  Fawell (R-IL) Fazio (D-CA)  Foley (R-FL)
Ford (D-TN)  Fossella (R-NY)  Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)  Frost (D-TX)  Gallegly
(R-CA)  Ganske (R-IA)  Gejdenson (D-CT) Gekas (R-PA)  Gingrich (R-GA)
Goodlatte (R-VA)  Goss (R-FL)  Granger (R-TX)  Greenwood (R-PA)  Hall
(D-OH)  Hamilton (D-IN)  Hansen (R-UT) Harman (D-CA)  Hastert (R-IL)
Hastings (R-WA)  Herger (R-CA)  Hill (R-MT) Hinojosa (D-TX)  Hobson (R-OH)
Hoekstra (R-MI)  Hooley (D-OR)  Horn (R-CA) Hostettler (R-IN)  Houghton
(R-NY)  Hoyer (D-MD)  Hulshof (R-MO) Hutchinson (R-AR)  Hyde (R-IL)
Jackson-Lee (D-TX)  Jefferson (D-LA)  John (D-LA)  Johnson (R-CT)  Johnson,
E. B. (D-TX) Johnson, Sam (R-TX)  Kanjorski (D-PA)  Kasich (R-OH)  Kennelly
(D-CT)  Kim (R-CA)  Kind (D-WI)  Klug (R-WI)  Knollenberg (R-MI)  Kolbe
(R-AZ) LaFalce (D-NY) LaHood (R-IL)  Lampson (D-TX)  Largent (R-OK)  Latham
(R-IA)  Lazio (R-NY) Leach (R-IA)  Levin (D-MI)  Lewis (R-CA)  Lewis (R-KY)
Linder (R-GA) Livingston (R-LA)  Lofgren (D-CA)  Lowey (D-NY)  Luther
(D-MN)  Maloney (D-CT)  Manzullo (R-IL)  Martinez (D-CA)  Matsui (D-CA)
McCarthy (D-MO) McCollum (R-FL)  McCrery (R-LA)  McDermott (D-WA)  McHale
(D-PA)  McInnis (R-CO)  McKeon (R-CA)  Miller (R-FL)  Minge (D-MN)  Moran
(R-KS)  Moran (D-VA)  Morella (R-MD) Myrick (R-NC)  Neal (D-MA)  Northup
(R-KY)  Norwood (R-GA)  Nussle (R-IA) Olver (D-MA)  Ortiz (D-TX)  Oxley
(R-OH)  Packard (R-CA)  Parker (R-MS) Paxon (R-NY)  Pease (R-IN)  Peterson
(R-PA)  Petri (R-WI)  Pickering (R-MS) Pickett (D-VA)  Pitts (R-PA)  Porter
(R-IL)  Portman (R-OH)  Price (D-NC) Pryce (R-OH)  Ramstad (R-MN)  Redmond
Regula (R-OH)  Reyes (D-TX)  Riggs (R-CA)  Roemer (D-IN)  Rogan (R-CA)
Rogers (R-KY)  Roukema (R-NJ)  Royce (R-CA) Ryun (R-KS)  Sabo (D-MN)
Salmon (R-AZ)  Sanchez (D-CA)  Sandlin (D-TX) Sanford (R-SC)  Sawyer (D-OH)
Schaefer, Dan (R-CO)  Scott (D-VA) Sensenbrenner (R-WI)  Sessions (R-TX)
Shadegg (R-AZ)  Shays (R-CT) Shimkus (R-IL)   Shuster (R-PA)  Sisisky
(D-VA)  Skaggs (D-CO)  Skeen (R-NM)  Skelton (D-MO)  Slaughter (D-NY)
Smith (R-TX)  Smith, Adam (D-WA) Snowbarger (R-KS) Snyder (D-AR)  Solomon
(R-NY)  Souder (R-IN)  Spratt (D-SC)  Stenholm (D-TX) Stump (R-AZ)  Sununu

(R-NH)  Talent (R-MO)  Tanner (D-TN)  Tauscher (D-CA) Tauzin (R-LA)  Taylor
(R-NC)  Thomas (R-CA)  Thompson (D-MS)  Thornberry (R-TX)  Thune (R-SD)
Tiahrt (R-KS)  Turner (D-TX)  Upton (R-MI)  Vento (D-MN)  Watt (D-NC)
Weldon (R-FL)  Weller (R-IL)  Weygand (D-RI)  White (R-WA)  Whitfield
(R-KY)  Wicker (R-MS)  Wilson (R-NM)  Wynn (D-MD) Young (R-AK)

--- NOT VOTING    7 ---

Cunningham (R-CA) Shuster (R-PA) Young (R-FL) Gonzalez (D-TX) Smith (R-OR)
Moakley (D-MA) Yates (D-IL)

===================================




Simon Billenness
Senior Analyst
Trillium Asset Management
711 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-6655, x225
(617) 482-6179 - fax
sbillenness@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

http://www.trilliuminvest.com/