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FY2002 Supplemental Request Sets U.S. on Wrong Path say Forty-eight
National Organizations
April 23, 2002
Dear Member of Congress:
Soon you will be asked to vote on a $27 billion FY2002 supplemental
spending request from President Bush which we, the undersigned
groups, believe will set U.S. foreign policy on the wrong path
under the guise of a "global war on terrorism." Overwhelmingly
military in nature, this request will do little to reduce violence
and may actually undermine efforts to advance peace and security
in the long run. We urge you to oppose this FY2002 supplemental
appropriations proposal as written. At a minimum, the supplemental
request should:
- Maintain existing human rights conditions for countries
receiving foreign military aid. The request would remove or
override current restrictions on military aid to countries
with notoriously poor human rights records, such as Colombia
and Indonesia. In addition, the proposal attempts to circumvent
current congressional restrictions on security assistance
-- from human rights conditions to congressional notification
of weapons transfers -- by allowing aid to be provided "notwithstanding
any other provision of law." The "notwithstanding"
provision should be removed. The final legislation should
make clear that the Administration will be required to comply
with international and U.S. human rights standards and humanitarian
law.
- Maintain control of military foreign aid within the Department
of State. Funds administered by the Department of Defense
are not subject to the same restrictions or human rights conditions
as funds given through the Department of State. It is the
role of the State Department, not the Pentagon, to formulate
U.S. foreign policy and interpret it abroad. By channeling
millions of dollars in foreign aid through the Pentagon, President
Bush's supplemental request could undermine U.S. diplomatic
efforts by circumventing limits on U.S. military contact with
countries that systematically violate human rights, are corrupt,
or are not democratic.
- Address real humanitarian problems. The request provides
few resources to make good on President Bush's promise to
address terror by building hope and opportunity in poor countries.
It also contains very little support for long-term reconstruction
and multi-national peacekeeping efforts that will be necessary
to stabilize Afghanistan. For example, the request includes
only minimal assistance for programs to improve basic health,
education, agricultural development, infrastructure and governance.
Additionally, despite being recognized as a global health
and security emergency, no new funding has been requested
to address the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.
- Maintain congressional control of the purse strings and
oversight of foreign aid programs. Major policy changes, such
as changing the mission of aid to Colombia from counter-narcotics
to counter-terror, should be carefully deliberated and fully
debated by the appropriate oversight committees and the full
Congress. Such critical policy changes are too significant
to be rushed through as part of an emergency spending bill.
The goals and benchmarks for such aid should be clearly spelled
out before any funds are appropriated.
We urge you to oppose the Administration's FY2002 supplemental
spending request unless it is revised to maintain existing longstanding
human rights conditions for countries receiving military foreign
aid, maintain control of military foreign aid within the State
Department, address real humanitarian problems worldwide, and
protects congressional oversight of the authorization and spending
of these funds.
Sincerely,
Salih Booker
Executive Director
Africa Action
Marcel Kitissou
Executive Director
Africa Faith and Justice Network
Wanjiru Kamau, Ed. D.
Founder & President
African Immigrants & Refugees Foundation
James Matlack
Director, Washington Office
American Friends Service Committee
Alexandra Arriaga
Director of Government Relations
Amnesty International USA
Dr. Ian Davis
Director
British American Security Information Council (BASIC)
Don Kraus
Executive Director
Campaign for U.N. Reform
Rachel Stohl
Research Analyst
Center for Defense Information*
William Goodfellow
Executive Director
Center for International Policy
Adam Isacson
Senior Associate
Center for International Policy
J. E. McNeil
Executive Director
Center on Conscience & War (NISBCO)
Rev. Ron Stief
Director, Washington Office
Church of Christ/Justice and Witness Ministries
Greg Davidson Laszakovits
Coordinator
Church of the Brethren Washington Office
Rev. John L. McCullough
Executive Director
Church World Service
Barbara Gerlach and Cristina Espinel
Co-Chairs
Colombia Human Rights Committee
Marianne Loewe
Executive Director
Concern America
Rev. Lonnie Turner
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Jenefer Ellingston
DC Statehood Green Party, Washington DC
Karen Orenstein
Washington Coordinator
East Timor Action Network
Tamar Gabelnick
Director, Arms Sales Monitoring Project
Federation of American Scientists
Alistair Milllar
Vice President
Fourth Freedom Forum
Fr. David Moczulski, OFM
Executive Director
Franciscan Washington Office for Latin America
Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Maurice S Paprin
Chairman
Fund for New Priorities in America
Alice Zachmann
Director
Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
Martha Honey
Co-Director
Foreign Policy In Focus
Institute for Policy Studies
Rev. Richard Ryscavage
Executive Director
Jesuit Refugee Service
Elisa Massimino
Director, Washington Office
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights
J. Daryl Byler
Director, Washington Office
Mennonite Central Committee
Howard W. Hallman
Chair
Methodists United for Peace with Justice
Rev. Bob Edgar
General Secretary
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Greg Speeter
Executive Director
National Priorities Project
Kathy Thornton, RSM
National Coordinator
NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Sarah C. Aird
Executive Director
Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA)
George R. Vickers
Regional Director for Latin America
Open Society Policy Center
Kevin Martin
Executive Director
Peace Action Education Fund
Robert K. Musil, Ph.D.
MPH Executive Director and CEO
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
Presbyterian Church, USA
Jim Atwood
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
Todd Howland
Director, Center for Human Rights
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial
Gail Taylor
Legislative Director
SOA Watch
Peter Davies
UN Representative
Saferworld
David Schott
Sister Parish*
Stephen G. Price
Director, Office of Justice and Peace
Society of African Missions
Dr. Valora Washington
Executive Director
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Jaydee R. Hanson
Assistant General Secretary
General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Church
Mike Amitay
Executive Director
Washington Kurdish Institute
Charlotte Utting
Vice-President
Washington State Africa Network
Steve Bennett
Executive Director
Witness for Peace
Susan Shaer
Executive Director
Women's Action for New Directions
Phyllis S. Yingling
President, United States Section
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Mark Epstein
Executive Director
World Federalist Association
William D. Hartung
Director, Arms Trade Resource Center
World Policy Institute at the New School
Catherine Gordon
Associate for International Issues
Washington Office, Presbyterian Church (USA)
110 Maryland Ave. Suite 104
Washington, DC 20002
www.pcusa.org/washington
Phone: 202-543-1126
Fax: 202-543-7755
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