July 22, 2003

Grassroots Update: Colombia Vote Delayed Until Tomorrow (Wednesday, July 23)

Still Time for Calls Tomorrow Morning!

After long hours of waiting, we have heard that the debate over the McGovern-Skelton amendment on Colombia will be delayed until tomorrow, July 23. The amendment would cut a portion of the military aid to Colombia from the foreign aid bill and transfer that money into global HIV/AIDS progams. The foreign aid bill-- which contains over $500 million in aid for Colombia-- was supposed to be debated by the House this afternoon, but congressional debate on another bill is running into the night.

Today was a flurry of grassroots activity on this vote-- please keep it up! There is still time to call your representative tomorrow morning and urge him or her to support the McGovern-Skelton amendment to the foreign aid bill. About fifty members of Congress are still on the fence on this issue, and one of them may be yours! We need your help to pressure them to support a reduction in Colombia's military aid.

ACTION: Please call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 tomorrow morning, July 23, and ask to be connected with your member's office. If you do not know who your representative is, please see www.house.gov/writerep. Please ask to speak with the foreign policy aide, and tell the aide that you would like your representative to support the McGovern-Skelton amendment to the foreign aid bill, which would transfer money from the Colombian military to global HIV/AIDS programs. If you get a sense of how your member will vote on the amendment, please e-mail Elanor Starmer at estarmer@lawg.org. This information will help us organize for the vote here in DC.

The grassroots work on this amendment has been incredible thus far-- please keep up the good work and keep up the pressure! Thank you for all you do in the name of a more peaceful Colombia and a more humane US foreign policy.

Elanor Starmer

Program Associate, Colombia and Central America

Latin America Working Group

T: 202/546-7010 F: 202/543-7647 estarmer@lawg.org

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Latin America Working Group

Action at home for just policies abroad www.lawg.org

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