[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 111 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1631-E1635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 5, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4276) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and 
     State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes:

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I am inserting into the Record letters of 
support for the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros-Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns amendment 
to H.R. 4276, an amendment to deny funds for federal preemption of 
state and local laws on the grounds that they are inconsistent with 
international trade and investment agreements. These letters reflect 
the widely held conviction in meaningful, democratic government and the 
laws it can produce.

                                         American Jewish Congress,


                                  Stephen Wise Congress House,

                                      New York, NY, July 27, 1998.
     Hon. Dennis J. Kucinich,
     United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Kucinich: On behalf of the American 
     Jewish Congress, I am writing to express our strong support 
     for the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros-Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns 
     amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations 
     bill, which would protect the rights of various cities to 
     sanction Swiss banks that continue to delay settlement of 
     claims by Holocaust survivors.
       The actions of the Swiss banks and government in dealing 
     with Holocaust assets have been unconscionable, and if local 
     authorities want to respond in ways they deem appropriate, 
     they should be given the opportunity to do so. If the World 
     Trade Organization were to rule against such sanctions by 
     American cities, the fact that the United States government 
     would be obligated to litigate against the cities invoking 
     the sanctions merely adds insult to injury.
       Under the United States Constitution, states and cities 
     have rights that cannot be abridged by the federal 
     government, and this includes the right to punish Swiss banks 
     as long as those banks remain recalcitrant in making 
     appropriate restitution. Your amendment denying taxpayer 
     funds for litigation against American cities is clearly 
     necessary to protect the rights of cities to impose such 
     sanctions.
       Thank you for your leadership in proposing this amendment.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Phil Baum,
                                               Executive Director.


     
                                  ____
                                       Alliance For Democracy,

                                       Lincoln, MA, July 21, 1998.
       Dear Representative Kucinich: The Alliance for Democracy 
     voices its strong support for the Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, 
     Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen amendment to the Commerce, Justice, 
     State Appropriations bill which prevents U.S. government 
     agencies from taking legal action against states or 
     communities found by the WTO to be in non-compliance with 
     international trade and investment agreements.
       We support this amendment because it helps to preserve the 
     right of communities and states to take a stand in support of 
     democracy and human rights. We do not believe taxpayers 
     dollars should be used to emasculate our democracy at the 
     local or state level or to prevent citizens from taking a 
     stand in support of democracy abroad.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Ruth Caplan.


     
                                  ____
                                             The American Cause.  
     Re: Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns amendment 
       to HR 4276
     To: Members of Congress
     From: Pat Buchanan and Bay Buchanan
       We strongly support Kucinich-Sanders-Ros-Lehtinen-DeFazio-
     Stearns amendment to H.R. 4276.
       The amendment provides critical protection for state and 
     local sovereignty from decisions made by the World Trade 
     Organization. Dozens of categories of law passed or being 
     considered by the legislatures of every state and many cities 
     in the nation are vulnerable to being deemed ``WTO-illegal.'' 
     Those laws include ``buy local'' requirements in state 
     procurement, and health and safety inspections of imported 
     foods. State and local legislatures are permitted by the 
     Constitution to make policy on these matters. Why should we 
     allow the WTO to trump them?
       Passing the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros-Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns 
     amendment to H.R. 4276 will protect state and local 
     sovereignty. We hope that you will support it.


     
                                  ____
                                                   August 3, 1998.
       Dear Representative, American Lands representing grassroots 
     environmental groups across the country urges you to support 
     of the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros-Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns 
     amendment to H.R. 4276, the Commerce, State and Justice 
     Appropriations bill.
       Kucinich-Sanders would bar the use of federal funds to 
     challenge state and local laws on the grounds that the laws 
     violate international trade and investment agreements such as 
     NAFTA, GATT and the proposed Multilateral Agreement on 
     Investment (MAI).
       One of industry's interests in global trade agreements is 
     to prevent governments at the national, state, and local 
     levels from putting conditions on trade. But what the 
     industry

[[Page E1632]]

     calls ``barriers to trade'' we may see as important 
     safeguards to protect the environment, human rights, or other 
     social values.
       A New York City Council proposal to require the city to buy 
     only sustainable produced tropical timber has been stalled 
     after the timber industry argued that such selective 
     purchasing legislation is a violation of US trade policy. 
     State restrictions on log exports are another example of laws 
     that might be subject to challenge.
       The Kucinich-Sanders amendment would ensure that U.S. tax 
     dollars are not used to undermine legitimate efforts by 
     states and localities to protect the environment.
       Please support the Kucinich-Sanders amendment to H.R. 4276.


       
                                  ____
                                                 B'nai B'rith,

                                                    July 23, 1998.
     Hon. Dennis J. Kucinich,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Kucinich. As the Executive Vice President 
     of B'nai B'rith, which is one of the founding members if the 
     World Jewish Restitution Organization, I was pleased to learn 
     that you and a number of your colleagues, including 
     Congressman Sanders, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman 
     DeFazio and Congressman Stearns have offered an Amendment to 
     H.R. 4276.
       I am writing to support your proposed amendment that would 
     protect sanctions laws that are currently under consideration 
     in a number of jurisdictions around the United States. 
     Without such an amendment, I am concerned that these 
     legislative initiatives will be placed in jeopardy should the 
     World Trade Organization consider them illegal.
       Thank you for your interest in this important matter.
           Sincerely,
                                             Sidney M. Clearfield.


     
                                  ____
                                        Citizens for Participation


                                          in Political Action,

                                                    July 21, 1998.
     Representative Dennis Kucinich,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Kucinich. We at Citizens for 
     Participation in Political Action (CPPAX), a Massachusetts 
     statewide 4,000 member citizens lobby, would like to offer 
     our support in favor of the Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, 
     Steams, Ros-Lehtinen amendment to the Commerce, Justice and 
     State Appropriations bill.
       Dedicated to state sovereignty and local democracy, CPPAX 
     played a pivotal role in the passage of the Massachusetts 
     Burma Selective Purchasing Law in 1996 and continues to 
     support laws in defense of democracy and human rights in 
     Nigeria, East Timor and Tibet. We firmly believe in selective 
     purchasing laws as a means to uphold the rights of citizens 
     to decide how and where to spend their tax-dollars. 
     Accordingly, we strongly support your effort to defend these 
     laws from legal challenges that arise from their 
     inconsistencies with the World Trade Organization's 
     International trade and investment agreements.
       Thank you for your leadership on this issue. Please keep us 
     updated as to actions that we may take to continue to support 
     your efforts on this cause.
           Sincerely,
     Laurie Wainberg,
                                   Organizing and Policy Director.
     Andleeb Dawood,
                                                  Intern at CPPAX.


     
                                  ____
                              Citizens' Alliance of Santa Barbara,
                                Santa Barbara, CA, August 4, 1998.
     Representative Lois Capps,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Capps: We are writing to urge you to 
     support the Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen 
     amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations 
     bill.
       The Citizens' Alliance of Santa Barbara (the Santa Barbara 
     Chapter of the Alliance for Democracy), has been concerned 
     for some time about the effects of ``Free Trade'' and 
     investment deregulation agreements on our democracy and on 
     the economic future of our communities, our businesses and 
     our families. At our meeting this weekend, we voted 
     unanimously to ask your support for the Kucinich, et al. 
     amendment. We understand that this amendment would deny funds 
     for federal legal challenges to state or local laws that the 
     World Trade Organization decides violate international trade 
     or investment agreements, thus preventing the administration 
     from taking states or communities to court to enforce WTO 
     rulings unless Congress consents. We feel that this would 
     provide a very important safeguard for shielding local 
     democracy from the rule of international institutions that 
     are undemocratic and unaccountable to the American public. A 
     recent quote in the Journal of Commerce offers an excellent 
     perspective on the issues involved: ``Trade and investment 
     should not short-circuit democracy. And if it does, 
     something's wrong.''
       We hope that you will support the Kucinich, et al. 
     amendment and protect the right of states and communities to 
     retain some democratic control over our own economic affairs.
           Sincerely,
                                                         Ron Rowe,
                       Chair, Citizens' Alliance of Santa Barbara.
       Joining me in this letter are the following concerned Santa 
     Barbara residents: Ellis Englesberg; Dr. Frank Gordon; Dan 
     Hankey; Ann Kobsa; Tonia Jauch; Ann Marshall; Maureen Parker; 
     and Steve Shafarman.


     
                                  ____
                                          Citizens Trade Campaign,
                                    Washington, DC, July 27, 1998.
     Vote Yes on Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-Stearns Amendment 
       to Commerce, Justice, State Approps
       Dear Representative: Citizens Trade Campaign urges you to 
     support the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-Stearns Amendment 
     to the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill.
       Citizens Trade Campaign (CTC) is the national coalition of 
     labor, consumer, environmental, religious, family farm, and 
     other U.S. citizens groups fighting for fair trade. CTC has 
     local chapters in 30 U.S. States.
       This amendment stops the use of taxpayer money to impose on 
     states and localities the threats and rulings of 
     international trade and investment tribunals, such as those 
     of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
       The State Department has become a frequent voice in state 
     legislators trying to influence local elected officials to 
     pass WTO-consistent laws and not to laws the Administration 
     claims may conflict with World Trade Organization dictates. 
     It's unacceptable for our tax dollars to be spent to pressure 
     Maryland legislators not to pass laws concerning Nigeria's 
     dictatorship or to pressure Massachusetts to weaken a law 
     castigating the Burmese dictatorship.
       The evidence builds monthly of how international trade and 
     investment agreements are resulting in challenges and threats 
     against our democratically-passed laws.
       The Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-Stearns amendment ensures 
     that U.S. tax dollars are not used to assist these 
     unaccountable international bureaucracies attack U.S. 
     democracy.
       The insistence of international trade and investment 
     tribunals that U.S. federal, state and local laws must be 
     conformed to their orders is the strongest argument that the 
     international bodies, not U.S. laws, that must be changed. So 
     far the executive branch refuses to take accountability for 
     this threat to our sovereignty and instead works to help 
     impose the pacts' undemocratic dictates. This must stop.
       This amendment would end the use of federal tax dollars to 
     impose the ruling and threats of anti-democratic 
     international tribunals.
       Please vote in favor of the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-
     Stearns amendment.


     
                                  ____
                                                 Co-op America

     To: Members of Congress
     From: Co-op America
     Date: July 23, 1998
       Co-op America, a national nonprofit consumer organization 
     working for social and environmental justice, represents 
     55,000 individual members and 2,000 business members 
     nationwide.
       On behalf of the members and staff of Co-op America, I am 
     writing to express our strong support for the Kucinich, 
     Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen amendment to the 
     Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill (HR 4276) that 
     would deprive the Administration of funds to bring legal 
     challenges to any state and local laws that the WTO finds 
     inconsistent with international trade and investment 
     agreements.
           Sincerely,
                                      Elizabeth Elliott McGeveran,
                                                Managing Director.


     
                                  ____
                                             Free Burma Coalition,


                     at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,

                                      Milwaukee WI, July 21, 1998.
     Hon. Dennis Kucinich,
     U.S. House of Representatives, VIA FAX
       Dear Representative Kucinich: I write to thank you for the 
     tri-partisan Kucinich-Sanders-Stearns-Ros-Lehtinen amendment 
     to the Commerce/State/Justice Appropriations Bill. The 
     amendment would deprive the Administration of funds needed to 
     bring legal challenges against any state or local laws that 
     the World Trade Organization finds inconsistent with 
     international trade and investment agreements.
       This amendment is necessary, because multinational 
     corporations have begun an organized and serious assault on 
     human rights, by opposing local selective purchasing laws 
     designed to protect taxpayers from supporting corrupt and 
     violent governments abroad.
       During apartheid's reign in South Africa, a student-led and 
     inspired movement swept across America, through the enaction 
     of local ``selective purchasing'' laws, which prohibited 
     individual localities from doing business with South Africa. 
     This strategy brought about a federal statute prohibiting 
     American companies from doing business with South Africa, 
     international sanctions against South Africa, and eventually 
     led to the downfall of apartheid.
       The strategy is being used again by activists concerned 
     about human rights, environmental, workplace, and other 
     serious abuses in countries such as Burma, Nigeria, and 
     Indonesia. Rather than confront the charges of oppression 
     head-on, multinational corporations that support tyranny are 
     attempting to work around the people, and use the WTO to 
     fight local selective purchasing laws.
       Ultimately, this means that local taxpayers will be 
     deprived of the right to decide how their local dollars are 
     spent.
       The Kucinich amendment would ensure that no federal monies 
     would be used to fight

[[Page E1633]]

     the rights and desires of local taxpayers, while supporting 
     local laws that support human rights.
       I look forward to the passage of this crucial amendment, 
     and to your response.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Sachin Chheda.


     
                                  ____
                                                       Free Burma,


                                                 Berkeley, CA,

                                                    July 22, 1998.
     Representative Nancy Pelosi,
     Via fax: 202-225-8259.
       Dear Rep. Pelosi: I would like to ask you to support the 
     DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen amendment to the Commerce, 
     Justice, State Appropriations bill. The amendment would 
     deprive the Administration of funds to bring legal challenges 
     to any state and local laws that the WTO finds inconsistent 
     with international trade and investment agreements.
       As an organization that works to promote democracy in 
     Burma, we have been supportive of the US trade sanctions 
     against Burma's junta and selective purcashing legislation. 
     Trade sanctions are condoned by Burma's democracy leader Aung 
     San Suu Kyi and she has US companies to not do business with 
     the current repressive regime.
       Sanctions are never passed lightly on another country, the 
     reasons for their implementation are mostly due to preventing 
     the support of extremely repressive regimes. The WTO fight 
     against sanctions is not based on looking at human rights 
     abuses but simply to prevent obstacles to free trade. Free 
     trade should not happen with out fair trade and respect for 
     human rights. This amendment would prevent this kind of blind 
     challenge to trade restrictions based on the promotion of 
     human rights world wide.
       Thank you very much.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                   Pamela Wellner,
                                             Campaign Coordinator.


     
                                  ____
         Independent Voters of Illinois--Independent Precinct 
                                                  Organization

                                                    July 27, 1998.
     Re: Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns 
       Appropriations Amendment
       The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct 
     Organization (IVI-IPO) joins with other grassroots groups in 
     supporting adoption of the amendment to protect human rights 
     laws from challenge under the World Trade Organization's 
     rules. It is the proper role of Congress to withhold funds 
     from policies that are injurious. This will put our federal 
     government where we believe it ought to be: defending local 
     initiatives in support of our values against attack by 
     corporations and banks that see those initiatives only as 
     barriers to trade.
       Over the past decade or so, U.S. citizens have persuaded a 
     number of cooperations to withdraw business from countries 
     held to be violators of human rights, such as Burma, Nigeria, 
     Indonesia, and apartheid South Africa. Citizens have also 
     persuaded state and local governments, as well as 
     universities, to refuse to do business with such countries. 
     Are they wrong to use what leverage they have in support of 
     almost universally accepted standards of decency?
       In 1994, Congress was debating legislation to implement the 
     Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 
     leading to the creation of the WTO. Opponents claimed then 
     that the new trade regime would threaten many local, state, 
     and national initiatives. Other countries would be able to 
     sue on behalf of corporations, contending that certain laws 
     amounted to disguised trade barriers. And that is exactly 
     what they have done.
       At the time of the debate, Illinois State Representative 
     Janice Schakowsky (now a Democratic nominee for Congress) was 
     trying to find cosponsors for a food labeling bill. She said 
     she was told, ``Oh, that will never hold up under the World 
     Trade Organization.''
       The test began more than two years ago, when Venezuela won 
     a case involving export of oil that did not meet U.S. 
     standards. The U.S. agreed not to enforce the Clean Air Act, 
     rather than pay the penalty. Now, in 1998, we find human 
     rights laws at risk.
       We believe that every country that is party to the WTO has 
     values worth defending, and should have the right not to be 
     forced to sacrifice them to mere profit for the few. 
     Governments must assert their role of balancing the rights of 
     all, and not act on behalf of only the powerful. The majority 
     world needs effective and responsible representatives to 
     protect their interests in an increasingly globalized 
     economy. There must be far more winners than losers.
       The Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns amendment 
     puts humane values above financial gain. It is a step toward 
     blocking the threat to local initiative represented by the 
     World Trade Organization and its rules. We ask our 
     representatives to support all such measures.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Constance Hall,
                                Chair, National Affairs Committee.


     
                                  ____
     Re: Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns amendment
     To: Members of Congress
     From: Ralph Nader
     Date: July 22, 1998
       I support the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns 
     amendment to the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bills.
       Central to the anti-democratic agenda of the corporate 
     globalizers is to repeal or at least freeze local initiative 
     in the consumer, health, safety, environmental, labor and 
     other realms. Through the autocratic World Trade 
     Organization, the method is to have foreign nations challenge 
     or threaten to challenge U.S. states, localities or tribal 
     law; and then to have the federal government turn against the 
     states, localities or tribes and sue them to repeal their 
     existing, longstanding laws. Moreover, even the threat of 
     potential WTO challenges now converts the the State 
     Department and other federal agencies into opponents of 
     innovative legislative proposals in the states and elsewhere. 
     In Maryland, for example, State Department officials lobbied 
     against a Nigeria selective purchasing bill.
       The amendment would halt the WTO-enabled encroachment on 
     local, state and tribal sovereignty, providing an opportunity 
     for the country to revisit the GATT folly. Do we really want 
     to subvert our democratic processes and health and safety 
     standards to the autocratic WTO?
       I urge you to support the amendment.


       
                                  ____
                                            Oblate Conference,

                                 Silver Spring, MD, July 29, 1998.
       Dear Representative Kucinich: As Executive Director of the 
     Oblate Conference, a religious organization with over 500 
     members in the United States at present, I am writing to 
     express my organization's support for the Kucinich, Sanders, 
     DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen amendment to the Commerce, 
     Justice and State Appropriations Bill.
       The bill would deprive the Administration of funds to bring 
     legal challenges to any state and local laws that the WTO 
     finds inconsistent with international trade and investment 
     agreements. The Oblate Conference supports local government 
     resolutions such as the Massachusetts Burma Law, and we 
     believe it is the proper role of Congress, not the 
     Administration, to pre-empt state legislation.
           Respectfully Yours,
                                              Seamus P. Finn, OMI.


     
                                  ____
                                          PEN American Center,

                                                    July 22, 1998.
     Jaron Bourke,
     Legislative Assistant, Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
       On behalf of PEN American Center, a fellowship of writers 
     dedicated to defending free expression and advancing the 
     cause of literature, I write to express our support for the 
     Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen amendment 
     to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill. The 
     amendment would deprive the Administration of funds to bring 
     legal challenges to any state and local laws that the WTO 
     finds inconsistent with international trade and investment 
     agreements.
           Sincerely,
                                              Diana Ayton-Shenker,
                                       Director, Freedom-to-Write.


     
                                  ____
                           Peninsula Peace and Justice Center,

                                     Palo Alto, CA, July 29, 1998.
     Re Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-Lehtinen 
       Amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations 
       Bill
     Hon. Anna Eshoo,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congresswoman Eshoo: I am writing to urge you to 
     support the above-referenced amendment to the Commerce, 
     Justice and State Appropriations Bill. This amendment would 
     deny funds for the Administration for any attempt to sue to 
     bring local statutes into compliance with World Trade 
     Organization regulations.
       As you are no doubt aware, the city of Palo Alto has a law 
     which may be challenged under WTO regulations. This law 
     prohibits the city from making any substantial purchases from 
     companies doing business in Burma. The law was passed after 
     nearly a year of effort by local activists and is aimed at 
     addressing the terrible human rights situation in Burma. Many 
     other such laws around the country are threatened by WTO 
     regulations.
       I look forward to hearing that you have supported this 
     amendment. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on this 
     matter.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                      Paul George,
                                                         Director.


     
                                  ____
                                              Preamble Center,

                                                   Washington, DC.
     Hon. Dennis Kucinich,
     U.S. House of Representatives.
       Dear Representative Kucinich: We write in support of the 
     Kucinich-Sanders-DeFazio-Ros-Lehtinen-Stearns amendment to 
     the Appropriation for the Departments of Commerce, Justice 
     and State, which would prevent taxpayer dollars from being 
     used by the federal government to overturn state and local 
     laws which are allegedly not in compliance with international 
     trade and investment agreements.
       Our research on the impact of such international agreements 
     on state and local sovereignty shows that, increasingly, 
     corporations and foreign governments which seek to undermine 
     local sovereignty and democracy in the United States are 
     turning to the enforcement of such agreements as the WTO to 
     overturn public policies that they could not

[[Page E1634]]

     defeat at the ballot box. Recent examples include the 
     campaign by European and the Japanese governments, together 
     with transnational corporations, to overturn the sanctions of 
     Massachusetts against the brutal regime in Burma; and attacks 
     by the Swiss government and Swiss banks against states and 
     cities in the U.S. which have sought to limit their business 
     ties with banks that may have knowingly profited from the 
     Holocaust and now refuse to pay adequate compensation.
       Public awareness of the impacts of international trade and 
     investment agreements is increasing, and yet unfortunately it 
     is still the case that not only are many citizens unaware of 
     how local democracy in the United States is being undermined 
     by these agreements; many local and state legislators are 
     similarly unaware. Indeed, many legislators only become aware 
     of these restrictions when they have passed or are on the 
     verge of passing laws which are perceived by foreign 
     governments and their corporate allies to be in violation of 
     international trade and investment agreements. Then they may 
     be contacted by officials from USTR, who insist that 
     legislators repeal or vote against pending legislation on the 
     basis of obscure provisions of international trade and 
     investment agreements that the local legislators were 
     previously unaware that they were party to or bound by. Under 
     these agreements, if state legislators refuse the entreaties 
     of federal officials, the U.S. government is required to sue 
     state and local governments to force repeal. We support your 
     efforts to block funding for such lawsuits via this 
     amendment.
       It is surely a shameful state of affairs when the executive 
     branch of our federal government becomes an advocate for 
     foreign governments and corporations against local democracy 
     and sovereignty in the United States. We applaud your efforts 
     to put a stop to this dangerous erosion of democracy in the 
     United States.
                                                    Robert Naiman,
                                Preamble Center for Public Policy.


     
                                  ____
                                                    July 26, 1998.
     Hon. Dennis Kucinich,
     United States Congress.
       Dear Representative Kucinich: As director of Project Maje, 
     an independent information project on Burma's human rights 
     issues, I am writing in support of your bill to protect state 
     and local sanctions.
       The Kucinich-Sanders-Ros-Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns Bill is a 
     crucial item of legislation to protect our American 
     birthright of opposing injustice and oppression through our 
     own lawful processes.
       Protecting human rights is our duty as Americans, and state 
     and local sanctions are a legitimate and honorable way to 
     address that task. State and local governments have every 
     right to deny their business to companies which fund 
     dictatorships involved in horrendous acts of abuse.
       I am very happy that the bill is co-sponsored by Rep. 
     DeFazio, from Oregon. Here in Portland, earlier this month, 
     the City Council passed a selective purchasing resolution 
     regarding the brutal Burmese junta. Your bill will go far to 
     protect our right to take such firm and effective actions.
       Thank you very much for your continued concern about Burma 
     and for all you have done for worldwide human rights. Your 
     commitment to the cause of justice and freedom is most 
     admirable.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Edith T. Mirante,
                                                     Project Maje.


     
                                  ____
                                               Public Citizen,

                                    Washington, DC, July 26, 1998.
       Dear Representative: Public Citizen, on behalf of its 
     members nationwide, urges you to support the Kucinich-
     Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-Stearns Amendment to the Commerce, 
     Justice, State Appropriations bill. The vote on this 
     amendment is expected Tuesday morning.
       This important measure ensures that taxpayer money will not 
     be expended to impose on states and localities the rulings of 
     international trade and investment tribunals.
       In recent months, State Department staff have been sent to 
     pressure state legislatures not to pass laws the 
     Administration claims may conflict with World Trade 
     Organization dictates. It's unacceptable for our tax dollars 
     to be spent to pressure Maryland legislators not to pass laws 
     concerning Nigeria's dictatorship or to pressure 
     Massachusetts to weaken a law castigating the Burmese 
     dictatorship.
       Just this week, the newest trade agreement threat became 
     reality as the Canadian government was bullied into paying 
     $14 million in legal fees and damages after the Ethyl 
     Corporation used NAFTA provisions to directly sue the 
     Canadian government. The case provides the latest evidence 
     that international trade and investment agreements are 
     creating an epidemic of costly government legal efforts to 
     avoid or defend trade challenges and threats against our 
     democratically-passed laws.
       The Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-Stearns amendment ensures 
     that U.S. tax dollars are not used to assist these 
     unaccountable international bureaucracies attack U.S. 
     democracy.
       Ethyl's challenge to the Canadian law was the first suit 
     under NAFTA provisions that allow corporations in one country 
     to directly sue the government of another country for cash 
     damages, but it won't be the last. Remarkably, the proposed 
     Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) includes a yet 
     more expansive version of the NAFTA provisions Ethyl 
     employed.
       The executive branch continues to deny that recent trade 
     agreements are undermining our sovereignty while they help 
     impose the pacts' undemocratic dictates.
       This amendment can't stop such false representations. But, 
     it can stop the use of federal tax dollars to impose the 
     ruling and threats of anti-democratic international 
     tribunals.
       Please vote in favor of the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-
     Stearns amendment.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Lori Wallach.


     
                                  ____
                                        Research and Policy Reform


                                                  Center, Inc.

                                                    21 July, 1998.
     Congressman Dennis Kucinich,
     Longworth House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Kucinich: I am writing to express my 
     utmost support of the Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, 
     Ros-Lehtinen Amendment. As Burmese democracy leader Aung San 
     Suu Kyi implored recently, we must use our freedom to promote 
     Burma's.
       It is with great thanks for your sponsorship of the 
     amendment that I send you my letter of support.
           Sincerely,
                                               Maureen Aung-Thwin,
                                      Director, Burma Policy, RPR.


     
                                  ____
                                                  Sacramentans for


                                   International Labor Rights,

                                   Sacramento, CA, August 3, 1998.
     Hon. Robert Matsui,
     650 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA.
       Dear Representative Matsui: We are writing to state our 
     support for the Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-
     Lehtinen amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State 
     Appropriations bill that would deprive the Administration of 
     funds to bring legal challenges to any state and local laws 
     that the WTO finds inconsistent with international trade and 
     investment agreements. Please join us in supporting this 
     amendment.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                     Heidi McLean,
                                          Legislation Coordinator.


     
                                  ____
                                     Seattle Burma Roundtable,

                                       Seattle, WA, July 28, 1998.
     Representative Dennis Kucinich,
     1730 LHOB
       Dear Rep. Kucinich: It is with gratitude that our 
     organization offers its support to your amendment to the 
     Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill that would halt 
     funding for Administration legal challenges to local laws 
     that the WTO doesn't like.
       Local autonomy in making purchasing decisions is a key 
     American freedom that is under attack by a very small group 
     of corporate extremists and some unaccountable bureaucrats 
     from the WTO. If our elected officials make these types of 
     decisions, they are accountable to us, their constituents, 
     and to no one else.
       We must never forget that local sanctions laws were 
     incredibly important in accomplishing peaceful political 
     change in South Africa. Similarly, the current campaign to 
     put economic pressure on Burma's military dictatorship, 
     called for by Burma's elected leaders, is working well. Now 
     is not the time to try to tell Americans that such campaigns 
     are somehow illegal.
       We will be sending letters of support to our 
     representatives, including Adam Smith, Linda Smith, Jennifer 
     Dunne, Jim McDermott, Rick White, Jack Metcalf, Doc Hastings 
     and George Nethercutt.
       Thanks again for efforts on this issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Larry Dohrs,
                                                         Chairman.


     
                                  ____
                                                  Sierra Club,

                                    Washington, DC, July 28, 1998.
       Dear Representative: On behalf of the Sierra's Club more 
     than half-million members, I urge you to support an amendment 
     to the Commerce, Justice, and State Department Appropriations 
     Act (HR 4276) sponsored by Reps. Kucinich, Sanders, Ros-
     Lehtinen, DeFazio, and Stearns (``The Kucinich Amendment''). 
     The Kucinich Amendment would prevent the Executive Branch 
     from using federal funds to sue state and local governments 
     to force compliance with international trade agreements.
       Approval of the Kucinich Amendment is urgently needed. 
     State and local law is already under imminent threat under 
     international trade rules:
       In April 1998, the State Department pressured the Maryland 
     state legislature into rejecting legislation to sanction the 
     government of Nigeria for environmental and human rights 
     abuses. Similar state and local sanctions helped to topple 
     South Africa's Apartheid regime in the 1980s, but are now 
     considered ``illegal trade barriers.''
       In March 1998, a timber industry representative lobbied the 
     New York City Council to reject legislation requiring the 
     City to buy only sustainably harvested tropical timber,

[[Page E1635]]

     charging that local selective purchasing legislation violates 
     US trade policy. That legislation has now stalled in the City 
     Council.
       Earlier this month, the government of Venezuela threatened 
     to complain to the World Trade Organization unless the state 
     of Florida lifted a ban on Orimulsion, a highly-polluting 
     fossil fuel produced by Venezuela's state oil company.
       By adopting the Kucinich Amendment, Congress can take 
     immediate action to ensure that state, local, and tribal 
     governments can set their own environmental and health 
     standards, free of unnecessary interference by international 
     trade rules. Yet, the Executive would still be free to pursue 
     state preemption on important matters where Congress first 
     made a specific appropriation. Please vote ``yes'' to the 
     Kucinich Amendment to HR 4276.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Carl Pope,
                                               Executive Director.


     
                                  ____
                                          Simon Wiesenthal Center,


                                          Museum of Tolerance,

                                                    July 27, 1998.
     Hon. Dennis J. Kucinich,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Kucinich: The Simon Wiesenthal Center is 
     grateful for Congressman Kucinich's leadership in proposing 
     Amendment H.R. 4276, which will have the effect of forcing 
     the Swiss Banks who have profited from stolen Nazi loot to 
     promptly return to the negotiating table with representatives 
     of the Holocaust survivors and the Jewish community.
       Please let us know if the amendment becomes law.
       Once again, on behalf of the 400,000 constituent families 
     of the Simon Wiesenthal Center we commend you and your 
     colleagues on this important initiative.
           Sincerely,
                                             Rabbi Abraham Cooper,
                                                   Associate Dean.


     
                                  ____
                                            Unitarian Universalist


                                            Service Committee,

                                      Cambridge MA, July 29, 1998.
     Hon. Dennis Kucinich,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Kucinich, I applaud your leadership in 
     sponsoring the Kucinich, Sanders, DeFazio, Stearns, Ros-
     Lehtinen amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State 
     Department Appropriations bill that would deprive the 
     Administration of funds to bring legal challenges to any 
     state and local laws based on the contention that the WTO 
     finds these laws inconsistent with international trade and 
     investment agreements.
       The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) has 
     been involved in efforts to focus public attention on the 
     need to end repression and foster democracy and human rights 
     in Burma since 1995. As you probably know Burma's repressive 
     military junta established a totalitarian state in that 
     nation in 1988. The military crackdown begun at that time has 
     resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 people. This regime has 
     brought Burma, renamed Myanmar by the military, the dubious 
     distinction of having one of the world's worst human rights 
     records. One very effective way to focus public attention on 
     the human rights crisis in Burma is to enact selective 
     purchase legislation at the state or local level that bars 
     government agencies from purchasing goods produced by 
     companies that do business there. The Commonwealth of 
     Massachusetts and several cities, towns and counties have 
     passed such legislation. However, unfortunately federal 
     government officials have tried to pressure many of these 
     governments and their legislative officials to repeal or 
     modify that legislation because of objections raised to it by 
     the WTO.
       The amendment you have proposed would end this type of 
     interference. After all, how Massachusetts--or any state or 
     city decides to spend its tax dollars is a matter for the 
     citizens of Massachusetts or any other state or city to 
     decide. I wish you every success in passing this important 
     amendment.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Jeff Siefert,
                                                  Acting Director.


     
                                  ____
                                                   Transafrica

     Re: Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns amendment 
       to H.R. 4276
     To: Members of Congress
     From: Randall Robinson
       I write in strong support for the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros 
     Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns amendment to H.R. 4276, the 
     Commerce, Justice, State Appropriation.
       This amendment will provide necessary protection to state 
     and local initiatives that promote human rights and justice. 
     Earlier this year, the State of Maryland was considering 
     passing a selective purchase law to promote human rights and 
     correct environmental abuses in Nigeria. The Federal 
     government lobbied in Annapolis to preempt this state action. 
     An official from the State Department said to the Maryland 
     lawmakers that the law would be WTO-illegal. The threat of a 
     federal lawsuit stood behind the State Department official's 
     warning. Maryland backed down.
       With the threat of WTO decrees and consequent federal 
     lawsuits, what state or local legislature will be able to 
     pass important procurement laws like the Nigeria selective 
     purchase law? Had the states been bound by such trade rules 
     during our struggle to free South Africa, Nelson Mandela 
     might still be imprisoned.
       I hope you will support the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-
     DeFazio-Stearns amendment to H.R. 4276.


                           U.S. Business and Industry Council,

                                                    July 29, 1998.
     Re: The Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns 
       amendment to HR 4276
     To: Republican Members of Congress
     From: Kevin L. Kearns, President, USBIC
       On behalf of the more than 1,000 member companies of the 
     United States Business and Industry Council (USBIC), I 
     strongly urge you to support the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros 
     Lehtinen-DeFazio-Stearns Amendment to HR 4276, the Commerce, 
     Justice, State appropriation bill.
       This amendment, which would deny the use of taxpayer funds 
     for federal government challenges to state, local, and tribal 
     laws deemed inconsistent with America's NAFTA and World Trade 
     Organization obligations, will serve as a vital bulwark in 
     the defense of American sovereignty.
       As an organization that for more than 60 years has promoted 
     policies to serve the broad national interest, USBIC does not 
     believe in general that sub-national authorities should have 
     the right to make their own trade and foreign policies. The 
     Constitution reserves these powers for the federal 
     government, and USBIC believes that this arrangement has 
     served the nation well.
       Yet the ultimate fate of these sub-national policies should 
     be decided by the American political system--which, after 
     all, is the only political system on earth that places first 
     and foremost the interests of the American people and the 
     only one that is fully accountable to them. Foreign 
     governments and international bureaucracies should play no 
     official or formal role whatever in these decisions.
       For more than 200 years, the American people have looked to 
     their own elected leaders to safeguard national security and 
     manage their international economic affairs. They have never 
     voted to delegate these responsibilities to foreign bodies, 
     or give such bodies binding oversight. The American political 
     system has all the legitimacy it needs to act on their 
     behalf. This legitimacy--along with the power to enforce the 
     decisions made by the system--is the sine qua non of U.S. 
     sovereignty.
       Using taxpayer money to finance U.S. federal government 
     court challenges ordered by an international organization to 
     overturn political decisions made by legitimate American 
     officials and legislators at the state or local level betrays 
     more than two centuries of struggle and sacrifice for 
     American independence and freedom. It's bad enough that 
     President Clinton and his multilateralist advisors have 
     meekly acquiesced in the creeping power grab being engineered 
     by the World Trade Organization. If Republicans and 
     conservatives don't stand up to them, who will? I strongly 
     urge you to vote for the Kucinich-Sanders-Ros Lehtinen-
     DeFazio-Stearns amendment.
       If you should have any question about the amendment or the 
     sovereignty issue in general, please feel free to contact 
     either myself or USBIC Educational Foundation Research Fellow 
     Alan Tonelson at 202-628-2211.

     

                          ____________________