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Dear Ellen Markham,
"Freedom of movement is the very essence of our free society. Once the
right to travel is curtailed, all other rights suffer. "
--Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, 1964
Please
click here
if you have not already
joined the more than 1200 persons who have expressed support for
legislation to end restrictions on travel to Cuba
Feel free to quote from or modify the statement text in letters-to-the
editor of local daily and weekly papers.
And it helps a lot if you
encourage friends and
colleagues to add their names to the statement by pasting this link in
personal correspondence or to lists:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Cu
batravelbill/ .
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COSPONSORS:
97 HOUSE, 16 SENATE
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GOOD--BUT NOT ENOUGH!
 
The last time a serious effort was made to marshal House
cosponsors for travel legislation, the total was 105.
We must exceed that number in
order to show travel to
Cuba is a growing concern, deserving of serious debate and
passage.
A regularly updated list of House cosponsors can be seen
here
and of Senate cosponsors
here.
If your Representative or Senator is not on the list, please call
his or her office. Speak with the director of the District or
State office or to the staff member in the Washington office
responsible for foreign affairs. If you are unable to get a
definitive commitment to cosponsor (or an outrigh t refu sal),
call again once a week. After you get an answer, please let us
know:
rsvpffrd@earthlink.net
The interests that want to keep Cuba off-limits to Americans are
very active with money and lobbying. Public opinion is on our
side, and is visible through all our efforts.
News story about
travel debate on Capitol Hill
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NEWLY ELECTED AND KEY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
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The highest priority
All members of Congress matter and should hear from concerned
constituents.
Your efforts are especially important if you have a Representative
or Senator who was elected last November or is on the
subcommittees and committees that determine the fate of travel
legislation.
New House members have
received lots of attention from travel opponents. They should be
encouraged to attend a new members briefing at
10:30 a.m. on April 24,
hosted by Representatives Rangel, Flake, and Lee.
House Committee on Foreign
Affairs
Click here
for list of members
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee
Engel (Chair), Meeks, S�nchez, Sires, Giffords, Faleomavaega,
Payne, Delahunt, Klein, Green, Burton, Mack, McCaul, Fortu�o,
Smith, Gal legly, Paul, Davis
Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations
Click here
for list of members.
Subcommittee on
Western Hemisphere Affairs
Dodd (Chair), Kerry, Nelson, Menendez, Webb, Corker, Isakson,
Coleman, Sununu
To see
legislation, insert HR 654 or S 721
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NATIONAL CALL-IN DAYS MAY 1 & 2
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The Latin America Working Group and the Washington Office on Latin
America are coordinating National Cuba Call-In Days on May 1 and 2
as the next step in the nationwide campaign to end travel
restrictions.
Contact
efalkenburger@wola.org
or
crodriguez@lawg.org
for additional information (talking points, phone numbers,
partners joining in this effort, etc.).
This grassroots effort to mobilize a coordinated flood of phone
calls to Congress, instead of an on-the-ground action day in DC,
enables more people to join in but depends on good outreach and
preparation at the local level. |
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PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
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Heads up: Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Florida and South Carolina!
To date only one prospective Presidential candidate in the Senate
has cosponsored S 721 to end travel restrictions, Chuck Hegel.
Silence so far from Biden, Brownback, Clinton, Dodd, McCain, and
Obama. In the House, Kucinich and Paul are cosponsoring HR 654;
Hunter and Tancredo are not.
Candidates seeking votes in early primary and caucus states make
themselves unusually accessible. Whenever an opportunity presents
itself, they need to be asked to cosponsor, or at least if they
will vote for, S 721 or HR 654.
Even if candidates say "no" or duck the question, they and
accompanying media will note travel to Cuba is on the table this
election cycle.
Let us know if you find such an opportunity and what happens:
rsvpffrd@earthlink.net
Extra points if you capture
the question on video and put it on U Tube.
Schedule of
Primaries and Caucuses
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CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT CHURCH LEADERS STRONGLY BACK TRAVEL
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The
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB) has urged Congress to pass legislation that would end
travel restrictions to Cuba and encourage more contact between
Cuban and American citizens.
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