ACTION ITEM

On July 17, the Senate passed the Foreign Aid Bill which included Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) earmark of $225 million for Ukraine. The vote was 91 senators in favor of the bill and eight against. For the third year in a row, the Senate has passed an earmark for Ukraine in the amount of $225 million.

Although the Senate's passage of the bill was a great success, the House-Senate Conference Committee still needs to agree on the final version of the bill that will be sent to President Bill Clinton for his approval. The House has not yet voted, but its version of the bill is expected to provide $175 million less in aid to the newly independent states (NIS), with no earmark of assistance to Ukraine.

It is important that the Ukrainian American community contact the members of the House-Senate Conference Committee immediately and voice our support for the Senate version of the Foreign Aid Bill, especially for the earmark and subearmarks for Ukraine. A sample letter to the House-Senate conferees follows. The letter should be distributed to all community members and faxed to the subcommittee members. Follow-up phone calls to your district and Washington offices should also be made. (Please report all activities to the Ukrainian National Information Service.)

SAMPLE LETTER

The Honorable (Name)
U.S. Senate/U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510/20515

Dear Senator/Representative (Name):

I am writing to express my support and gratitude for the $225 million earmark for Ukraine proposed by Sen. Mitch McConnell, which was included in the Senate version of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill.

Through the continued support of the United States and the $225 million earmark, in the last six years Ukraine has evolved into a Western-oriented country. Just recently, Ukraine signed a charter with NATO, initiated an anti-corruption program, and reaffirmed its commitment to economic and legal reform.

During the upcoming House-Senate Conference on the FY 1998 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, I urge you to endorse the Senate-approved $225 million earmark for Ukraine, as well as the subearmarks, which promote American interests by making Ukraine strong and self sufficient.

Sincerely,

* * *

Below is a list of the members of the Foreign Operations Subcommittees of the Senate and House of Represenatives, followed by the members' phone and fax numbers. (All numbers are preceded by area code 202.)

Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee:

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), chairman, 225-2541, 224-2499
Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), 224-4254, 228-1229
Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), 224-3324, 224-4952
Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), 224-5744, 224-3416
Robert Bennett (R-Utah), 224-5444, n/a
Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), 224-5852, 224-1933
Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), 224-3004, 224-0772
Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), ranking member, 224-4242, n/a
Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), 224-3934, 224-6747
Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), 224-4744, 224-9707
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), 224-3254, 224-9369
Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), 224-4654, 224-8858
Patty Murray (D-Wash.), 224-2621, 224-0238

House Foreign Operations Subcommittee:

Sonny Callahan (R-Ala.), chairman, 1st District, 225-4931, 225-0562
John Edward Porter (R-Ill.), 10th District, 225-4835, n/a
Frank Wolf (R-Va.), 10th District, 225-5136, 225-0437
Ron Packard (R-Calif.), 48th District, 225-3906, 225-0134
Joseph Knollenberg (R-Mich., 11th District, 225-5802, 226-2356
Michael Forbes (R-N.Y.), 1st District, 225-3826, 225-3143
Jack Kinsgton (R-Ga.), 1st District, 225-5831, 226-2269
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), 11th District, 225-5034, 225-3186
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 8th District, ranking member, 225-4965, 225-8259
Sidney Yates (D-Ill.), 9th District, 225-2111, 225-3493
Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), 18th District, 225-6506, 225-0546
Thomas Foglietta (D-Pa.), 1st District, 225-4731, 225-0088
Esteban Edward Torres (D-Calif.), 34th District, 225-5256, 225-9711

NOTE: Members of Congress will be on recess through Labor Day. This is an appropriate time to meet with them as an organized group to discuss issues important to the Ukrainian American community.

- submitted by the Ukrainian National Information Service, Washington.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, August 3, 1997, No. 31, Vol. LXV

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