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H.R. 3890:
Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007:
California Get Your Representatives to Co-Sponsor!
Block Burmese JADE (Junta's
Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007 Browse online here,
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h3890:
Or
Download PDF
Goal: To amend the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act
of 2003 to waive the requirement for annual renewal resolutions relating to
import sanctions, impose import sanctions on Burmese gemstones, expand the
number of individuals against whom the visa ban is applicable, expand the
blocking of assets and other prohibited activities, and for other purposes.
As we mentioned last week, Congressman Tom Lantos
(D-CA) introduced new sanctions to cut off major revenue from Burma's military
junta. The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti- Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007 has
the power to force the regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and
Ethnic nationalities. We must show the people of Burma that the U.S. is taking
action to support their calls for freedom, democracy and human rights. Call
your Representative today asking them to support the Block Burmese JADE Act!
Organize your community to call in as well. Contact details for your
Representative below.
What the Act Does:
The regime makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year off the sale of
gems. More than 90 percent of the world's rubies and fine-quality jade comes
from Burma. The new sanctions will crack down on the regime's practice of
avoiding U.S. sanctions by laundering gemstones through third countries before
they are sold.
Chevron with a large investment in natural gas in Burma, provides the regime
with huge cash flows. They have also escaped sanctions - until now! This bill
will target Chevron's payments to the regime and their ability to claim tax
deductions on those payments.
This Act also freezes the assets of Burmese political and military leaders,
prevents Burma from using U.S. financial institutions via third countries to
launder the funds of those leaders or their immediate families, and prohibits
Burmese officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from
receiving visas to the United States.
"This legislation will turn off a huge cash spigot for the thuggish Burmese
regime," Lantos said. "If my colleagues come together and act quickly to pass
these new sanctions, we can put an end to huge profits for the junta and its
unscrupulous middle-men. We must ensure that the sale of some of the Earth's
most beautiful natural resources does not continue to enable the horrors
inflicted upon the people of Burma."
Burma also uses third countries to access the U.S. banking system. These
overseas banks process accounts in and through the United States for Burma's
rulers, providing the regime with much-needed hard currency. The regime uses
these funds to purchase weapons and luxury goods, while the bulk of Burma's
population lives in poverty.
Lantos' legislation tightens existing sanctions to prevent Burma's military
rulers from profiting from sales to the United States, and blocks access to the
U.S. financial system not just for Burmese human rights violators but also to
those who provide the regime with banking services.
The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007, if passed,
would be the strongest action yet that the U.S. takes to pressure Burma's
military regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and ethnic
nationalities.
Contact information:
To find out whom your individual representative is click on this link and
type in your zipcode,
www.house.gov. Once there, enter your zip code in the "Find your
representative" box in the top left corner of the screen.
Once you know whom your representative is - use the list below to contact your
representative's Foreign Affairs staffer. If s/he is not there leave a message
and ask her/him to call you back. Call today and call every day until you get an
answer!
Already a cosponsor:
Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (Democrat, 10th district)
Congressman Brad Sherman (Democrat, 27th district)
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (Democrat, 35th district)
Need:
Congressman Mike Thompson (Democrat, 1st district), contact staffer: Tracy
Varghese at 202-225-3311
Congressman Wally Herger (Republican, 2nd district), contact staffer: Darren
Thacker at 202-225-3076
Congressman Dan Lungren (Republican, 3rd district), contact staffer: Sandra
Wiseman at 202-225-5716
Congressman John Doolittle (Republican, 4th district), contact staffer: Evan
Goitein at 202-225-2511
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (Democrat, 5th district), contact staffer: Sam
Stesanki at 202-225-7163
Congresswoman Woolsey (Democrat, 6th district), contact staffer: Jennifer Goedke
at 202-225-5161
Congressman George Miller (Democrat, 7th district), contact staffer: Justin
Hamilton at 202-225-2095
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, 8th district), contact staffer: Jonathan
Stivers at 202-225-4965
As Speaker of the House she can not cosponsor but ask her to ensure the
bill's passage
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Democrat, 9th district), contact staffer: Ven Neralla
at 202-225-2661
Remind her staffer that she cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act in previous years and she should continue her support
Congressman Gerald McNerney (Democrat, 11th district), contact staffer: Andrew
Horowitz at 202-225-1947
Congressman Fortney 'Pete' Stark (Democrat, 13th district), contact staffer:
Yoni Cohen at 202-225-5065
Remind his staffer that he cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act and he should continue his support
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (Democrat, 14th district), contact staffer: Jared
Weaver at 202-225-8104
Congressman Michael Honda (Democrat, 15th district), contact staffer: Ken Takeda
at 202-225-2631
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, 16th district), contact staffer: Jared
Roscoe at 202-225-3072
Remind her staffer that she cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act earlier this year and she should continue her support
Congressman Sam Farr (Democrat, 17th district), contact staffer: Marc Hanson at
202-225-2861
Congressman Dennis Cardoza (Democrat, 18th district), contact staffer: Sandy
Sussman at 202-225-6131
Congressman George Radanovich (Republican, 19th district), contact staffer:
Chris Herndon at 202-225-4540
Congressman Jim Costa (Democrat, 20th district), contact staffer: Bret Rumdeck
at 202-225-3341
Congressman Devin Nunes (Republican, 21st district), contact staffer: Kendra
Fowler at 202-225-2523
Congressman Kevin McCarthy (Republican, 22nd district), contact staffer: Shelby
Hagenauer 202-225-2915
Congresswoman Lois Capps (Democrat, 23rd district), contact staffer: Michelle
Levy-Benitez 202-225-3601
Congressman Elton Gallegly (Republican, 24th district), contact staffer: Richard
Mereu 202-225-5811
Congressman Howard 'Buck' McKeon (Republican, 25th district), contact staffer:
Hanz Heinrichsn202-225-1956
Congressman David Dreier (Republican, 26th district), contact staffer: Rachel
Leaman 202-225-2305
Congressman Howard Berman (Democrat, 28th district), contact staffer: Doug
Campbell 202-225-4695
Remind his staffer that he cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act earlier this year and in previous years and he should continue
his support
Congressman Adam Schiff (Democrat, 29th district), contact staffer: Timothy
Bergreen 202-225-4176
Remind his staffer that he cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act earlier this year and he should continue his support
Congressman Henry Waxman (Democrat, 30th district), contact staffer: Zahava
Golman 202-225-3976
Congressman Xavier Becerra (Democrat, 31st district), contact staffer: Wendy
Ramirez 202-225-6235
Congresswoman Hilda Solis (Democrat, 32nd district), contact staffer: Laura
Marsh 202-225-5464
Congresswoman Diane Watson (Democrat, 33rd district), contact staffer: Bert
Hammond 202-225-7084
Remind her staffer that she cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act in previous years and she should continue her support
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, 34th district), contact staffer:
Britt Conroy 202-225-1766
Congresswoman Jane Harman (Democrat, 36th district), contact staffer: Jay
Hulings 202-225-8220
Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald (Democrat, 37th district), contact
staffer: Alex Russ 202-225-7924
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (Democrat, 38th district), contact staffer:
Victor Ritvo 202-225-5256
Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (Democrat, 39th district), contact staffer: Jose
Delgado 202-225-6676
Congressman Ed Royce (Democrat, 40th district), contact staffer: Hunter Strupp
202-225-4111
Congressman Jerry Lewis (Republican, 41st district), contact staffer: Spencer
Freebairn 202-225-5861
Congressman Gary Miller (Republican, 42nd district), contact staffer: Dot
Toussaint 202-225-3201
Congressman Joe Baca (Democrat, 43rd district), contact staffer: Brenda
Villanueva 202-225-6161
Congressman Ken Calvert (Republican, 44th district), contact staffer:Scott
Tranter 202-225-1986
Congresswoman Mary Bono (Republican, 45th district), contact staffer: Chris
Foster 202-225-5330
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (Republican, 46th district), contact staffer: Tom
Berkowitz 202-225-2415
Remind his staffer that he cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom
and Democracy Act earlier this year and in previous years and he should continue
his support
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (Democrat, 47th district), contact staffer: Kate
Riley 202-225-2965
Congressman John Campbell (Republican, 48th district), contact staffer: Caitlan
Kaplan 202-225-5611
Congressman Darrell Issa (Republican, 49th district), contact staffer: Laurent
Crenshaw 202-225-3906
Congressman Brian Bilbray (Republican, 50th district), contact staffer: Amy
Smith 202-225-0508
Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat, 51st district), contact staffer: Karen
Foster-Wright 202-225-8045
Congressman Duncan Hunter (Republican, 52nd district), contact staffer: Lorissa
Bounds 202-225-5672
Congresswoman Susan Davis (Democrat, 53rd district), contact staffer: Daniel
Hazard 202-225-2040
To add their name as a cosponsor:
Let them know that to co-sponsor they should contact Eric Richardson at the
Committee on Foreign Affairs office at
eric.richardson@mail.house.gov
or 225-5021.
Talking Points for Staffer:
- Tell the staffer you want your representative to co-sponsor the Block Burmese
JADE Act of 2007
- Give her/him proof that this policy works. It cuts off hundreds of millions of
dollars to the regime and will specifically target the top generals' finances.
- Mention that the military junta still deserves sanctions. On top of brutally
crushing thousands of peaceful demonstrators, including monks, the military
regime has destroyed more than 3,000 villages. It has forcibly displaced more
than half a million people inside Burma as well as causing a million refugees to
flee across the border to neighboring countries and has made no efforts to move
toward democracy.
- Let her/him know it is important to send a strong signal to the regime that
the US government will continue to keep American money out the hands of the
junta.
- This is not the only action being taken against Burma. On top of many
diplomatic efforts, the EU has imposed new sanctions, as well as Australia, and
even Japan has decreased aid to Burma.
- Finally ask the staffer to call you back when your representative has
co-sponsored the Block Burmese JADE Act. Important: Leave your phone number!
Let him/her know that his/her constituents care about Burma!
Check up to see if they cosponsor:
It's easy to check and see if they follow through and agree to cosponsor.
THOMAS, the Library of Congress' congressional records database updates a list
of all information on legislation. Click on this link to find out who has
signed as cosponsors,
Please let me know when you have contacted your Representative and how it went -
thelma@uscampaignforburma.org. These new sanctions will hit the regime
where it hurts.
Support 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi and the struggle for
freedom and democracy in Burma.
Become a member of the United States Campaign for Burma today.