29342: O'Brien (info on HOPE bill) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Martha O'Brien <mmcpeob@earthlink.net>
From: sdwpmail [mailto:sdwpmail@usccb.org]

Dear Colleagues:

Please find attached an ACTION ALERT on Haiti in PDF format. The text for
this action alert is also below in the body of this e-mail, and on the web
at
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/20061013Tradepreferenceshaiti3aa.pdf
.

USCCB and CRS are urging passage of trade preference legislation for Haiti
that would stimulate economic growth and promote employment. These
preferences are found in H.R. 6142 that was introduced into the House of
Representatives just a few weeks ago. While your Member of Congress is in
your home district, please contact him or her and urge him or her to support
Haiti trade preferences (known as the HOPE Act) that is found in H.R. 6142.
Just as important, ask your Member to write to House Leadership urging that
H.R. 6142 be brought up for a vote when Congress returns on November 13th,
the week following the congressional elections. Also, ask the Member to
share a copy of the letter.

As the poorest country in the Hemisphere, Haiti needs all our support at
this time.
Many thanks for your commitment.




------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rev. Andrew Small, OMI
Foreign Policy Advisor,
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 Fourth Street NE
Washington, DC 20017-1194
Tel 202 541 3153
Fax 202 541 3339
Email asmall@usccb.org
Website: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp

*************************Action
Alert**********************************************************
October 13, 2006
Help Haiti: Urge your Representative to Write in Support of Haiti Trade
Preferences
TAKE ACTION NOW! Contact your Representative urging support for the Haiti
trade preferences in H.R. 6142 and
asking him or her to write a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert
(R-14/IL) and Majority Leader John Boehner (R-8/OH)
urging them to bring H.R. 6142 up for a vote as soon as Congress reconvenes
after the congressional elections on
November 7th. H.R. 6142 contains the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through
Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act
of 2006 that provides trade preferences for Haiti's weakened textile
industry.
Visit the CRS Action Center to send your Member a message today:
http://actioncenter.crs.org specifically asking them to
write to House leadership. Please ask your Member to share a copy of the
support letter that he or she may write. It is
vital that we know your Member's request to House leadership to bring the
bill to the floor so that we can urge swift
passage of the bill when Congress returns on November 13th. There is a
danger that the needs of Haiti will be
overshadowed by other congressional priorities.
WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
and Catholic Relief Services
(CRS) have been urging Congress to pass trade preferences for Haiti for some
time. (See
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/HaitilettertoAmbPortman2006Final.pdf
). Our advocacy efforts have now reached
a critical stage.
In September, Rep. William Thomas (R-22/CA), Chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee, introduced H.R.
6142, which contains the HOPE Act. The HOPE Act will attract investment in
Haiti and create jobs for thousands of
Haitians. USCCB and CRS are urging Congress to bring H.R. 6142 up for a vote
as soon as Congress reconvenes after
the elections. Visit http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2006/06-187.shtml
for a copy of a letter the USCCB recently sent
to all Representatives urging swift passage of the HOPE Act.
BACKGROUND: In support of our mission to follow the Gospel's call to
alleviate human suffering and promote justice
worldwide, USCCB and CRS are promoting the Catholic Campaign Against Global
Poverty www.usccb.org/globalpoverty.
Our campaign is rooted in our Church's teaching to uphold human dignity, by
shaping U.S. policies and programs to
address the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people around the
world. The campaign has three major pillars:
debt relief, effective foreign assistance and promoting an equitable
international trade system.
Haiti is thehas been working in Haiti since 1954 assisting the people
during natural disasters and political crises and also focusing on long term
development through education, health, small
business development and agricultural programming. While USCCB and CRS
believe foreign aid and debt relief are
critical, they are inadequate for tackling Haiti's interlinked problems.
With a newly-elected President and a reduction in
violence, Haiti needs long-term economic development to create jobs for the
poor, leading to stability. Without sustained
development though jobs and economic growth, there are fears that Haiti will
turn into a permanent failed state, becoming
a haven for drug transshipment and terrorism.
The HOPE Act, contained in H.R. 6142, will offer a much-needed economic
boost to Haiti by providing preferential access
to Haitian exports. Haiti once had a vibrant textile industry but thousands
of manufacturing jobs have been lost in recent
years. Factories are now closed and machinery lies dormant. With trade
preferences, these factories could open up very
quickly offering short and long term job opportunities for Haitians.
Enforced properly, many experts agree that trade
preferences for Haiti present no threat to the U.S. textile industry.
Visit http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/haiti2006.htm for more
information.
TAKE ACTION NOW! Once again, visit the CRS Action Center
(http://actioncenter.crs.org/) today to contact your
Member and ask him or her to write urging House leadership to bring H.R.
6142 up for a vote as soon as Congress
reconvenes after the congressional elections. Don't forget to ask for a copy
of the letter to House leadership! Contact Fr.
Andrew Small or Tina Rodousakis to let us know what response you received.

For more information, contact:
Fr. Andrew Small, OMI, USCCB Policy Advisor, International Economic
Development, (202) 541-3153;
asmall@usccb.org; Tina Rodousakis, CRS Legislative Network Specialist,
1-800-235-2772 x 7462; trodousa@crs.org


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