urgent message

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

The IMF vote in the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take
place tomorrow, Thursday September 17. Stop-IMF members in the United
States should call their members of Congress with the message:

Vote NO on the amendment for the $14.5 billion IMF quota increase.

We have an excellent chance of winning this round, with our chances that
much better if Members hear from their constituents. It is especially
important for Democratic members to hear from constituents.

Two piggybacked action alerts follow, from Public Citizen's Global Trade
Watch and 50 Years is Enough. 

Robert Weissman
Essential Information			|   Internet:	rob@essential.org

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 14:13:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mike Dolan <mdolan@citizen.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list TW-LIST <tw-list@essential.org>
Subject: IMF Action Alert

THE VOTE ON THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATION IS PREDICTED TO HIT THE 
HOUSE FLOOR TOMORROW (9/17) .... AN AMENDMENT WILL BE OFFERED TO INCREASE 
THE IMF FUNDING BY $14.5 BILLION ... YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSIONAL 
DELEGATION WITH THIS SIMPLE MESSAGE: HEY, IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR -- THINK 
TWICE ABOUT VOTING FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE AMENDMENT.  VOTE NO ON IMF 
EXPANSION.
TOLL-FREE TO THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD:
888-898-7717
800-335-4949
===== Original Message from MSTRAND @ CITIZEN at 9/16/98 1:12 pm
Original Recipient(s):
To: MAI-NOT@SMTP (Multiple recipients of list MAI-NOT) 
{mai-not@essential.org}

The important vote on IMF expansion is coming up full speed ahead in the
House and we have a unique chance of stopping it! Last week the
appropriations committee stripped $14.5 billion away from the proposal, but
we might see an attempt through a floor amendment to add the money back on
to the bill. WE CAN STOP THIS THOUGH IF WE INTENSIFY OUR EFFORTS AND GET
CRANKING ON THE PHONES TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES. Call your delegations TODAY
and get everybody you know to do the same. If you are unsure of who your
targets are, please reply hereto or to Njoki from 50 Years is Enough
(wb50years@igc.org) and we will fill you in.

************************************************
Dear Friends/Activists:

As per the alert below, we are asking you to call your congressional
representatives.  Ask them to say NO to more $$ for the IMF.  If you need
contact information on state delegations we have available, and will share,
contact info. on delegations from the following states:

Oregon        	New York       	  New Jersey   	 Maryland
California      	Massachusetts      Michigan       	 Washington
Ohio            	Minnesota           Missouri      	New hampshire
Pennsylvania   	 Virgina              
Banking Committee members

Send me a message and let me know which ones you need.  Remember you can
call any and all members of the Banking Committee.

CALL, CALL, CONGRESS TODAY!!

Tell them NO $$$ for the IMF!

NO IMF EXPANSION
==========================

                        ***URGENT IMF ALERT***

  50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice
                      1247 E Street, S.E.
                      Washington, DC 20003
                202/463-2265; fax: 202/544-9359
                       wb50years@igc.org

                     ***URGENT IMF ALERT***

It is no exaggeration to say that this alert concerns one of the most
important actions you could ever take to promote global economic justice.
The U.S. Congress, because of the undemocratic structure of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), has disproportionate influence over its
fate. We often protest that fact, but right now we have a very good chance
to use it to do some real good for the world.  We urge everyone in the U.S.,
and U.S. citizens not currently in the country, to act now.  (This urgent
alert will not rehearse the case against the IMF.  If you would like
background information -- i.e., reasons to act -- please contact us.)

The U.S. House of Representatives will very possibly be voting on IMF
funding next week.  We need *everyone* in the U.S. to call their
Representative and urge them to vote against adding any funding to the
current appropriations bill.

The situation is this: last week the House Appropriations Committee approved
a Foreign Operations bill to be sent to the full House.  In a victory for
IMF opponents, the Committee declined to add $14.5 billion for the IMF quota
increase that President Clinton has been pushing very hard for.  It is a
virtual certainty, however, that one of the President's allies (likely a
Republican) will propose an amendment to add the money when it reaches the
House floor.

The United States is the largest shareholder in the IMF.  The other members
wait until the U.S. commits its quota increase funds before they commit
theirs.  If the U.S. approves the $14.5 billion, the others will almost
certainly fall in line, with the result that the IMF would get over $80
billion in new funding.  This would expand its capital base by a full 45%,
and thus greatly increase its overall power and influence in the world.
Such an expansion would be very hard to reverse in the future.  On the other
hand, if the quota increase is defeated in the U.S., the expansion would be
killed.

Defeating this move to expand the IMF would be a very significant victory.
For the first time, this arrogant institution that more than any other
single player is responsible for deepening poverty and increasing inequality
around the world would be rebuffed.  There could be no bigger boost to
bringing about a more just global economy.

***The message for Representatives is straightforward: oppose amending the
Foreign Operations appropriations bill to include more money for the IMF.***

It should be noted that the existing bill already includes $3.4 billion for
the New Arrangement to Borrow (NAB), a credit line to the IMF for emergency
bailouts.  We have made a tactical decision to not base our fight on
opposing this money.  Most people committed to "our side" do oppose it, but
some of our allies do not. With the money in there, we can say that Congress
is not totally freezing the Administration and the IMF out, thus making the
rejection of the quota increase seem less "radical."  The main issue here is
not whether another bailout or two can be funded, but whether the IMF will
be expanded permanently.

***Call your Representatives today.  The number of the switchboard at the
U.S. Capitol is 202/224-3121.  If you do not know who your Representative
is, please contact us.  If you can, please also call other Representatives
from your state's delegation.***

(You can also write, if you do so immediately.  The address:  U.S. House of
Representatives / Washington, DC 20515)
===== * = * = * = * = * = * = * ====
Njoki Njoroge Njehu
Public Outreach Coordinator
50 Years Is Enough Network
1247 E Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003 - USA
Email: wb50years@igc.org
Web: www.50years.org

Margrete Strand Rangnes
MAI Project Coordinator
Public Citizen Global Trade Watch
215 Pennsylvania Ave, SE
Washington DC, 20003
mstrand@citizen.org
202-546 4996, ext. 306
202-547 7392 (fax)

To subscribe to our MAI Listserv send an e-mail to mstrand@citizen.org, or
subscribe directly by going to our website,
www.tradewatch.org


 /s/ Mike Dolan, Field Director, Global Trade Watch, Public Citizen
      mdolan@citizen.org                          http://www.tradewatch.org

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Sr.