Very Urgent: Final Action Alert on the IMF

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

As this session of U.S. Congress winds down, the Congress is rushing madly
to finish its work on various appropriations bills. Among them is the 
foreign operations appropriations bill, which will contain whatever
funding the IMF will finally receive, and the terms on which the Fund
receives money from the United States.

As we reach the homestretch of the session, there are two critical
messages for people in the United States to deliver to Congress and the
White House:

1. No quota increase for the IMF!

Call your member of Congress and tell them not to waste taxpayer money on
the failed IMF. Call 1-800-335-4949 (toll free), 1-888-898-7717 (toll
free), or 1-202-225-3121.

2. Remove Section 601(a) trade and investment liberalization language 
from the appropriations bill! No MAI in the IMF!

Section 601(a) would make the IMF an enforcer of trade agreements like
GATT and NAFTA, as well as potential investment agreements like the
Multilateral Agreement on Investments (MAI). If countries did not adhere
to the terms of these agreements, the Fund would deny them loans. It would
also give the Fund authority to demand trade and investment liberalization
even beyond that required by these agreements. 

Section 601(a) raises the same issues that we highlighted some weeks ago
in a memo, "$14.5 Billion Quota Expansion = Stealth Fast Track," posted on
this listserve.

The Section 601(a) situation has turned particularly grave today, as
Speaker Newt Gingrich has asserted control over what will happen with the
provision. He has said that he will make the decision with the White House
and the Treasury Department. 

It is OK to call your Member of Congress on this, but much more
important at this time to deluge the people who will decide this issue 
with calls:

Erskine Bowles, White House Chief of Staff: 	202-456-6798
Secretary Rubin's Office, US Dept. of Treasury: 202-622-1260
John Podesta, White House:			202-456-1414
Newt Gingrich, 					202-225-0600

Public Citizen suggests the following crisp message: Say something like
this: "I know that you will be among those who will decide if the MAI
language of Section 601(a) stays in the IMF Funding or not. I want to
express my opposition at this outrageous language. The MAI is extremely
controversial and the last thing we need is to sneak it in through the
back-door like this is clearly an attempt to do!" 

Feel free to repeat these calls often & please help us spread the word far 
and wide.

Robert Weissman
rob@essential.org
202-387-8030