On September 14, 1988, by a party-line vote of 10-9, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed S. 2756 (formerly cited as S. 2378), introduced by Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA). The committee dropped the provision prohibiting oil companies who sell to South Africa from bidding on federal gas and oil leases. Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) proposed this deletion, which significantly weakens the total package of sanctions; however, the remaining sanctions include important disinvestment and trade embargo provisions. Some major provisions that remain in S. 2756 include prohibiting investment by ALL U.S. corporations in South Africa and Namibia, and a virtual total ban on trade with South Africa....
On September 14, 1988, by a party-line vote of 10-9, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed S. 2756 (formerly cited as S. 2378), introduced by Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA). The committee dropped the provision prohibiting oil companies who sell to South Africa from bidding on federal gas and oil leases. Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) proposed this deletion, which significantly weakens the total package of sanctions; however, the remaining sanctions include important disinvestment and trade embargo provisions. Some major provisions that remain in S. 2756 include prohibiting investment by ALL U.S. corporations in South Africa and Namibia, and a virtual total ban on trade with South Africa. The bill also includes some of the stronger sections of the present sanctions law, such as prohibiting direct air flights between the U.S. and South Africa, an end to corporate tax deductions for income taxes paid to the apartheid government, and prohibiting Namibian uranium imports in the form of "uranium hexafluoride." The legislation will only come to the Senate floor when at least 51 votes are assured. There are two important road-blocks in the Senate: Senator Robert Byrd (D-WVA), Senate Majority Leader, is opposed to disinvestment from South Africa, and a filibuster by Senate conservatives is likely. At least 60 Senators (or 2/3rds) must sign a petition for "cloture" (to end a filibuster). The mailing lists "swing" votes in the Senate and asks people to contact Senator Byrd and their Senators.
