The report says WOA has been supporting two bills currently pending in the House which would restrict aid to South African-backed UNITA rebels in Angola. The report says HR 3690 - introduced by Rep. Ted Weiss (D-NY) would prohibit any aid to military or paramilitary rebel forces in Angola; HR 4276 - introduced by House Intelligence Committee Chair Lee Hamilton (D-IN) would require any aid to Angolan rebels to be authorized by a joint resolution of Congress; this bill is very similar to the Clark Amendment, repealed by Congress in July 1985, except that HR 4276 would apply only in fiscal years 1986 and 1987. The report says HR 3690 has been overshadowed by HR 4276, which has the backing of the...
The report says WOA has been supporting two bills currently pending in the House which would restrict aid to South African-backed UNITA rebels in Angola. The report says HR 3690 - introduced by Rep. Ted Weiss (D-NY) would prohibit any aid to military or paramilitary rebel forces in Angola; HR 4276 - introduced by House Intelligence Committee Chair Lee Hamilton (D-IN) would require any aid to Angolan rebels to be authorized by a joint resolution of Congress; this bill is very similar to the Clark Amendment, repealed by Congress in July 1985, except that HR 4276 would apply only in fiscal years 1986 and 1987. The report says HR 3690 has been overshadowed by HR 4276, which has the backing of the House Select Committee on Intelligence; HR 4276 passed the committee in mid-March and is at present before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which is expected to act on it this week. The report says WOA has been mobilizing support for adoption of HR 4276 through the Southern Africa Working Group Lobbying Committee; we have prepared a comprehensive Swing List for the House and have identified those Members who will be key to passage at both Committee and Floor levels. The report says WOA has taken leadership in formulating a strategy for this year's sanctions campaign; early on we helped to encourage the Subcommittee on Africa to hold consultative hearings with representatives of the national anti-apartheid movement PRIOR to the selection of sanctions legislation; those hearings have been going on throughout March and April; WOA testified before the Subcommittee on April 16th, advancing the call for complete economic sanctions and adoption of Ron Dellums' (D-CA) bill, HR 997. The report says in recent days, we have been calling legislators whom we have identified as potential HR 997 supporters, and have encouraged them to urge the Subcommittee to approve the bill; through our network, we have also been trying to demonstrate political support for HR 997 in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California as a means of encouraging Senators Kennedy, Weicker, and Cranston to introduce companion legislation.
