Report on status of the Dellums sanctions bill, H.R. 1580. The House passed the bill on August 11 by a vote of 244-132. The nearly identical bill S. 2756, introduced by Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA), passed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a party-line vote of 10-9. Committee Chairman Claiborne Pell (D-RI), who is a lukewarm sanctions supporter, helped to maintain party discipline, as did Presidential candidate Dukakis' support for the measure. However, to get support from southern Democrats like Bennett Johnston (D-LA), the provision prohibiting any oil company that sells to South Africa from obtaining new federal oil leases was deleted. This was one of the most significant sanctions...
Report on status of the Dellums sanctions bill, H.R. 1580. The House passed the bill on August 11 by a vote of 244-132. The nearly identical bill S. 2756, introduced by Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA), passed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a party-line vote of 10-9. Committee Chairman Claiborne Pell (D-RI), who is a lukewarm sanctions supporter, helped to maintain party discipline, as did Presidential candidate Dukakis' support for the measure. However, to get support from southern Democrats like Bennett Johnston (D-LA), the provision prohibiting any oil company that sells to South Africa from obtaining new federal oil leases was deleted. This was one of the most significant sanctions measures ever passed by the House. Majority Leader Robert Byrd (D-WVA) was the key roadblock to a Senate vote, since he controls which bills reach the Senate floor. Also, because of a certain Reagan veto and the threat of a Republican filibuster, at least 60 votes would be needed for Senate passage. As it became clear that Senator Byrd would not schedule the bill and 60 votes could not be secured, Senate supporters moved to attach S. 2756 as an amendment to another bill already scheduled for consideration. Less Senate staff lobbying was occurring, and the kind of outcry from a broad-based coalition of Americans in support of sanctions, which succeeded in passing limited sanctions in 1986, was missing this time. Currently, there is no solid Democratic majority for sanctions. The report explains the ways the Pretoria regime is lobbying the media about "reforms" to apartheid, President P.W. Botha being trapped between "right-wing extremists" and "left-wing radicals," and focusing on the negotiations for the Cuban troop withdrawal from Angola and Namibian independence. Conservative legislation to repeal the existing selective sanctions laws may be introduced, so political mobilization for sanctions is urgent. The report mentions forced removals, racially segregated living areas, and the detention of thousands of anti-apartheid activists, church leaders, and student organizers.
