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China News Digest - US Regional Services (Bo Xiong) --------------- Date: Sun, 6 Aug 1995 03:49:37 GMT Reply-To: ifcss Sender: Newsletter on Chinese Community From: ifcss Subject: HQ NR #9513: Communication On Joint Lobby Efforts (1) Comments: To: pbs-l@ifcss.org, council-l@ifcss.org Comments: cc: china-nt@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU To: Multiple recipients of list CCNL Status: RO Please Help Forward This Post To Local Public Nets - Thank You &=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&= HEADQUARTERS NEWSRELEASE * HEADQUARTERS NEWSRELEASE * HEADQUARTERS NEWSREL &^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^ * * * N E W S R E L E A S E 7013 * * * _________ August 6, 1995 __________ [[[[[[ [[[[[[[[[[ [[[[[[ [[[[[[[ [[[[[[[ ______ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ _________ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[[[[[[ [[[ [[[[[ [[[[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[[[ [[[[[ ______ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ ____ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[ [[[[ [[[ [[[[ [[[ [[[[[[ [[[[[[ [[[[[[[ [[[[[[[[ [[[[[[[[ &^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^ IFCSS Foundation, Inc. 733 15th Street, NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20005 Tel: (202) 347-0017 Fax: (202) 347-0018 &=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&= Communication On Joint Lobby Efforts (I) 1. From: Jan Pederson, American Immigration Lawyer Association Dear Mr. Xing Zheng, IFCSS: Thanks for your note. There is grave danger to all immigrants with HR 1915, called the "Smith Bill" because it was introduced by Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas on June 21. Please read my article under "work visas threatened". In summary, the bill would abolish extraordinary ability visas, outstanding professor/researcher visas, "national interest" visas and would limit professionals to those with at least five years experience. The Immigration Subcommittee completed its markup on 7/20 and reported it to the full House Judiciary Committee, which will consider the bill and hold markup in early September. This is a bit of a reprieve as the sponsors were actually trying to get it passed before the August recess. With lightning speed. By the way, on the family side, the bill would abolish visas for children over 21, brothers and sisters of citi- zens and would prohibitchildren from getting green cards for parents un- less 50% of the children are in the U.S. (legally) and the parent has health insurance equal to Medicare/Medicaid. The sponsors basically want to abolish immigration. It is important to mobilize employers, univer- sities and all people to call, write and fax their Congressmen and Sena- tors as well as all members of the House Judiciary Committee. Urgent action needed now. I have been advised by two Congressmen who oppose limiting immigration that the Asian community in America is key and one of our only chances to stop the bill as the bigoted, racist people behind the Bill are mostly Republican, although there are plenty of Democrats, and Republicans believe Asians vote for them. In addition, to mobilizing every person and organization to call and write Congress, it would be helpful if you could get pro-immigrant stories in the news. All we ever see are anti-immi- grant stories and this is very disheartening, especially since papers like The New York Times are supposedly liberal and not racist. But if you read articles during the last year, all you see are anti-immigrant stories designed to inflame and fuel anti-immigrant racist sentiments. Just imagine. This has all come about because the skin color of immi- grants has changed. People of color are immigrating, not white Europeans and you can be certain we would not have this tidal wave sweeping America opposing all immigration. Our enemy is FAIR, a virulent anti-immigrant, powerful, well-financed and funded organization which is always in the news opposing all immigration. They are largely responsible for Prop. 187 in California. Thanks for all your concern. I will post aritlces to our newsgroup, alt. visa.us as information becomes available. Let me know what you are doing. Each person counts. Best regards. Jan Pederson American Immigration Lawyer Association * * * * * 2. From: John T. Mitchell, Aren Forx Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, Washington, D.C August 1, 1995 Xing Zheng, President, Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars, 733 15th, Suite 440 Washington, D.C. 20005 Dear Zheng: Following up on our discussion last week, I am enclosing an analysis of H.R 1915 prepared by Aren Fox. I is geared toward getting the word out to businesses which may be interested in helping fight it. It is, therefore, very short, and does not go into technical detail. Nevertheless, it touches on all of the key changes being proposed. You will also see that it does not go into any detail concerning the coalition of business. It is intended to be something you can go ahead and send to interested business contacts you make, while leaving for later the actual structure of any coalition which may develop. Businesses which take an early lead in this will, of course, have a say in how the coalition is to be structured and governed. My colleagues, Lynn Frendt Shotwell, has already done some preliminary work on this bill, and will be able to assist in any lobbying effort. I suggest that we find a time to meet with her to explore the alternative opportunities. Perhaps such a meeting would be most productive after you and your staff have received some feedback from the business community. Warm regards, John T. Mitchell, Esq. Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, Washington, D.C. (Enclosure: Omitted) * * * * * 3. From: xxxx006@gold.tc.umn.edu I fully support the campaign to block the anti-immigration bill H.R.1915. I think IFCSS should distribute model letters (a few versions) and those committee members addresses so that we can transfer the letter and make few modifications and send them out to every member of the committees. This would be very efficient. * * * * * 4. From: xxHU@UNCMVS.OIT.UNC.EDU Dear IFCSS HQ Officers: In response to your message about the anti-immigration bill in the U.S. Congress, may I suggest the following actions: 1. Summarize H.R. 1915 and distribute the summary to national news media like the NY Times, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, radio networks, and local newspapers; 2. Spell out the adverse impact this bill, if passed, will have on the current and future economy and society of this country; distribute the analysis to the news media; 1. and 2. are urgent and necessary because -- I was told by the e--mail messages -- the anti-immigration bill was little publicized and therefore little known to the general public. I know there has always been an anti-immigration trend in this country, but a sizable portion of the American population, much of it U.S. citizenry, is NOT against immigration. 3. Call every local CSS organizations including CSS groups on college campuses that are accessible and ask the leaders there to send petiontion to U.S. Congressmen/women via mail, e-mail, or phone calls; Give these local leaders a summary of the bill, an expert analysis of the consequence of the bill on U.S. economy and society as well as on the CSS community, and urge these leaders to either incorporate the info or include similar info compiled by themselves into their petition; 4. Have these local CSS leaders authorize the IFCSS to represent them and/or their organizations in IFCSS' voice against the bill. Local leaders and organizations may not have the necessary resources to carry out a petition campaign of their own. Or they may have other reasons not to get directly involved in a national campaign. But they may feel comfortable to be represented by some national organization like IFCSS or its agent in campaigns like the one proposed. In pursuing this representation process, please make sure that a written consent -- via U.S. post office preferably or at least via e-mail -- be obtained with proper authorization from proper leaders. Also make sure that once authorization is obtained, call the leaders to confirm, and relay to them a summary of your actions taken on their behalf: they have a right to know. 5. Frequent, cordial, and efficient (meaning short but sufficient) communication with local organizations is vital to the success of this national campaign against the Congressional anti-immigration move. To use a cliche, TOGETHER WE SHALL WIN (AND SPLIT WE SHALL LOSE). * * * * * 5. From: xxxx01@gumedlib.dml.georgetown.edu I have some suggestion about the fighting. Because it's a very tough problem, I don't think IFCSS itself can be sucessful to lobby the Congress. We should contact all Chinese, Asians and immirgrants worldwide, tell them what's going on in Congress. If they also have their own organization like IFCSS, we should cooperate with these groups. If it's necessary, these groups can form anti " H.R.1915" association. We can also contact American human rights groups and ask them to stand up. The most important thing: Have a foundation to raise money, go to public TV, tell every American people that what the Congress is doing will finally hurt American Economy and American people. * * * * * 6. From: Voleti (VOLETI@EVAX12.ENG.FSU.EDU) Hello IFCSS Headquarters: (sorry I don't know your name), I saw your address on soc.culture.china. This is a very bad bill for international students and scholars. I am an Indian student and I think that if all the international student groups act together, it will be easier and more effective to block this bill. Please see if the IFCSS is interested in working with Indian and other interna- tional student and Research groups. Please let me know. One important point: Under this new Republican rule, the sentiment against Foreigners is quite high, especially illegal immigration...so we must fight to see what can be stopped.... * * * * * 7. From: xxxx@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU Hello, HQ Staff: I have seen the messages from HQ for the action toward H.R. 1915. This is a prompt reaction and it will do good to many Chinese students, thus I think there will be a lot of people to support. I am one of them, and I would like to be the local coordinator. If there is any other thing that I can be helpful, please let me know. I also try to call you, but it seems that there is something wrong with the HQ's telephone, I even can't leave a message. If you got a chance, could you call me at: XXXX. 8. From: xxxx@css.orst.edu Dear Headquarters Staff, Here is the action of OSU CSSA. J.T. [Forwarded Message] From: visa-request, Oregon State University Subject: Attention: Call for Signature against HR 1915 and S269 Date: Fri, Aug 4, 1995 1:38PM As one part of CSSA, OSU campaign to against HR 1915, we call for your signatures on our letters to 35 members of House Judiciary Committee. Tomorrow (Saturday) during 11:00 - 11:30 am and 4:00 - 4:30 pm, at main lobby of Kerr Library, we will wait for you to sign those letters. After that we will fax the signed letters to 35 members. Please remember, they will vote on HR1915 on Monday (Aug 9). All of us are encouraged to sign the letters. Also we encourage you to make phone calls to tell them your opinion to any one of those 35 members now! At least you could call Mark Hatfield at 202-225-3753 and Bob Packwood at 202-225-5244, Those two gentlemen are from Oregon. Thank you for your effort for our smoother future life. See you tomorrow. (IFCSS HQ's Note: H.R.1915 won't be debated and voted until mid- September as we were informed. On Monday (August 7th), Senate will vote on Dole Substitute Bill, see HQ News Release #7012) ********************************************************************* * PBS-L is IFCSS's news distribution list for individuals. To sign * * on or off from the list, please send email to listserv@ifcss.org * * leave the subject line open and put in the mail body: * * (For signing on) sub PBS-L last name first name * * (For signing off) unsub PBS-L last name first name * * For more information about IFCSS, write to ifcss-info@ifcss.org * *********************************************************************