| Cuba Travel Ban Update
Following is an update from CRLN:
Dear CRLN members and friends,
As of February 16th, 53 Congressional Representatives have signed on to the Flake/McGovern/Lee Dear Colleague letter on religious travel to Cuba. Of those 53 members, 11 are from Illinois and they are (in order of signature): Congressman Gutierrez (D), Congressman Evans (D), Congresswoman Biggert (R), Congresswoman Schakowsky (D), Congressman Davis (D), Congressman Jackson (D), Congressman Lipinski (D), Congressman LaHood (R), Congressman Rush (D), and Congresswoman Bean (D). Thanks to each of you who called and personally spoke with an aide about this important Dear Colleague!
The sign-on deadline for this letter has been extended to March 2, 2006. If you do not see your Representative listed above, please continue to call in to speak with their Foreign Policy staffer. Let’s try to get the remaining 8 Illinois Representatives to sign on!
Megan Nelson
Public Policy Coordinator
Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Tel: (773) 293-2964
Mnelson@crln.org
Please call your Representative’s office today. Ask to speak with the Foreign Policy staffer. For all of you who have Republicans as your U.S. Reps, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you urge them to support religious freedom by signing this letter. Republicans have overwhelmingly voted in the past to end the Cuba travel ban, but the Administration continues to block these Congressional efforts. Republican Representatives can sign on by calling Lance Walker from Rep. Flake's office, the Republican author of this letter.
The Congressional switchboard is 202/224-3121. Convey this message personally with the foreign policy staffer, or leave it on the staffer’s voice mail. Here is what to say:
"Hello. My name is ____. I live in (name of town, or city neighborhood). I am calling to ask that Rep. ____ sign on to the Flake/McGovern/Lee "Dear Colleague" letter to Treasury Secretary Snow challenging the denial of travel license renewals for travel to Cuba of the National Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, and the United Church of Christ. These unprecedented travel restrictions undermine religious freedom by denying religious communities in the USA from meeting and dialoguing with their denominational counterparts in Cuba. The deadline to sign on to this letter is Thursday February 16. To sign on, please contact Lance Walker in the office of Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, or Cindy Buhl in the office of Democratic Rep. James McGovern. Please contact me immediately to let me know if Rep. _____ has joined in signing this important Congressional letter on religious freedom."
Please be friendly, but persistent. If they do not call you back by Monday, February 13, please keep calling them until you get a response. Please let us know what you find out. Muchas gracias!
Megan Nelson, Public Policy Coordinator, mnelson@crln.org
Marilyn McKenna, Educational Outreach Coordinator
Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
4750 N. Sheridan Road #429, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
Tel: 773/293-2964 Fax: 773/293-3677
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