for the week ending October 28, 2005

I. ForOps Update

II. New Bills and Resolutions

III. Other

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I. FOROPS UPDATE

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The FY06 ForOps bill, HR 3057, was passed by the House on June 28th and passed by the Senate (amended) on July 20th. At that time the Senate appointed conferees (see the July 22nd edition of the Round-Up for details).

After more than three months delay, on October 27th the House appointed its own conferees: Kolbe (R-AZ), Knollenberg (R-MI), Kirk (R-IL), Crenshaw (R-FL), Sherwood (R- PA), Sweeney (R-NY), Rehberg (R-MT), Carter (R-TX), Lewis (R-CA), Lowey (D-CA), Jackson (D-IL), Kilpatrick (D-MI), Rothman (D-NJ), Fattah (D-PA), and Obey (D-WI).

Rumors continue to circulate of possible cuts in ForOps funding, including an expectation of both an across-the-board cut to all programs and targeted cuts.

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II. NEW BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

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(IRAN) S.RES.292: Introduced October 27th by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and 11 cosponsors, "calling on the President to condemn the anti-Israel sentiments expressed by the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on October 26, 2005." Passed on October 27th by Unanimous Consent.

(SAUDI ARABIA) H. Con. Res. 275: Introduced October 26th by Rep. Jim Davis (D-FL) and forty cosponsors, "Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the education curriculum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Referred to the House International Relations Committee (HIRC).

(EGYPT) H. Con. Res. 279: Introduced October 26th by HIRC/Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R- FL) and no cosponsors, "Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the 2005 presidential and parliamentary elections in Egypt."Referred to the HIRC.

(SYRIA) H. Res. 510: Introduced October 25th by Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) and 8 cosponsors, "Supporting the findings of the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission that is investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, condemning the Government of Syria for its apparent involvement in this terrorist attack, and demanding compliance by Syria with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1595." Referred to the HIRC.

(HIZBALLAH) S.AMDT.2186 to H.R.3058: An amendment offered by Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) "To provide the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Treasury should place [Hizballah's satellite television station] al-Manar on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list."Offered as an amendment to HR 3058, the FY06 Departments of Transporation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill. Agreed to by Unanimous Consent.

(SYRIA) House Amendment to S. 1713: On September 15th Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN) introduced S. 1713, entitled, the "Iran Nonproliferation Amendments Act of 2005." It was passed by the Senate (by unanimous consent) on September 21st. As passed by the Senate, the bill seeks to amend the Iran Nonproliferation Act in order to end Russian assistance to Iranian weapons programs.On October 26th the House voted to suspend the rules and passed an amended version of S. 1713, which they re-titled "An Act to make amendments to the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000 related to International Space Station payments, and for other purposes."

The "other purposes" referred to in the title are the inclusion of Syria in the legislation - i.e., applying the entire Iran Nonproliferation Act (HR 1883, from the 106th Congress) to Syria.The amendment would also appear to broaden the activities sanctioned by the Act to include sanctions not only on those who export items to Iran (and now Syria) but also those who receive exports from them. AIPAC sent a letter to the authors of the amended version, HIRC Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) and Ranking Minority Member Tom Lantos (D-CA), copied by email to other Hill offices, supporting the amended language and stating "The addition of Syria to the Iran Non-Proliferation Act is timely and appropriate."

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III. OTHER

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On October 27th the House passed H. Res. 368, "Congratulating the State of Israel on the election of Ambassador Dan Gillerman as Vice-President of the 60th United Nations General Assembly."The measure, introduced on July 19th by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), garnered 80 cosponsors and passed, under suspension of the rules, by a roll call vote of 407-0.

For more information, contact APN Government Relations Director Lara Friedman at 202/728-1893, or at lfriedman@peacenow.org.