Untitled Document

Ethiopian-Americans Council Washington Update

8/6/2006 5:22:00 PM

To: National and International desks

Contact: Mesfin Mekonen of the Ethiopian/American Council and ENC, 202-737-4530

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Momentum continues to build behind HR 5680, according to the Ethiopian/American Council and ENC. The Ethiopian Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy Act currently has 24 co-sponsors:

Rep Payne, Donald M. (NJ-10) - 6/26/2006

Rep Wolf, Frank R. (VA-10) - 6/26/2006

Rep Lantos, Tom (CA-12) - 6/26/2006

Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. (CO-6) - 6/26/2006

Rep Towns, Edolphus (NY-10) - 6/26/2006

Rep Rangel, Charles B. (NY-15) - 6/26/2006

Rep Leach, James A. (IA-2) - 6/26/2006

Rep Rohrabacher, Dana (CA-46) - 6/26/2006

Rep Moran, James P. (VA-8) - 6/26/2006

Rep Chabot, Steve (OH-1) - 6/26/2006

Rep Green, Al (TX-9) - 6/26/2006

Rep Sabo, Martin Olav (MN-5) - 6/26/2006

Rep Sanchez, Loretta (CA-47) - 6/26/2006

Rep Scott, Robert C. (VA-3) - 6/26/2006

Rep Brown, Corrine (FL-3) - 6/26/2006

Rep McKinney, Cynthia A. (GA-4) - 6/26/2006

Rep Issa, Darrell E. (CA-49) - 6/28/2006

Rep Lee, Barbara (CA-9) - 6/28/2006

Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. (MI-11) - 7/11/2006

Rep Watson, Diane E. (CA-33) - 7/11/2006

Rep Honda, Michael M. (CA-15) - 7/11/2006

Rep Smith, Adam (WA-9) - 7/11/2006

Rep Waters, Maxine (CA-35) - 7/25/2006

Rep Royce, Edward R. (CA-40) - 7/27/2006

There is a good chance to get Congress to act on HR 5680 when they return in September. The Ethiopian-Americans Council is making an all-out effort to educate members of Congress, in both the House and Senate, about HR 5680.

The summer recess is a time when members of Congress return their districts and meet with constituents. Ethiopian-Americans Council encourages Ethiopians to call and meet with their Representatives and Senators, attend public meetings and tell their elected representatives personally that Ethiopians living in America strongly support HR 5680.

Ethiopians are also asked to contact local branches of human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International and tell them about the oppression in Ethiopia, the jailing of political leaders, journalists, union activists. The council asks Ethiopians to contact local civic and political groups, tell them about the situation in Ethiopia and ask them to send a message to Washington in support of HR 5680, just as Ethiopians in Takoma Park, Md., did when they persuaded the local city council to pass a resolution urging Congress to enact HR 5680.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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