Immediate Action Necessary

July 23, 2001

To: Officers, Rabbis, Key Contacts
From: Richard B. Stone, Chairman
Betty Ehrenberg, Director, International and Communal Affairs
RE: ILSA Extension Act of 2001

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ILSA Renewal Bill Moves to House and Senate Floor for Final Action Urge Senators and House Members to Support S.994 / H.R.1954 

With the approval of the Senate Banking Committee and the House International Relations and Ways & Means Committee, the ILSA Extension Act of 2001 is expected to head to the floor of both chambers for final consideration this week. The bill is the result of the strong leadership of the bills' sponsors - Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), Rep. Benjamin Gilman (R-NY) and Howard Berman (D-CA). Currently, the bill has 78 co-sponsors in the Senate and 252 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

Urgent: Urge all Senators and House Members to support the final passage of the ILSA Extension Act of 2001 (S.994 in the Senate / H.R.1954 in the House). All Members of Congress can be reached through the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Talking Points:

• Support for international terrorism: The State Department has recently confirmed that Iran remains the leading state-sponsor of terrorism in the world. Iran's support of Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and Hamas: the very groups who have killed hundreds of innocent Israelis through terrorist acts - has increased over the past year. 
• Calling for Israel's destruction: All elements of the Iranian regime, including supposed "moderate" President Khatemi, continue to call for the destruction of Israel. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameni recently called Israel "a cancerous tumor," stating that is was, "the mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to erase Israel from the map of the region."
• Pursuit of weapons of mass destruction: Iran continues its aggressive pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. It has already flight-tested a missile that can reach Israel and American forces in the region, and is advancing its nuclear program. Two months ago, Russia agreed to sell Iran sophisticated weaponry and more nuclear technology. Iran desperately needs foreign investment in its oil industry to finance these programs.
• Libya involvement in downing Pan Am 103 has now been confirmed in the court of law, yet Libya continues to refuse to abide by the relevant UN resolutions.
• The Iran-Libya Sanctions Act has deterred foreign investment: In 1996, Congress overwhelmingly enacted the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA). Over the last five years, Israel has sought foreign investment for 55 major oil development projects. Only seven have received any foreign investment in part because most foreign oil industries have significant business in the United States. 

Call Senators and Representatives and urge them to support the final passage of the ILSA Extension Act of 2001. They can be reached at (202) 224-3121. Ask for the offices of your Senators and Congressmen. 

RBS
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