The U.S. Senate will likely vote on legislation to cut funding for the School
of the Americas (SOA) today, July 24. A similar vote in the House is
expected as early as July 28. Many Representatives have not yet decided how
they will vote, so your calls make a difference.

Please call and ask your senators and representatives to vote "yes" on any
amendments to the Foreign Operations Bill that cut funding to the SOA.

The toll free number for calling Congress is 1-800-985-8762.
Asked to be switched to the office of your senators or congressperson when you
get the operator

Graduates of the SOA in Fort Benning, GA have perpetrated some of the worst
human rights abuses in Latin America and the Caribbean. Christian Peacemaker
Teams (CPT) workers in Chiapas, Mexico are particularly concerned that
approximately one-third of the soldiers currently enrolled at the school are
Mexican. An estimated 70,000 troops representing roughly 40% of the entire
Mexican army are stationed in Chiapas (about the size of Mississippi), and
local human rights groups report increasing abuses by the military.

CPTers in Richmond, VA are co-sponsoring a weekend of SOA events July 25-27 to
"Sing It Down" including a Sunday concert and a Monday prayer vigil and
nonviolent civil disobedience action at Fort Benning.

Last November, 600 people, including a number of CPT Corps members, Reservists
and other supporters, were arrested for tresspassing during a nonviolent
witness at the SOA. Full-time CPTer Anne Herman will complete a six-month
prison sentence for that witness on July 27.
-------------------------------------------------------------