Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

At the end of last week, Representative Jim McGovern and 42 other members of the House of Representatives have reintroduced the Latin America Military Training Review Act! This legislation would suspend operations at the SOA/ WHINSEC, investigate torture manuals and human rights abuses associated with the school, and conduct an assessment of military training in Latin America.

Only Representatives Gutierrez and Schakowsky from Illinois have cosponsored HR 2567.  If you live in their districts, call and say "thank you!". If not, call your Representative TODAY and urge her or him to cosponsor H.R 2567!  In the last Congress, Rep. McGovern offered identical legislation.  It had 120 co-sponsors and came within 6 votes of passing! 

With so many new members of Congress this year and a new administration, now is the time to ensure that the SOA/WHINSEC is closed for good!  To find out if your Representative co-sponsored last year's bill and for other SOA related resources, click here: www.soaw.org/legislative.

If you don't know who your Members of Congress are, go to http://www.congress.org/ and type in your zip code to find out.  Below is a list of IL Members of Congress, their foreign policy staffers and their phone numbers.  When you call, ask to speak with the foreign policy aide. If he or she is unavailable, leave the following message on his or her voicemail:

"As a constituent living in _________, I am calling Congressman/woman ________ to urge him/her to contact Rep. McGovern and ask to be a cosponsor of the Latin America Military Training Review Act, also known as HR 2567. This legislation would suspend operations at the School of the Americas, renamed WHINSEC, and investigate the history of human rights abuses and failed policies of the institution.

New information indicates that WHINSEC has allowed known human rights abusers to instruct and receive training at the school. Argentina and Uruguay are two more countries that have made public announcements they will no longer send students to the school, citing the negative image and history of this institution. Despite demands by Congress to have oversight over the curriculum and promote human rights, the Pentagon is now denying all requests to provide information to human rights organizations and the public about students and graduates of the school.

I urge you to contact Cindy Buhl in Representative McGovern's office and ask that your boss be added as a cosponsor of this legislation. I hope you will represent my views and support this bill."

Illinois Representatives and Foreign Policy Aides of the 111th Congress 

Bobby Rush (D-1^st) -Speak with John Marshall, 202-225-4372

Jesse Jackson (D- 2^nd) ­ -Speak with Charles Dujon, 202-225-0773

Dan Lipinski (D- 3^rd ) -Speak with Brian Oszakiewski, 202-225-5701

Luis Gutierrez (D-4^th) -Speak with Virginia Zigras, 202-225-8203

Mike Quigley (5^th) - Speak with Sean O'Brien

Peter Roskam (R-6^th) -Speak with Steven Moore, 202-225-4561

Danny Davis (D-7^th) -Speak with Jill Hunter-Williams, 202-225-5006

Melissa Bean (D-8^th) -Speak with Liz Jurinka, 202-225-3711

Jan Schakowsky (D-9^th) -Speak with Nina Besser, 202-225-2111

Mark Kirk (R-10^th) -Speak with Richard Goldberg, 202-225-4835

Debbie Halverson (R-11^th) -Speak with Justin Cajindos, 202-225-3635

Jerry Costello (D-12^th) -Speak with Dan McCarthy, 202-225-5661

Judy Biggert (R-13^th) -Speak with Griffin Foster, 202-225-3515

Bill Foster (R-14^th) -Speak with Peter Judge, 202-225-2976

Timothy Johnson (R-15^th) -Speak with Jen Mascho, 202-225-2371

Donald Manzullo (R-16^th) -Speak with Nien Su, 202-225-5676

Phil Hare (D-17^th)-Speak with Kemi Jemilohun, 202-225-5905

Aaron Schock (R-18^th) -Speak with Steve Shearer, 202-225-6201

John Shimkus (R-19^th) -Speak with Greta Hanson, 202-225-5271