Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

Congress to Vote on Amendment to Force the SOA/ WHINSEC to Release the Names of Graduates and Instructors

Start calling Congress NOW!

SOA Watch has received confirmation that Congress will vote on an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act that would require that the School of the Americas/ WHINSEC to release the names, ranks, country of origin, courses and dates attended of students and instructors at the institute.

The amendment will be offered by Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA), Representative Joe Sestak (D-PA), Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Representative John Lewis (D-GA) and we expect the vote to happen on Wednesday, June 24.

For the past few years, despite the WHINSEC PR machine proclaiming an open and transparent school, the WHINSEC has been unwilling to provide information about the students and instructors. The Pentagon secrecy took effect after research revealed that the SOA/ WHINSEC continues to train known human rights abusers, and that instructors have been involved in numerous crimes. Freedom of Information Act requests since FY 2005 have all been denied, proof of WHINSEC's unwillingness to submit to oversight from the public whose tax-payer dollars help fund the school.

Access to information regarding SOA/ WHINSEC graduates of previous years has been a valuable asset to human rights organizations who have been able to identify Latin American military officers and police that have committed human rights abuses or engaged in criminal activity in their home countries after attending the school as instructors or students.

SOA Watch supports the release of this important information at all U.S. military training facilities in the spirit of openness, transparency, and the public's "right to know." We see gaining access to the names of SOA/ WHINSEC graduates and instructors as a crucial step towards closing the SOA/ WHINSEC for good.

We expect a close vote and it is crucial for the success of this amendment that you contact your Representative TODAY and TOMORROW!

Click here to send an email and fax to your Representative.  Be sure to click the "Send a Fax" box to have the fax sent.

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:

Here is a suggested message for you to convey:

"Hello, My name is __________, and as your constituent, I urge you to vote YES on the McGovern-Sestak-Bishop (GA)-Lewis (GA) amendment to the National Defense Authorization bill.

Illinois Representatives, Foreign Policy Aides and Phone Numbers:

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