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The dolphin campaign I enlisted your help for .. has been decided. We didn't exactly lose, but then again we didn't win either. In summary, the House of Representatives went along with the Clinton initiative and voted to lift the tuna embargo and make a joke of the dolphin-safe label. However, the Senate brokered a compromise bill that lifted the embargo but kept the dolphin-safe label requirements in tact .. for now. Below, I am including a news summary of events in the Senate and a copy of the House roll call. Be sure to check and see if your Representative is either an honest politician or on the payroll of the Mexican tuna fleet [my rep's OK]. ************************************************************************** * Firstly, what have other TWMC folks done [READ this]? * ************************************************************************** I would like to take this opportunity to share with ya'll, the story of Joshua, age 5 (son of one of the TWMC members). Joshua and his day care center got 100% behind this initiative. They sent many letters, drafted by their teacher and signed by the group, to their congressmen, as well as Bill Clinton and Chelsea (who is a vegetarian, but apparently has little influence over her dad). Per Mom, a lot of the responses consisted of rig-a-mar-ole that went right over the kids heads (i.e., congressional explanations of how they'd love to help, but are really on the take and therefore can't, etc.). However, one congressman from Delaware, wrote them saying they could count on his support and even treated them to a meat-free pizza from his personal bank account. The kids went further and planned a "dolphin watching" trip (did so in July, dragged the folks along) and even made T-shirts (finger-paints) with "Save the Dolphins" to wear (sent group photo w/ shirts to supportive congressman). Joshua went a bit-further on his own and even called Star-Kist to ask if they could promise "beyond the world" that no dolphins were killed for their tuna. They couldn't, so he didn't eat his tuna sandwich and opted for grilled cheese instead. Now I hear he's planning a whale watching trip for his upcoming 6th Birthday. Go Joshua! Also a special thanks to poor Vicki, who posted the original TWMC note on her company bulletin board and "got lectured." And to those of you who wrote, passed this on, or got involved in any other way that I don't know about .. THANKS! ************************************************************************** * The Senate compromises [story from Associated Press) * ************************************************************************** The dolphin campaign I enlisted your help for .. has been decided. We didn't exactly lose, but then again we didn't win either. In summary, the House of Representatives went along with the Clinton initiative and voted to lift the tuna embargo and make a joke of the dolphin-safe label. However, the Senate brokered a compromise bill that lifted the embargo but kept the dolphin-safe label requirements in tact .. for now. Below, I am including a news summary of events in the Senate and a copy of the House roll call. Be sure to check and see if your Representative is either an honest politician or on the payroll of the Mexican tuna fleet [my rep's OK]. ************************************************************************** * Firstly, what have other TWMC folks done [READ this]? * ************************************************************************** I would like to take this opportunity to share with ya'll, the story of Joshua , age 5 (son of one of the TWMC members). Joshua and his day care center got 100% behind this initiative. They sent many letters, drafted by their teacher and signed by the group, to their congressmen, as well as Bill Clinton and Chelsea (who is a vegetarian, but apparently has little influence over her dad). Per Mom, a lot of the responses consisted of rig-a-mar-ole that went right over the kids heads (i.e., congressional explanations of how they'd love to help, but are really on the take and therefore can't, etc.). However, one congressman from Delaware, wrote them saying they could count on his support and even treated them to a meat-free pizza from his personal bank account. The kids went further and planned a "dolphin watching" trip (did so in July, dragged the folks along) and even made T-shirts (finger-paints) with "Save the Dolphins" to wear (sent group photo w/ shirts to supportive congressman). Joshua went a bit-further on his own and even called Star-Kist to ask if they could promise "beyond the world" that no dolphins were killed for their tuna. They couldn't, so he didn't eat his tuna sandwich and opted for a grilled cheese instead. Now I hear he's planning a whale watching trip for his upcoming 6th Birthday. Go Joshua! Also a special thanks to poor Vicki, who posted the original TWMC note on her company bulletin board and "got lectured." And to those of you who wrote, passed this on, or got involved in any other way that I don't know about .. THANKS! ************************************************************************** * The Senate compromises [story from Associated Press) * ************************************************************************** After seven years of only ``dolphin-safe'' tuna on grocery shelves, consumers may soon see tuna cans with no such promise under a measure the Senate passed 99-0 Wednesday. The bill would lift the embargo on imports of tuna from the Eastern Pacific, but tuna caught there with huge nets that can encircle dolphins could not carry the dolphin-safe label until proved safe. Under the bipartisan compromise, the secretary of Commerce would make a preliminary determination in March 1999 on whether new net-fishing methods which have greatly improved dolphin safety since the embargo was imposed in 1990 protect the mammals sufficiently to warrant the label. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., pressed for the compromise after the House in May passed a measure 262-166 to lift the embargo and immediately label the new imports "dolphin-safe'' without the study the Senate would require. "I feel good today because I know that consumers can continue to rely on the 'dolphin-safe' label for at least 18 more months, and that means fewer dolphins will die,'' Boxer said. |
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* Dolphin-Tuna Roll Call *
**************************************************************************
The House voted 262-166 in favor of lifting the tuna import embargo (i.e.,
make the dolphin-safe tuna label meaningless). A [Yes] vote is a vote to
lift the embargo. Voting yes were 58 Democrats & 204 Republicans.
Voting no were 146 Democrats, 19 Republicans & one independent.
[X] = not voting.
AL [R] Aderholt-Y; Bachus-Y; Callahan-Y; Everett-Y; Riley-Y;
[D] Cramer-Y; Hilliard-N
AK [R] Young-Y;
AZ [R] Hayworth-Y; Kolbe-Y; Salmon-Y; Shadegg-Y; Stump-Y;
[D] Pastor-Y;
AR [R] Dickey-Y; Hutchinson-Y;
[D] Berry-Y; Snyder-Y;
CL [R] Bilbray-Y; Bono-Y; Calvert-Y; Campbell-N Cox-Y; Cunningham-Y;
Doolittle-Y; Dreier-Y; Gallegly-Y; Herger-Y; Horn-N; Hunter-Y;
Kim-Y; Lewis-Y; McKeon-Y; Packard-Y; Pombo-Y; Radanovich-X;
Riggs-Y; Rogan-Y; Rohrabacher-Y; Royce-Y; Thomas-Y;
[D] Becerra-N; Berman-N; Brown-N; Capps-N; Condit-N; Dellums-N;
Dixon-N; Dooley-Y; Eshoo-N; Farr-N; Fazio-N; Filner-N; Harman-N;
Lantos-N; Lofgren-N; Martinez-N; Matsui-Y; Millender-McDonald-N;
Miller-N; Pelosi-N; Roybal-Allard-N; Sanchez-N; Sherman-N;
Stark-N; Tauscher-N; Torres-N; Waters-N; Waxman-N; Woolsey-N
CO [R] Hefley-Y; McInnis-Y; Schaefer,D-Y; Schaffer,B-Y;
[D] DeGette-N; Skaggs-Y;
CT [R] Johnson-Y; Shays-N
[D] DeLauro-N; Gejdenson-N; Kennelly-N; Maloney-N
DL [R] Castle-Y;
FL [R] Bilirakis-N; Canady-Y; Diaz-Balart-Y; Foley-Y; Fowler-Y; Goss-Y;
McCollum-Y; Mica-Y; Miller-Y; Ros-Lehtinen-Y; Scarborough-Y;
Shaw-Y; Stearns-Y; Weldon-Y; Young-N
[D] Boyd-Y; Brown-N; Davis-Y; Deutsch-N; Hastings-N; Meek-N; Thurman-N;
Wexler-N
GA [R] Barr-Y; Chambliss-Y; Collins-Y; Deal-N; Gingrich-X Kingston-Y;
Linder-Y; Norwood-Y; (the speaker by tradition often does not vote)
[D] Bishop-N; Lewis-X; McKinney-N
HI [D] Abercrombie-N; Mink-N
ID [R] Chenoweth-Y; Crapo-Y;
IL [R] Crane-Y; Ewing-Y; Fawell-Y; Hastert-Y; Hyde-X; LaHood-Y;
Manzullo-Y; Porter-Y; Shimkus-Y; Weller-N
[D] Blagojevich-N; Costello-N; Davis-N; Evans-N; Gutierrez-N;
Jackson-N; Lipinski-N; Poshard-N; Rush-N; Yates-N
IN [R] Burton-Y; Buyer-Y; Hostettler-Y; McIntosh-N; Pease-N; Souder-Y;
[D] Carson-N; Hamilton-Y; Roemer-Y; Visclosky-N
IA [R] Ganske-Y; Latham-Y; Leach-Y; Nussle-Y;
[D] Boswell-Y;
KS [R] Moran-Y; Ryun-Y; Snowbarger-X; Tiahrt-Y;
KY [R] Bunning-Y; Lewis-Y; Northup-Y; Rogers-Y; Whitfield-Y;
[D] Baesler-N
LA [R] Baker-Y; Cooksey-Y; Livingston-Y; McCrery-Y; Tauzin-Y; [D] Jefferson-N; John-Y; ME [D] Allen-N; Baldacci-N MD [R] Bartlett-Y; Ehrlich-Y; Gilchrest-Y; Morella-Y; [D] Cardin-Y; Cummings-N; Hoyer-Y; Wynn-N MA [D] Delahunt-N; Frank-N; Kennedy-N; Markey-N; McGovern-N; Meehan-N; Moakley-N; Neal-N; Olver-N; Tierney-N MI [R] Camp-Y; Ehlers-Y; Hoekstra-Y; Knollenberg-Y; Smith-Y; Upton-Y; [D] Barcia-N; Bonior-N; Conyers-N; Dingell-Y; Kildee-N; Kilpatrick-N; Levin-Y; Rivers-N; Stabenow-N; Stupak-N MN [R] Gutknecht-Y; Ramstad-Y; [D] Luther-N; Minge-Y; Oberstar-N; Peterson-Y; Sabo-N; Vento-N MS [R] Parker-Y; Pickering-Y; Wicker-Y; [D] Taylor-N; Thompson-N MO [R] Blunt-Y; Emerson-Y; Hulshof-Y; Talent-Y; [D] Clay-N; Danner-Y; Gephardt-N; McCarthy-N; Skelton-Y; MT [R] Hill-Y; NE [R] Barrett-Y; Bereuter-Y; Christensen-Y; NV [R] Ensign-Y; Gibbons-Y; NH [R] Bass-Y; Sununu-Y; NJ [R] Franks-N; Frelinghuysen-Y; LoBiondo-Y; Pappas-Y; Roukema-Y; Saxton-Y; Smith-Y; [D] Andrews-X; Menendez-N; Pallone-N; Pascrell-N; Payne-N; Rothman-N NM [R] Redmond-Y; Schiff-X; Skeen-Y; NY [R] Boehlert-Y; Forbes-N; Gilman-Y; Houghton-Y; Kelly-Y; King-Y; Lazio-Y; McHugh-Y; Molinari-Y; Paxon-Y; Quinn-Y; Solomon-Y; Walsh-Y; [D] Ackerman-N; Engel-N; Flake-Y; Hinchey-N; LaFalce-Y; Lowey-N; Maloney-N; Manton-Y; McCarthy-N; McNulty-N; Nadler-N; Owens-N; Rangel-Y; Schumer-N; Serrano-N; Slaughter-N; Towns-N; Velazquez-N NC [R] Ballenger-Y; Burr-Y; Coble-Y; Jones-Y; Myrick-Y; Taylor-Y; [D] Clayton-N; Etheridge-Y; Hefner-Y; McIntyre-Y; Price-Y; Watt-N ND [D] Pomeroy-Y; OH [R] Boehner-Y; Chabot-N; Gillmor-Y; Hobson-Y; Kasich-Y; LaTourette-Y; Ney-Y; Oxley-Y; Portman-Y; Pryce-Y; Regula-Y; [D] Brown-N; Hall-Y; Kaptur-N; Kucinich-N; Sawyer-Y; Stokes-N; Strickland-N; Traficant-Y; OK [R] Coburn-Y; Istook-Y; Largent-Y; Lucas-Y; Watkins-Y; Watts-Y; OR [R] Smith-Y; [D] Blumenauer-Y; DeFazio-N; Furse-N; Hooley-Y; PN [R] English-Y; Fox-Y; Gekas-Y; Goodling-Y; Greenwood-Y; McDade-Y; Peterson-Y; Pitts-Y; Shuster-Y; Weldon-Y; [D] Borski-N; Coyne-N; Doyle-N; Fattah-N; Foglietta-N; Holden-N; Kanjorski-Y; Klink-N; Mascara-N; McHale-N; Murtha-N RI [D] Kennedy-N; Weygand-N SC [R] Graham-Y; Inglis-Y; Sanford-N; Spence-Y; [D] Clyburn-N; Spratt-N SD [R] Thune-Y; TN [R] Bryant-Y; Duncan-Y; Hilleary-Y; Jenkins-Y; Wamp-Y; [D] Clement-Y; Ford-N; Gordon-Y; Tanner-Y; TX [R] Archer-Y; Armey-Y; Barton-N; Bonilla-Y; Brady-Y; Combest-Y; DeLay-Y; Granger-Y; Johnson, Sam-Y; Paul-N; Sessions-N; Smith-Y; Thornberry-Y; [D] Bentsen-N; Doggett-N; Edwards-Y; Frost-Y; Gonzalez-Y; Green-Y; Hall-Y; Hinojosa-Y; Jackson-Lee-N; Johnson,EB-Y; Lampson-N; Ortiz-Y; Reyes-Y; Rodriguez-Y; Sandlin-Y; Stenholm-Y; Turner-Y; UT [R] Cannon-Y; Cook-Y; Hansen-Y; VT [O] Sanders-N VI [R] Bateman-Y; Bliley-Y; Davis-Y; Goodlatte-Y; Wolf-Y; [D] Boucher-N; Goode-Y; Moran-N; Pickett-Y; Scott-N; Sisisky-N WA [R] Dunn-Y; Hastings-Y; Metcalf-N; Nethercutt-Y; Smith, Linda-Y; White-Y; [D] Dicks-Y; McDermott-N; Smith, Adam-Y; WV [D] Mollohan-Y; Rahall-N; Wise-N WS [R] Klug-N; Neumann-N; Petri-Y; Sensenbrenner-Y; [D] Barrett-N; Johnson-Y; Kind-N; Kleczka-N; Obey-N WY [R] Cubin-Y; |
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