[Peace] Vieques

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

COMMITTEE FOR THE RESCUE AND DEVELOPMENT OF VIEQUES
> Box 1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765
> Tel. 787 741-0716 Fax 787 741-0358
> email: bieke at prdigital.com
> 
> 30 Members of Congress ask President Bush for Executive Order 
> on Vieques, Puerto Rico
> 
> September 20, 2002
> 
> Washington, DC- With the letter made public today by Congressman Bernard
> Sanders (I-VT), thirty (30) Members of Congress have now sent letters to
> President Bush requesting that he issue an Executive Order for the
> immediate and permanent end of all military exercises in the island of
> Vieques, Puerto Rico and for the U.S. Navy's departure from Vieques by May
> 2003 at the latest.
> 
> In his letter (see full text below), Congressman Sanders calls on
> President Bush to "take action by immediately issuing an executive order
> formalizing the Navy's commitment to a cessation of bombing and other
> training exercises on Vieques."
> 
> The other Members of Congress who have sent similar letters to President
> Bush asking for an Executive Order on Vieques are the Honorable Charles
> Rangel, Eliot Engel, Michael McNulty, Jerrold Nadler, Joseph Crowley, Nita
> Lowey, Carolyn Maloney, Major Owens, Maurice Hinchey, and Jose Serrano of
> New York, Rod 
> Blagojevich, Jesse Jackson, Jr., and Janice Schakowsky of Illinois,
> Sanford Bishop, Cynthia McKinney, and John Lewis of Georgia, Joe Baca and
> Bob Filner of California, John Olver and James McGovern of Massachusetts,
> Bill Pascrell, Jr. and Steven Rothman of New Jersey, Dennis Kucinich of
> Ohio, Rosa DeLauro and John Larson of Connecticut, John Conyers, Jr. of
> Michigan, Patsy Mink of Hawaii, Donna M. Christensen of the U.S. Virgin
> Islands, and Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia. 
> 
> The Governor of Puerto Rico, Honorable Sila Calderón, also sent a letter
> to President Bush, on September 17, requesting a written commitment to
> guarantee the Navy's departure from Vieques.
> 
> Other elected officials, organizations, and international figures have
> also called for President Bush to issue an Executive Order for the Navy's
> cessation of all military activities and departure from Vieques. For
> instance, on September 9, twenty-one (21) representatives of various
> religious organizations in the U.S. sent a letter to President Bush
> requesting "an Executive Order for the immediate and permanent end to
> bombing and military training on the island." 
> 
> The Puerto Rico Bar Association, Veterans for Peace, and "All of Puerto
> Rico with Vieques" are some of the other organizations who have also
> publicly called for an Executive Order for the immediate and permanent end
> to all military activities in Vieques.
> 
> # # #
> 
> Contact: 
> Flavio Cumpiano, Esq.
> Washington Representative
> Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques
> 202-721-4688
> 
> 
> 
> September 20, 2002
> 
> 
> The Honorable George W. Bush
> President of the United States
> The White House
> 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
> Washington, DC 20500
> 
> 
> Dear Mr. President:
> 
> I am writing to respectfully request that you end the use of Vieques,
> Puerto Rico by the United
> States Navy for bombing and other military training. While I believe that
> your statements that the Navy will cease training in Vieques by May 2003
> are a positive step, I hope you will take action by immediately issuing an
> executive order formalizing the Navy's commitment to a cessation of
> bombing and other training exercises on Vieques.
> 
> Vieques has endured continuous bombing and shelling for the last sixty
> years, and the people of Vieques have paid a high price. Cancer and
> diabetes rates on Vieques are staggering and the beautiful environment has
> been seriously damaged. The people of Vieques, patriotic Americans like
> you and me, do not deserve to have their loyalty to this country punished
> with continued bombing of their island. It is time to expend our
> resources to locate an alternative, less disruptive, testing area rather
> than perpetuating this dispute at the risk of American lives and at the
> expense of the people of Vieques. Therefore, I urge you to formalize your
> own expressed commitment to this issue by issuing an executive order to
> end this practice.
> 
> Thank you very much for considering this request, which is of critical
> importance to me and my constituents. I look forward to your response.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
> Bernard
> Sanders
> Member of
> Congress
>