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ALA InformprogrmINFOGRAMMA 2006. gada 22. maijs Dear Friend: Over the last couple of years, one of the most important foreign policy priorities of the Latvian government has been to qualify Latvia for the U. S. Visa Waiver Program, permitting Latvians to enter the U.S. without a visa. On May 17, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act to include Poland in the Visa Waiver Program for at least two years. The amendment does not apply to Latvia and the other new European Union members. This means that should the House of Representatives pass the amendment, citizens of Poland will enter America with just a Polish passport. They will not have to go through the long, capricious, complicated and expensive process to obtain a visa to visit the U.S. However, the other new European Union members including the Balts will still be subject to a visa requirements. The Senate amendment states that European Union countries providing military support (300 or more troops) to U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide training, logistical or tactical support qualify, for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Poland with a population of 30 million qualifies, but Latvia with a population 2.3 million and about 120 troops in Iraq and 28 in Afghanistan, does not qualify. Nor does, Lithuania with 60 troops in Iraq and 140 in Afghanistan, nor Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic or Slovakia. Troops serving in support of NATO missions in Afghanistan are not counted for waiver program purposes. This blatantly disparages the commitment and sacrifice of the Baltic countries to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The amendment designated as SA 4000 is part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act Bill--S. 2611. The House of Representatives has already adopted its own version of the immigration bill which does not include a visa waiver provision for Poland or any other country. After the Senate passes its bill, the two bills will be reconciled by the House-Senate Conference Committee. This is the last opportunity we have to include the Balts in the waiver program, unless we persuade the Senate to change the criteria for inclusion to fit the Baltic countries, or the Senate votes to include the Baltic countries in the program before it votes on the final version of the bill, probably sometime before the 27th of May. The Baltic position is that we support SA 4000, that it is a step in the right direction; however, we would like to see Poland, the Baltic countries, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia included in the Visa Waiver Program. At its 55th Annual Meeting, the American Latvian Association, adopted a resolution (No. 6) urging its members to support the efforts of the Latvian government to participate in the Visa Waiver Program. THEREFORE, WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY ASK YOUR SENATORS AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE-SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE THE BALTIC COUNTRIES IN THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM. President Bush wants to sign the bill before May 31, and the Congress will take recess on May 27. We have to take action immediately. THAT MEANS TODAY! The Washington Times reported today (5/23/05) that the Senate is expected to vote on the final version of S.2611 before the end of the week. We do not have the names of the members of the Conference Committee. We will post the names on ALAs website www.alausa.org when they become available. Please check the website for updates. If you have any questions check with me at VALDISP@AOL.COM I apologize for not attaching a copy of this letter in Latvian. A major computer catastrophe and a problem with Latvian fonts precludes a Latvian version of the INFOGRAM. The time is too short. We have to get going! PLEASE PASS ON THIS INFOGRAM TO OTHERS! Thank you for your support. Valdis V. Pavlovskis ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS The best way to ensure that your congressperson receives your message is to send him or her a fax. You can get the number by calling the local or Washington office. Follow up with a phone call to the appropriate staff person in the congressperson's Washington office. The next best way is to call the Washington office and talk to the staff person who handles the immigration bill to give him or her your message. The third way is to send e-mail. You can get the address by calling the local office or by going on the Internet and clicking Thomas Guide to Congress http://thomas.loc.gov. SAMPLE LETTER The Hon. (Sen. Full Name) Dear Senator_________: While I support Senator Santorum's amendment to SA 4000 to S. 2611 to include Poland in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, I am greatly disappointed that the Senate did not include the Baltic countries in the program. I ask you to take the necessary steps to include Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the Visa Waiver Program. The Baltic countries have always been loyal and trusted friends of the United States, some times against the wishes of some of their European neighbors. They were among the first to commit troops to support U.S. actions Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Baltic countries have also troops committed to various U.N. and NATO missions throughout the world. They do not have 300 troops in Iraq. Senator, until the autumn of 1991, when they regained their freedom and independence, they had no armed forces at all. They had no weapons, no equipment and no supplies. And yet 15 years later, the Balts are willing and able to effectively assist in combat its friend and ally--the United States of America. You should note that some of the 27 countries in the program, France for example, have no troops at all in Iraq, and have vigorously opposed U.S. action there. The borders will be no less secure because the Balts will be able to visit America without a visa. The Baltic countries deserve to be trusted and respected by the U.S., and should be should be included in the Visa Waiver Program. Thank you for considering my request. I would appreciate if you would let me know where you stand on this issue. Sincerely, Name www.alausa.org
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