Jackson-Vanik Graduation Coalition gears up for action when House returns

U.S.-Ukraine Foundation

WASHINGTON - Given the Senate's passage by unanimous consent of legislation to graduate Ukraine from the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in November 2005, the Jackson-Vanik Graduation Coalition on November 30 launched an effort to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to take parallel action.

This effort resulted in numerous messages to Congress as the membership in the coalition grew to more than 250 businesses and Ukrainian American, Jewish American and non-governmental organizations.

However, the House of Representatives adjourned on December 16 without taking action on Jackson-Vanik graduation. The House is scheduled to return for its next session on January 31.

Soundings on Capitol Hill indicate growing awareness of this issue, including of the importance of moving on graduation prior to the March Parliamentary elections in Ukraine. This greater awareness is due in large measure to the letters that have begun to flow to elected representatives, particularly those on the House Ways and Means Committee and those who are members of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (CUC).

Furthermore, there is no indication of opposition per se to graduating Ukraine and there is general agreement that Ukraine has met the freedom-of-emigration requirements of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment.

There appears to be reluctance, however, in the House Ways and Means Committee (the committee with primary jurisdiction for Jackson-Vanik, which Congress considers as a trade bill) to take up graduation legislation until it has the opportunity to review the U.S.-Ukraine bilateral protocol on Ukraine's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). U.S.-Ukraine negotiations on the bilateral WTO protocol, while having made progress in recent weeks, have not yet been concluded.

In preparation for the return of the House of Representatives on January 31, the coalition in urging those who are interested is seeing Ukraine graduated from Jackson-Vanik to continue to fax letters supporting Ukraine's graduation to their members in the U.S. House of Representatives, to the members of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (CUC) and to members on the House Ways and Means Committee.

The coalition again recommends that messages also urge members to co-sponsor H.R. 1053, introduced by Rep. Gerlach of Pennsylvania. We have been repeatedly told that, of the three House bills pending on Jackson-Vanik graduation for Ukraine, the Gerlach bill has the greatest receptivity in the Ways and Means Committee. As of December 14, the Gerlach bill had 33 co-sponsors. The greater the number of co-sponsors, of course, the greater the pressure for early action.

Looking ahead to the next session of Congress, the Jackson-Vanik Graduation Coalition will be considering the best tactics for securing action in the U.S. House of Representatives and for engaging the Bush administration to make a more forceful push for Ukraine's graduation.

Due to increased security measures in Congress, correspondence through the postal service can be delayed for up to two weeks. Therefore, it is recommended that readers call or send letters via fax. You can find a sample letter of support, and a list of Jackson-Vanik Graduation Coalition members may be found under the heading "Jackson-Vanik Graduation Coalition" at www.usukraine.org.

For a complete list, and contact information for Congressional Ukrainian Caucus members, and U.S. House Ways and Means Committee members please visit "Whom to Contact in Congress."

To join the coalition and support Ukraine's graduation from Jackson-Vanik, readers may e-mail [email protected] or call (202) 347-4264.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 8, 2006, No. 2, Vol. LXXIV

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