ADC, March 12, 2009
 
 
Thanks to your quick responses this weekend we were able to flood the offices on Capitol Hill with opposition to the anti-Palestinian amendments to the Omnibus Appropriations Act. It was clear your voice made a difference. High ranking Senate leaders spoke out in opposition to Senator Kyl's Amendments including the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. John Kerry and the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Sen. Patrick Leahy.
 
In a passionate speech on the floor of the Senate yesterday opposing S. AMNDT. 629, which would have prevented Palestinians from Gaza from seeking refuge in the United States, Senator Leahy said "I have to think back -- I read about my family 150 years or so [ago] when they came to Vermont, on my father's side, the Irish. I'm sure if we had a law like this in place; it is questionable whether they could have come in. The Irish were fighting to keep their land. If they were fighting to keep their rights, fighting for the ability to vote, and they live[d] in what is now the republic of Ireland, they were considered terrorists."
 
S. AMNDT 629, the most egregious of Senator Kyl's amendment's, was withdrawn from consideration. Further, S. AMNDT 631 which would create further restrictions on the disbursement of reconstruction aid to Gaza failed by a vote of 39-56 with 4 not voting.
 
This is another example of how your quick and dedicated response can create real change on the floor of Congress.  Keep up the good work!