--- Original Message ---
 [log in to unmask] Wrote on
 Mon, 26 Jun 2000 15:41:31 -0400 (EDT)
  ------------------
 In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

 CAIR Action Alert
 Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
 Alert #256
 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
 Washington, D.C., 20003
 Tel: 202-488-8787
 Fax: 202-659-2254
 E-mail: [log in to unmask]
 URL: http://www.cair-net.org

 239 HOUSE MEMBERS VOTE TO CUT FUNDS FOR SECRET EVIDENCE CASES
 How did your elected representative vote on this important issue?

 (WASHINGTON, DC - 6/26/2000) - Alhamdulillah. On Thursday, June
 22, the full House of Representatives voted to cut funds used to jail
 those detained through the use of secret evidence. The amendment to
 a government appropriations bill was sponsored by Rep. Tom Campbell
 (R-CA).
 (Reps. David Bonior [D-MI], Ray LaHood [R-IL] and Mark Sanford
 [R-SC] co-sponsored the amendment.) It eliminated $173,480 in U.S. Justice
 Department expenses, the estimated taxpayer cost of detaining people
 based on secret evidence.

 Campbell's amendment passed 239-173 following a one-hour debate in which
 House members voiced strong opposition to secret evidence. Following the
 vote, Campbell was quoted as saying: "It was the dream I had wished for,
 that members of Congress would stand up and say, 'That's [secret
 evidence] not right."
 (www.sptimes.com/News/062400/Worldandnation/Funds_for_secret_evid.shtml)

 The California Republican, along with House Minority Whip David Bonior of
 Michigan, also introduced legislation to ban the use of secret evidence
 entirely. The Secret Evidence Repeal Act (H.R.2121) has more than 100
 congressional sponsors. (Go to http://thomas.loc.gov. Search for bill
 number H.R. 2121.) The Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing on
 H.R.2121. Backers hope to take the bill to the full House before the
 August recess.

 The only organizational opposition to H.R.2121 has come from the American
 Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The AJC
 issued a statement voicing "deep regret" over Thursday night's successful
 vote on the Campbell amendment.

 IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUESTED:

 1) Find out how your elected representative voted Thursday night on the
 Campbell amendment to H.R.4690. A vote tally is located at:
 http://143.231.123.93/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2000&rollnumber=315

 Call 202-224-3121 to find out who represents your district. Have your Zip
 Code ready.

 2) If your representative voted in favor of the Campbell amendment, say
 thanks. If they voted against the amendment, ask why. Also ask that they
 support the Secret Evidence Repeal Act (H.R.2121) when it comes to the
 full House.

 3) Contact House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) to
 ask that the Secret Evidence Repeal Act be sent to "mark up" so that it
 can go to the full House for a vote.

 CONTACT:

 The Honorable Henry J. Hyde
 Chairman
 House Judiciary Committee
 2110 Rayburn House Office Building
 Washington, DC 20515

 TEL: 202-225-4561
 FAX: 202-225-1166
 E-MAIL: [log in to unmask] or http://www.house.gov/writerep/.

 (Calls are most effective, followed by faxes and then e-mail
 messages.)
 COPY TO: [log in to unmask]
 URL: http://www.house.gov/hyde/ and http://www.house.gov/judiciary/

 TALKING POINTS:

 * Secret evidence is unconstitutional and is used disproportionately
 against members of the Muslim and Arab-American communities.
 Almost all of the individuals held based on secret evidence are Muslims
 and Arabs.

 * Federal courts have rejected the credibility of secret evidence on
 several occasions, and in cases where secret evidence was revealed, it
 often turned out to be nothing more than rumors, press clippings, and
 other forms of evidence that would not stand up in a court of law.

 * The basic guarantee to "due process of law" contained in the Fifth
 Amendment should not be denied to anyone, citizen or non-citizen. To
 deprive any individual in the United States of liberty without a chance
 to confront the evidence used against him is a denial of justice.
 It flies in the face of American values.

 * Perceived as singling out Muslim activists in the United States, secret
 evidence threatens to chill everyone's right to free speech. The use of
 secret evidence makes American Muslims think twice before speaking out,
 engaging in politics, or otherwise exercising their First Amendment
 rights.

        - PLEASE COPY, POST, DISTRIBUTE, AND ANNOUNCE -

 CAIR NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP EDUCATE, ENLIGHTEN AND EMPOWER
 MUSLIMS

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