aaus-list @ ukrainianstudies.org -- [aaus-list] U.S.-Ukraine Foundation Update 2007.15 - Urgent Appeal

[Robert DeLossa <radelo@earthlink.net>]

[This is a cross-post from another list. I checked in with a 
colleague from USUF who told me that you simply need to request that 
the "U.S.-Ukraine Foundation line item be included in the Foreign 
Appropriations Bill." That should be enough. The USUF website is at 
www.usukraine.org.--RD]


URGENT APPEAL

TO: U.S.-Ukraine Foundation Supporters
FROM: Nadia K. McConnell, USUF President
DATE: April 23, 2007
RE: We need your help

We ask that you fax and call the Chairmen and Ranking Republicans of both
the House and Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations Committees within the
next ten days expressing your support for further funding for the
U.S.-Ukraine Foundation.  If possible, also please send copies of the
aforementioned to your Representative and Senators.

Because the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation works with numerous organizations, we
ask that letters of support be also sent from our partner organizations in
order to have additional impact on Capitol Hill.

We have been advised that unless Congress acts, we will lose most of our
funding.  This threat to our programs comes at the very time that Ukrainian
officials of all political parties are asking the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation to
actually expand our efforts in Ukraine.

The solution is for Congress to provide a Congressional line item for the
U.S.-Ukraine Foundation in the Foreign Appropriations Bill.  Your help is
urgently needed now to support our work and technical assistance programs
that promote reforms in Ukraine.

Our funding request is for the following programs:

- the Foundations work with Ukraines Civil Service on the national and local
levels, which includes U.S. cities and U.S. local government experts;

- the Foundations cooperation with the U.S. Association of Former Members of
Congress and the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center to aid
Ukraines National Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) in institutional development
which strengthens the Congress-Rada Partnership and enhances Ukraines
Euro-Atlantic integration;

- the Foundations work that partners U.S. and Ukraine think tanks and NGOS
in addressing key policy issues that strengthen the U.S.-Ukraine strategic
partnership;

- the Foundations work with the U.S.-Baltic Foundation and other Moldovan,
Belarusian and Georgian NGO representatives in addressing regional issues
within a Baltic-Black Sea Corridor of Democracy.

Please send us copies of your letters sent to Congress.  If you need further
information please contact Nadia McConnell or John Kun at (202) 223-2228.

Honorable Nita Lowey (D-NY)
U.S. House of Representatives
Tel:  (202) 225-6506
Fax:  (202) 225-0546

Honorable Frank Wolf (R-VA)
U.S. House of Representatives
Tel:  (202) 225-5136
Fax:  (202) 225-0437

Honorable Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
U.S. Senate
Tel:  (202) 224-4242
Fax:  (202) 224-3479

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)
U.S. Senate
Tel:  (202) 224-3324
Fax:  (202) 224-4952