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For Immediate Release
March 15, 2004
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3/15/04 CFL ALERT: ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF RACHEL CORRIE’S DEATH. ASK YOUR REPS TO COSPONSOR H.CON.RES.111.
3/16/04 marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of American citizen, Rachel Corrie by the Israeli Occupation Forces. Sadly, our government refuses to launch an investigation into Rachel’s death, even though everyone is now familiar with the infamous and gruesome pictures of Corrie being repeatedly run over by an Israeli soldier using a CAT bulldozer. Rep. Brian Baird [D WA-3] has introduced the Rachel Corrie Resolution (H.Con.Res.111) to the House and it has now been sent to the House International Relations Committee. There are currently 56 cosponsors (see below for a list). This resolution is unlikely to move forward without mass support of representatives signing the resolution as cosponsors. CFL urges you to take a moment to contact your representatives and ask them to cosponsor the resolution. If your Representative has already sponsored or cosponsored this resolution be sure to thank him/her.

TALKING POINTS:
* Tell your representatives to honor the memory of Rachel Corrie by supporting H.Con.Res.111. Ask them to demand an independent investigation into the murder of both Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndall. And ask that they condemn the Israeli tactic of blaming the victim: tarnishing the images of both Corrie and Hurndall by accusing them of putting themselves in danger. The responsibility lies on the soldier who ran her over repeatedly even while she was wearing an orange vest and shouting at him to stop. The British government has already concluded that Tom Hurndall, a British citizen was shot in the head while helping Palestinian children cross a street in Rafah. He was also clearly identifiable as an unarmed peace activist by the bright orange jacket he was wearing.

*On June 26th, Israeli newspaper, Ha’aretz reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had concluded its investigation into Corrie’s death and that "no disciplinary measures will be taken against any of those involved in the incident in which Corrie was killed." The IDF Southern Command concluded that the soldier driving the bulldozer did not see Rachel and did not intentionally run over her, despite many eyewitness accounts to the contrary. The contradiction between the IDF and eyewitness accounts makes an independent U.S. investigation into Rachel’s death even more imperative.

*The U.S must demand that Israel immediately stop harming unarmed citizens from the U.S. and around the world who stand in solidarity with peace minded Israelis and Palestinians. American citizens are regularly turned away and put on return flights home as soon as they land in Ben Gurion airport. Others are imprisoned without representation. Many Americans who call their Embassy in Israel are faced with ridicule and indifference. Ask your Representatives to condemn such blatant disrespect of our country. Tell your representatives that solidarity is not a crime; demand that this administration hold Israel accountable for its crimes.

Current Sponsors and Cosponsors of the Rachel Corrie Resolution
Rep Abercrombie, Neil - 3/31/2003 [HI-1]
Rep Baldwin, Tammy - 5/15/2003 [WI-2]
Rep Bell, Chris - 11/20/2003 [TX-25]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl - 4/3/2003 [OR-3]
Rep Camp, Dave - 4/29/2003 [MI-4]
Rep Capps, Lois - 3/25/2003 [CA-23]
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. - 9/3/2003 [MI-14]
Rep Davis, Danny K. - 5/20/2003 [IL-7]
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. - 4/29/2003 [OR-4]
Rep Dicks, Norman D. - 3/25/2003 [WA-6]
Rep Dingell, John D. - 4/3/2003 [MI-15]
Rep Doggett, Lloyd - 5/21/2003 [TX-10]
Rep Dunn, Jennifer - 4/3/2003 [WA-8]
Rep Emanuel, Rahm - 7/23/2003 [IL-5]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. - 3/25/2003 [CA-14]
Rep Etheridge, Bob - 7/23/2003 [NC-2]
Rep Farr, Sam - 10/28/2003 [CA-17]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. - 6/2/2003 [AZ-7]
Rep Holt, Rush D. - 9/3/2003 [NJ-12]
Rep Honda, Michael M. - 3/25/2003 [CA-15]
Rep Inslee, Jay - 3/25/2003 [WA-1]
Rep Issa, Darrell E. - 6/26/2003 [CA-49]
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. - 5/5/2003 [IL-2]
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila - 9/24/2003 [TX-18]
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice - 6/26/2003 [TX-30]
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. - 4/8/2003 [RI-1]
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. - 6/2/2003 [MI-13]
Rep Kind, Ron - 5/13/2003 [WI-3]
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. - 5/1/2003 [OH-10]
Rep LaHood, Ray - 7/8/2003 [IL-18]
Rep Larsen, Rick - 3/25/2003 [WA-2]
Rep Lee, Barbara - 4/3/2003 [CA-9]
Rep Lewis, John - 3/25/2003 [GA-5]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe - 4/29/2003 [CA-16]
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. - 2/25/2004 [MA-9]
Rep Markey, Edward J. - 7/9/2003 [MA-7]
Rep McCarthy, Karen - 1/27/2004 [MO-5]
Rep McDermott, Jim - 3/25/2003 [WA-7]
Rep McGovern, James P. - 4/8/2003 [MA-3]
Rep Miller, George - 4/29/2003 [CA-7]
Rep Moran, James P. - 5/13/2003 [VA-8]
Rep Myrick, Sue - 4/29/2003 [NC-9]
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes - 6/10/2003 [DC]
Rep Oberstar, James L. - 6/10/2003 [MN-8]
Rep Olver, John W. - 4/29/2003 [MA-1]
Rep Payne, Donald M. - 2/3/2004 [NJ-10]
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II - 3/31/2003 [WV-3]
Rep Sabo, Martin Olav - 5/20/2003 [MN-5]
Rep Sanders, Bernard - 3/4/2004 [VT]
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh - 3/4/2004 [NY-28]
Rep Smith, Adam - 3/25/2003 [WA-9]
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete - 4/8/2003 [CA-13]
Rep Udall, Mark - 5/15/2003 [CO-2]
Rep Watt, Melvin L. - 4/29/2003 [NC-12]
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. - 4/29/2003 [CA-6]
Rep Wu, David - 3/25/2003 [OR-1]

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