To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate

Congress: Don’t Back Settlements, Vote NO on Fast Track

Members of Congress should vote no on the Ryan-Hatch bill for fast track authority to negotiate trade agreements. The Ryan-Hatch fast track bill threatens European efforts to uphold international law concerning Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Why is this important?

Congress is now considering “fast track” trade authority for trade agreements. There are many reasons to oppose fast track. But Maryland Senator Ben Cardin and his allies have just added a new one. They are including in the Ryan-Hatch “fast track” trade bill a US negotiating objective to block European trade restrictions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. [1] This provision is opposed by J Street [2], Americans for Peace Now, [3], and JVP [4]. European efforts to uphold international law by limiting trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank are supported by Human Rights Watch. [5]

Urge your Representative and Senators to vote NO on the Ryan-Hatch “fast track” trade bill by signing our petition.

References:
1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/maryland-senator-ben-card_b_7118876.html
2. http://jstreet.org/blog/post/j-street-opposes-roskamvargas-trade-bill-that-undermines-us-and-israeli-interests_1
3. http://peacenow.org/entry.php?id=11643
4. https://twitter.com/naiman/status/591318386245775362
5. http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/18/dispatches-israeli-supreme-court-upholds-anti-boycott-law