Take Action: Call your Representative to Say: "No More Corporate Lawsuits against Countries!"

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Raise More Congressional Voices to Support El Salvador's Struggle against Mining!

President Obama will visit El Salvador on March 23 to discuss economic assistance for El Salvador's struggling economy - while a US mining corporation sues El Salvador for $77 milliondollars on the very same date. Pacific Rim hasinvoked the "investor protections" provisions of the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), claiming to be owed enormous "lost profits" because the Salvadoran government and people rejected itsmining permits in defense of the environment. The next phase of PacificRim's lawsuit begins March 23 at a World Bank tribunal while President Obama is in El Salvador. Representatives Baldwin (WI), DeFazio (OR), Payne (NJ) and Michaud (ME) have authored a letter calling on the President to fulfill his campaign promise and strike the corporate "right" to sue El Salvador or any other country from US trade agreements (read letter here). 

This letter will be delivered to Obama beforehe travels to El Salvador. It will also be published in Salvadoran papers to show Congressional support for El Salvador's fight against CAFTA lawsuits.

Call TODAY to help us reach our goal of 50 signers and get your Representative's name on this letter!

1. Call TODAY and ask yourRepresentative to sign this letter opposing the CAFTA lawsuit against El Salvador - the cut off date for signers is Friday, March 18.  Call the House Switchboard at (202) 224-3121and ask to be connected to your Congressperson's office (all you need is your zip code) or look up your Congressperson's information here. You can use the call script below.

2. Email your Representative and ask her to sign the letter today before the March 18 close date

Sample Call Script:

"Hello, may I be connected with the person who handles trade? 

[Once connected] My name is ____ and I am a constituent. I encourage Rep. X to sign onto the letter co-authored by Rep. Baldwin, DeFazio, Payne and Michaud to President Obama on the lawsuits against ElSalvador, based in the "investor protections" chapter of the US-CentralAmerica Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA. When Obama was a candidate he promised to remove the right of corporations to sue countries from US trade agreements, especially when public health is at stake. As president, he has failed to address these "investor protections" and now the government and people of El Salvador are facingan unjust lawsuit from a Canadian mining company for their decision to protect the environment. This company is intent on taking money from El Salvador since it has been denied the "right" to gold and it is using UStrade provisions to do it. I want Congress to take a stand against thisexcessive corporate privilege and send the message to Obama before he visits El Salvador that corporations should not be allowed to sue countries!

If your office is interested in signing, please contact Amber Shipley at Tammy Baldwin's office. Please take steps to sign on quickly because the letter closes this Friday, March 18. Thank you."


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