Everyone is agreed that reforms to improve reliability of voting procedures should be instituted as quickly as possible. One aspect of the ongoing debate relates to reliability of electronic voting machines.

Representative Rush Holt has proposed a solution to the Electronic Voting Machine problem, in the form of a bill introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (H.R. 2239) would make the necessary safeguards mandatory for U.S. elections in every state.

This means that voters could check a paper ballot or paper record of the ballot for accuracy before casting the vote - without having to trust the voting machine. Voter verification of ballots is crucial, because only the voter can check whether the ballot is accurate.

A paper audit trail makes it possible to reconstruct the election results from the original voter-verified records, without having to trust the election equipment. In other words, it is possible to do a meaningful recount if an election is in dispute.

Fuller details concerning favoring this bill presently before Congress can be found at: holt.house.gov or www.verifiedvoting.org. A somewhat different view can be seen on the League of Women Voters website at: www.lwv.org

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A recent study by the Institute of International Education (IIE) has determined that in the 2002-2003 school year, foreign students made a major financial contribution to the U.S. economy. Although U.S. schools did offer support of 28.4% of tuition costs, mostly through assistance with tuition and fees in the way of scholarships and financial aid, the 586,322 foreign students that attended U.S. universities and their families made a net contribution of close to $13 billion to the economy.

The states that generated the most money from foreign students were Massachusetts, California, New York and Texas. The leading field of study for foreign students in Massachusetts, California and New York was business and management, and in Texas it was engineering. The leading country of origin for foreign students in Texas, Massachusetts, New York and California were India, China, Republic of Korea and Japan, respectively.

Check the IIE web site (www.iie.org) for much interesting information concerning international experiences in education. It links to a Department of State survey (speakout.state.gov) asking former foreign exchange students to the U.S. to share their experiences.

It also reports: "Despite a weak economy and post-9/11 concerns, American students continue to regard study abroad as a critical component of their higher education experience. The number of U.S. university-level students receiving credit for study abroad in 2001/02 increased 4.4% from the previous year, reaching a record total of 160,920, according to Open Doors 2003, the annual report on international education published by IIE with funding from the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. (See www.opendoors.iienetwork.org for complete report).

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Siskind's Immigration Bulletin (www.visalaw.com) reports that November was National Adoption Month and to support it, the Departments of State and Homeland Security worked to fully implement the Hague Convention and the Intercountry Adoption Act, which ensures that the well being of adopted children remains the focal point of all intercountry adoptions.

The Departments of State and Homeland Security support the adoption processes that provide protection for the welfare and best interests of children, birth parents and adoptive parents, and work to eliminate illegal activities in the adoption process.

The Department of State has extended by 30 days the public comment period for the proposed rules on the Accreditation of Agencies and Approval of Persons under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (the Convention) and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (the IAA) and on the Preservation of Convention Records. The proposed rules were published in Part II of the Federal Register on September 15, 2003 (68 FR 54064; 68 FR 54119). In response to public requests for additional time, the Department is extending the public comment period closing date from November 14, 2003, to December 15, 2003 for Parts 96 and 98. This action allows interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. Comments must be received on or before December 15, 2003. (see travel.state.gov). You can view electronic versions of the proposed rules and obtain information on how to submit comments at www.regulations.gov.

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The United States Chamber of Commerce (www.uschamber.com) is calling for a reexamination of American visa policies that may be damaging the U.S. economy by putting too many restrictions on the free movement of legitimate travelers. The Chamber is saying that there needs to be a balance between keeping the nation safe and not setting hurdles for international travelers because so many industries depend on overseas travel.

Currently, the State Department Consular officers conduct face-to- face interviews with every visa applicant, creating backlogs and delays for travelers from many countries with which the U.S. has business relations. Beginning next year with the U.S. VISIT program, fingerprints will be required from every applicant.

There has been a drop in the number of visas issued since 2001 for visitors to the United States, from 6.9 million to 4.9 million. Visa applications have decreased 15% from 2002 to 2003. Starting in October 2004, visitors from Visa Waiver countries will be required to have machine-readable passports, although the United States itself is unable to make that deadline. International travel into the United States yields $70 billion annually to the economy.

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An overview of immigration law throughout US history is presented in John S. Richbourg's article "Liberty and Security: The Yin and Yang of Immigration Law" in the University of Memphis Law Review. www.visalaw.com

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Not to be forgotten are the members of the US Foreign Service and other government personnel staffing embassies and consulates in all corners of the world. Check the web site of the American Foreign Service Association related to this segment of the population of overseas Americans (www.afsa.org). Of particular interest is new legislation that would give Foreign Service personnel relief on capital gains from sale of US-based residences, and news of an updated edition of the popular "Inside a U.S. Embassy."

Particularly in the holiday season, we should recall that hundreds of thousands of men and women from all over America are serving in our armed forces and away from their homes. Many Americans are looking for ways to support members of the military and their families. A list of links to ways to support the military and their families can be found at: usafreedomcorps.gov

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In 2004, as in every year since its founding in 1978, ACA and its worldwide network of volunteers will be striving to represent and to help all Americans abroad. Your input, active participation, membership and/or donations make this possible.

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The ACA News Update editing and publishing team:
Editor-in-chief: Dorothy van Schooneveld.
Web editor: Karl Jauch, ACA Executive Director
Contributing editors: Elizabeth Davis, Kathryn Boyer, Norm Burgo, Janet Rubinstein.
Office manager: Jennifer Wallace
Editor for this issue: Dorothy van Schooneveld

This News Update is, like ACA itself, of, by, and for Americans abroad. ACA is staffed entirely through the efforts of volunteers, with its primary income source being membership fees and donations from concerned individuals.

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE HANDS-ON TO ACA WORK:

1. NEWS UPDATE EDITORS. ACA is seeking to supplement its News Update staff. Work involves actually writing the News Update 2 - 3 times a year, under supervision of a Senior Editor, and monitoring raw material considered for the newsletter on a regular basis. Calls for e-mail access and an ability to write/edit succinctly and against a deadline. ACA takes pride in the global spread of its editors.
2. BOOK REVIEWS/REVIEWERS. ACA is interested in discovering books of particular interest to Americans abroad. It also seeks individuals willing to review such books. Reviewers get to keep the book, and to see their contribution in print. Click here for a list of books or contact the ACA office.

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO ACA'S FINANCIAL $UCCE$$:

1. Did you know that by accessing amazon.com (click on any Amazon link you find in the book review section, ACA web site) and then browsing and purchasing as normal, ACA receives—at no cost to you—a small percentage on the purchases you make. Check ACA's web site + make a painless contribution: it makes $&sense!
2. Join us for our Gala Dinner, now being planned for Saturday 8 November 2003 in Geneva.
3. Donate an auctionable item or service to ACA's 2004 annual FUNdraiser auction (to be held Friday 5 March 2004 in Geneva). The FUNdraiser evening produces the single largest annual contribution to ACA's working budget. And the highest bids are for items ingenious and/or exotic. It's a good bet that someone in the attending crowd of internationals will be intrigued by even the most distant and/or unusual of objects or services.
4. And, of course, an outright contribution of $$ via check or charge card is the most obvious way to support the work of ACA and its worldwide volunteers working to help YOU. Secure payment via this web site, or mail to: ACA, 5 rue Liotard, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland.

WAYS TO PUT GOOD FOLKS ABROAD IN THE LIMELIGHT:

1. EUGENE ABRAMS AWARD. ACA's annual award to highlight exceptional volunteer efforts of overseas Americans to aid others. Each qualified nominee receives an honorable mention certificate from ACA. The winner will also be mentioned in the press and in ACA hard copy and electronic newsletters. Send to ACA (5 rue Liotard, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland) letter(s) of nomination describing the individual's efforts, accompanied by biographical info and if possible a photo of the person involved in the activities mentioned.
2. ACA's THOMAS JEFFERSON AWARD. given each year for outstanding service to Americans abroad by a State Department employee. A fine way to draw attention to Foreign Service or other State Dept. employees who have gone out of their way to make a difference in the lives of overseas citizens. Winner receives a plaque and has her/his name engraved on a plaque which is displayed in the State Department, Washington. All nominations are shared with the State Department and entered on the employees' records.

If you would like to become part of the dynamic volunteer team which powers ACA, then join us.

There is a constant need for additional physical and/or electronic "staff." In addition to regular VOLUNTEERS, ACA is interested in INTERNS and in tailoring CLASS PROJECTS aimed at awakening students to issues affecting American citizens abroad. Contact ACA's Geneva office

Disclaimer: "While ACA makes every effort to be accurate in the information it transmits, such information is not to be considered a substitute for specific and qualified professional advice."

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