From 9-13 May 2005 a score of dedicated individuals gave their time and energy (and many their expenses, as well) to raise awareness in Washington of issues critical to all Americans living overseas. It was generally agreed by participants that the annual effort is beginning to pay off; each year more doors are open to OAW participants.

Basing themselves on a pre-agreed platform of positions, participants had meetings with Congressional and/or Administration staff on Social Security, Medicare, citizenship, voting rights and taxes. Dividing to conquer, groups met with the Dept of Public Diplomacy, Dept of Commerce, President’s Advisory Panel for Federal Tax Reform, Consular Section and Legal Adviser’s Office of the State Dept, and many others.

The idea of creating a caucus in Congress of members sympathetic to overseas Americans was greeted with enthusiasm; initial discussions were held on the possibility of the National Academies of Sciences advising on techniques for including overseas Americans in the census; and – perhaps most significantly -- advances were made in the area of residence-based taxation (see below).

Groups taking part in this year’s Overseas Americans Week were: AARO (Association of Americans Resident Overseas), ABCGC (American Business Council of the Gulf Countries), ACA (American Citizens Abroad), ACL (American Club of Lyon), ALLAMO (Alliance of American Organizations-Iberia) and FAWCO (Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas).

For further information on issues or participation, please contact ACA

Back to the top

The President’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (taxreformpanel.gov) has as its motto “America Needs a Better Tax System”, and serious changes are being contemplated. One of the best discoveries of Overseas Americans Week 2005 was strong support for the concept that individuals should be taxed (only) where they reside.

Against this backdrop OAW participants were particularly encouraged by solid support on the issue of residence-based taxation from three think-tank organizations – the Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation, the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. They co-sponsored a lunch/seminar at which Jackie Bugnion of ACA (jackieATbugnion.org), Dan Mitchell of the Heritage Foundation (dan.mitchellATheritage.org) and Veronique de Rugy of the American Enterprise Institute (vderugyATaei.org) gave speeches to more than 60 Congressional staffers on the need to eliminate citizenship-based taxation and the damage inflicted to American competitiveness by the current taxation policy of the United States on American citizens residing abroad.

The Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation has released a Prosperitas study entitled “Territorial Taxation for Overseas Americans: Section 911 Should be Unlimited, Not Curtailed.” Written by Dan Mitchell, this paper is by far the strongest support that overseas Americans have ever received from a Washington organization. (freedomanprosperity.org) To find out what you can do to help, contact Andrew Quinlan at quinlanATfreedomandprosperity.org

In addition, the Center for American Progress provided some strategic perspective, but has not yet come forth with an open support for the tax issues facing overseas Americans. Should you want to try to help persuade them to do so, please contact Nicole Mlade at the following e-mail address: nmladeATamericanprogress.org. 

The above US-based groups and individuals are voluntarily supporting overseas Americans. Please keep support for them in mind, as well.

Back to the top

Don’t forget that the time to file taxes from abroad is NOW. The automatic two-month extension for overseas filers expires 15 June. Be aware that interest is due on taxes owed and not paid by 15 April.

Correction: in the last issue of the News Update we said: “Downsizing in recent years leaves overseas with only five IRS offices worldwide.” Correction! Now there are only THREE: Berlin, London and Paris. (A tip of the hat to the Foreign Service Officer who pointed out this change.)

To find out when and where tax assistance is available, call the following numbers:

Back to the top

Winner of ACA’s 2005 award for outstanding service by a State Dept employee to overseas Americans is Robert L. Fretz, US Consul General based in Barbados, whose area of responsibility extends from the British Virgin Islands to St. Vincent. The several enthusiastic nominations spoke of his extending the breadth and depth of service to Americans in his area as well as his intense efforts after Hurricane Ivan devastated Grenada.

ACA was told: “Bob has unquestionably set an example of caring, creativity, determination, and professionalism that is worthy of emulation by other Foreign Service employees and by anyone who truly wants to help other American citizens who live abroad while at the same time enhancing the image of our great nation.”

Jacqueline Abrams, head of ACA’s Washington office, presented the Award to Mr Fretz in a ceremony held at the State Dept with Catherine Barry (see photo L to R: Ms. Barry, Mr. Fretz and Ms. Abrams). Mr Fretz wrote to ACA and the Consular Affairs section, State Dept: “Thanks to all of you for a wonderful ceremony in Washington. Thanks to ACA for the initiative, and for the hard work that goes in to the Award each year. Thanks to those of you who supervised me, worked alongside me, and worked for me, for the many ways over the years in which you inspired me, taught me and encouraged me.”

Back to the top

Tell us what you think (hint: we respond well to applause). One handy feature is easier access to amazon.com, and the extra pennies that can add to ACA’s coffer. Enter THIS ACA web site (www.aca.ch); go to the book section; then click on ANY amazon.com link there and buy any book you want, not necessarily the one you clicked on. By accessing amazon.com via the ACA web site, ACA will get a small sales commission on every purchase you make during that visit--at no extra expense to you! Thanks for your help in covering the overhead of our nonprofit, nonpartisan association run by overseas Americans like you, devoting hundreds of volunteer hours to help YOU. If you want to join ACA now, click here

Back to the top

American Citizens Abroad held its annual general meeting in Geneva in the meeting hall of the Emmanuel Church at 7pm on 14 June 2005. The meeting was open to all members or potential members.

Those who were unable to attend are encouraged to submit subjects or items which they would like to have discussed in the future.

Back to the top

Developing from an earlier site created prior to the last presidential election (OverseasVote2004), the Overseas Vote Foundation (overseasvotefoundation.org) is a nonpartisan group intended “to provide you, the overseas voter, with improved, secure Internet-based voter registration services and support.”

Check the site for results of their 2004 Post Election Survey, confirming that many overseas citizens were unable to cast their ballots, or encountered serious difficulty along the way.

While the Federal Voting Assistance Program (www.fvap.gov) provides excellent online information and is on the whole responsive to individual inquiries, it encounters periodic problems – such as prior to the 2004 election, when the site blocked access from a number of international servers.

Whether you prefer a government or a private site, the good news is that it is becoming much easier to obtain the information and forms necessary to vote from abroad. DO NOT FORGET: overseas Americans can vote from abroad in the voting district of last residence in the States, no matter how long ago the last residence dates.

Back to the top

As of 26 June 2005 all non-citizen visitors to US from the 27 visa-waiver countries can continue to enter the US without visa only if they have a machine-readable passport (MRP). Those without such a passport must obtain a visa from a US consular post abroad, as must individuals from non-visa-waiver countries. For details, visit travel.state.gov and look under “visas”.

Back to the top

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that foreign visitors departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) are required to follow checkout procedures before departing on their flight. Visitors are asked to provide their two index fingerscans and hold for a digital photo as part of a pilot program to test and evaluate an automated biometric exit process. (from Siskind’s Visa Bulletin – visalaw.com)

Back to the top

A. is a young American woman whose family lives in Japan. She is currently a university student in Australia, in her last year of studies in international relations. Wanting to know her own government better, A. inquired about internship programs with the Dept of State, the CIA, the FBI, Homeland Border Security and Customs. Some of the internships even required previous overseas experience. All departments made it clear that, as an American residing abroad, she could not even be considered as a candidate. Answers ranged from a clear-cut “NO!” to an explanation that necessary security checks could not be made on someone based abroad.

ACA would welcome response from any of the above agencies, and suggestions as to how this exclusion of talented, educated young Americans from opportunities to participate actively in government can be overcome.

Given the above, it will be particularly interesting to follow the progress of Senate Resolution 104 (thomas.loc.gov): S.RES.104 : A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate encouraging the active engagement of Americans in world affairs and urging the Secretary of State to take the lead and coordinate with other governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in creating an online database of international exchange programs and related opportunities. Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 4/12/2005) Committees: Senate Foreign Relations Latest Major Action: 4/12/2005 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Back to the top

Long-time ACA member Frank Anderson is interested in your thoughts and experiences:

Dear ACA Members:

 

"I am working on a book, In Context, that tries to open up the eyes of average Americans as to what is involved in not just being an American abroad, but being an American, period, affecting and affected by events, ideas, and people abroad. Too much misunderstanding exists today on a litany of subjects, from the War in Iraq to freedom as Americans see it, to terrorism, to being a patriot versus being a traitor. In Context seeks to provide anecdotes, stories, analyses and highlights of what Americans “are faced with,” so to speak, and what others are faced with when confronted by American ideals, actions, and words, as well as what Americans are faced with by the consequences of those ideals, actions, and words.

The objective is to open up the eyes, ears, minds and hearts of all Americans to not combat each other or others, but to come to grips with ideas and inherent feelings, prejudices and realities that we have to comprehend, and as a result of comprehension, play a more responsible role in the running of our government, and indirectly, in the preservation of democracy and freedom.

Based on this brief introduction, I invite all ACA members, their families, friends, co-workers, opponents and allies to provide anecdotes, comments, tips, referrals, opinions, gripes and compliments, etc., that reflect on the relationship between America and Americans and nations abroad and non-Americans who make up those nations.

I realize this is not a small task, but do hope to put something together that can provide a few links of understanding, agreement, and as a result, more tolerance in the community of man.

 

Sincerely,

Frank G Anderson
email: ethicsATloxinfo.co.th

Back to the top

Where did President Lincoln keep important papers he carried with him? (inside his top hat) When was the last stagecoach robbery in the US? (December 5, 1916) Ever heard of an abalone pearl? Interested in science facts, postage stamps, African art, historic air and space memorabilia? All on one site, and lots more: the Smithsonian (www.sci.edu.). Plenty for students, teachers and the curious of all ages.

Back to the top

Imagine sliding out of bed and knowing your "work" for the day is to scuba dive along the Great Barrier Reef...mountain climb in the Andes...or Kayak around the most remote of the San Juan Islands... Here's the opportunity you've been looking for.

Get the Details and Your Free report.

Back to the top

This News Update is, like ACA itself, of, by, and for Americans abroad. ACA is staffed through the efforts of volunteers, with its primary income source being membership fees and donations from private American citizens around the world.

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 SUCCESS:

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 and make a painless contribution: it makes $&sense!
2. Join us for our annual auction. 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.
3. And, of course, an outright contribution via check or charge card is the most obvious way to support the work of ACA and its worldwide volunteers working to help YOU. Membership is only $40 a year ($30 for seniors). Secure payment via thru PayPal^®, or send a check to: ACA, 5 rue Liotard, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland.

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.

JOIN US!