ACA’s 14th annual fundraising auction hit an all-time high in proceeds. Thanks go to the Ramada Park Hotel for hosting the event, and to both generous donors (see the list) and generous bidders for their help. Auction proceeds provide a significant portion of ACA’s annual budget.

American Citizens Abroad is a service organization providing information to and representing the interests of ALL overseas Americans. ACA is run almost exclusively by volunteer labor. Other ways you can financially support ACA include:

• become a member. Annual membership dues can be paid online, via check or via Swiss postal transfer;
• make a one-time contribution;
• make your purchases from Amazon.com (US) or amazon.co.uk (UK) by entering their websites from the ACA website (“books” section). At no cost to you, a small commission is paid to ACA;
• buy a copy – or many copies – of “So Far Yet So Near,” the book of typical and exotic experiences by other Americans living abroad. Purchase online or via Amazon.
• donate items or services for ACA’s 2008 auction. Sorry, you can no longer be the first donor!

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The “Americans Abroad Caucus” in the US House of Representatives formed end-February by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) has grown to nine members. The two most recent additions are: Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Steve Cohen (D-TN. Other members are: John Boozman (R-AZ), Donna Christensen (D-VI), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Frank Wolf (R-VA).

Suggest to your representative to get on the bandwagon. Tell them to contact Jennifer Keaton with Representative Maloney at 225-7944 or Paul Callahan with Representative Wilson at 225-2452. Write your Senators as well, pushing for a similar Americans Abroad Caucus in the Senate.

(You can quickly find who your congressional representatives are by going to www.house.gov and typing in the zip code of your last place of residence in the US, or checking or www.senate.gov by state.)

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Momentum is gathering for an intense week of door-knocking in Washington from June 18th through 22nd by the various groups represented in the Overseas Americans Week.

This year major emphasis is on the newly formed Americans Abroad Caucus, and on encouraging other representatives and senators to join. An event is being organized for all current members of the caucus. Also scheduled is a Town Hall Meeting with the Consular Section of the State Department where issues such as citizenship, visas and voting will be discussed. On the tax front, OAW delegates will be seeing key staffers of people on the Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Tax Committee. They will be strongly advocating repeal of the tax hike measures passed in April 2006 and will encourage support for the Working Americans Competitiveness Act (S. 1140) introduced in the 110th Congress in April 2007. Appointments with independent economic research institutes are on the agenda, to sensitize them on issues crucial to overseas Americans.

If you are interested in participating as a concerned individual or as representative of an overseas A merican group, AND/OR if you have close contacts with members of congress, please contact Ms Jackie Bugnion. The schedule will be definitively set in the next three weeks, so now is your chance to give input!

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The United States of America Consular Services in conjunction with American Citizens Abroad presented an informational evening on Wednesday, May 23rd from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Webster University, Bellevue, Switzerland.

Representatives of the US Embassy in Bern commented on current issues regarding passport/visa procedures, Social Security, citizenship and voting.

ACA representatives presented updates on the Americans Abroad Caucus, pending tax legislation, ACA lobbying efforts and the agenda for Overseas Americans Week 2007. Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat of the Overseas Vote Foundation spoke on problems and solutions to voting while abroad. Following presentations, a question and answer session and debate followed.

For a more complete summary of the events, click here.

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A new paper, “The Citizenship Rights of American Children Born Overseas,” is now posted on this ACA website. Written by ACA founder Andy Sundberg, who has studied this issue for over thirty years, the document gives an extensive overview of changing citizenship transmission rights throughout US history, and pleads for equitable treatment of all children born abroad to any American citizen parent.

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Recognition of the half-millenium mark for the name “America” has come from both sides of the Atlantic.

• On April 26th, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) made a floor statement concerning the anniversary.
• April 27th, St-Dié-des-Vosges (France) held celebrations.
• April 30th German Chancellor Angela Merkel formally handed over the sole remaining copy of the Martin Waldseemuller 1507 World Map inside the Great Hall at the Library of Congress, in Washington. The map was purchased by the Library of Congress, with the government paying half and the remainder being provided by private contributors. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) accepted the map on behalf of the US government.
• May 12th will see a full day colloquium on the subject, also in St-Dié-des-Vosges with presentations by numerous academics. (all presentations in French; free and open to the public).

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Effective May 14, US postal rates are changing (upward, of course). There are also significant changes in international mail, with elimination of Economy (surface) products such as Parcel Post, Letter Post, Publishers’ Periodicals, Books and Sheet Music, and M-bags. In addition, all international product prices are being increased an average of 13 percent. The price adjustment for First- Class Mail International will be 8.6 percent. For full details, see: www.usps.com

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Thanks to reader Andee Goldman for pointing out the wealth of information useful for estate planning by Americans abroad on the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website: www.travel.state.gov

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Be a part of the W.I.N. Annual Global Forum – “Inspiring Women”, as outstanding professionals and executive women meet in Oslo, Norway to look at the critical role women have to play in shaping the future. The event provides women leaders with the vision, strategies, skills and network needed to succeed in today’s world. Register throughout May for early registration discounts. In addition, MEMBERS OF ACA benefit from a 100 euro DISCOUNT on all registration fees.

W.I.N. 10th Annual Global Forum, Oslo Norway,

27-29 September 2007

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All members are welcome to join the annual statutory meeting which reviews the past year's activities and plans for the year to come. The meeting will begin at 19:00, and will be at 2 Rue Thalberg, Geneva, Switzerland. For background information about ACA, as well as a copy of the by-laws click here.

RSVP via email email: or telephone, +41 22 3400233

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Sunday, May 13th, is Mother’s Day in the US. And...it has become a tradition for the Social Security Administration to release its annual compilation of the most popular baby names in the previous year on this date. Those curious to see if once again this year Jacob and Emily will be the winners, check the News section of the SSA website

Considering private space travel? Check out the interview in the Wall Street Journal with Patricia Smith, Federal Aviation Administration’s associate commissioner for commercial space travel: online.wsj.com

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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, email:

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO ACA'S FINANCIAL SUCCESS:

1. ORDER YOUR PUBLICATIONS THROUGH THE ACA WEBSITE and we get paid for your business - at no extra cost to you. Go to the Book Review section and click on any link to amazon-com (USA) or amazon-UK. Any purchases you make when you have entered through the ACA portal, whether of items reviewed on the website or not, will generate a small revenue for ACA; Please make this extra click-to-give gesture to help us continue to help you. You can also order our new ACA book So far and Yet So Near directly from www.amazon.com USA or from www.amazon.co.UK and add your other orders.
   
   
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. This year's auction was held on Friday 20th April 2007 at the Ramada Park Hôtel in Geneva. See our Donors List of fabulous prizes.
   
   
3. IS YOUR MEMBERSHIP CURRENT? Renew by secure online payment or contact the ACA office email: . Membership is only US$40 a year (CHF 50). 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. Secure payment using PayPal^®, or send a check to: ACA, 5 rue Liotard, 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!