ACA’s delegation to Overseas Americans Week is on the ground and working in Washington, with meetings preliminary to the June 18th through 22nd joint lobbying by the various groups represented in the Overseas Americans Week.

ACA’s reps will hit the pavement along with representatives of other groups: AARO (Association of Americans Resident Overseas), ALLAMO (Association of American Organizations – Iberian peninsula), and FAWCO (Federation of Women’s Clubs Overseas). Thanks also to ABCGC (the American Business Council of the Gulf Countries), which had its annual Washington door knock in April, and has kindly shared detailed information on contacts and recommendations with OAW planners.

Keep in mind that individuals participating in the OAW devote from dozens to hundreds of unpaid hours to their effort, and most pay for their own transportation and lodging, as well. This is done to raise consciousness regarding issues facing overseas Americans, and to push for reforms to help ALL overseas citizens.

Results of this year’s OAW will appear in upcoming News Updates and on the ACA web pages.

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The May Town Hall meeting featuring the United States Consular Services in conjunction with American Citizens Abroad was well attended and lively. Thanks are due to the consular delegation who travelled from Bern, as well as to the American consular agent in Geneva, for their invaluable participation.

Tips to remember: Renew your passport at least six months before it expires to avoid problems in entering other countries. Same-day issuance of passports is virtually impossible. Applications for ITINs (international taxpayer identification number) and Social Security numbers are now handled at embassy level, greatly speeding up the process.

Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, Executive Director of Overseas Vote Foundation (www.overseasvotefoundation.org), through which thousands of overseas voters registered to vote in 2006, summarized ways in which OVF works with various US and state governments to facilitate voting from abroad, and to provide feedback on existing glitches in the system. Surveys on the 2006 absentee voting experience can be found on the OVF website.

Tip to remember: register early each year to ensure notification of all elections, and to verify your current address. This can be done speedily online through OVF.

ACA speakers Jackie Bugnion, John Serrato and Andy Sundberg summarized ACA’s current work on crucial issues, including tax reform and citizenship transmission. A summary can be found at here.

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David Abell, co-winner of ACA’s 2006 Thomas Jefferson Award for outstanding service to overseas citizens by a member of the State Department, received his framed certificate in a ceremony held in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs in Washington. Mr Abell served as US consul general in Iraq. ACA noted: "David is on duty essentially 24 hours a day answering calls for help on a very wide variety of uniquely challenging problems and concerns. This is a hardship post in very dangerous circumstances. David volunteered for this assignment and his willingness to endure these trying conditions manifests the highest degree of patriotism and devotion to his fellow citizens."

ACA was represented at the ceremony by Director Jackie Abrams, head of ACA’s Arlington, VA office. The ceremony was followed by a lunch.

Rena Bitter, consular chief in Amman, Jordan, shares this year’s award. In her current post, Rena has a double responsibility. She not only provides a full range of assistance to American citizens living and working in Jordan, but also provides vital backup and support to David Abell and his colleagues at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. She and David form a powerful team working closely together to respond to the needs of U.S. citizens in very trying circumstances. Formal presentation will be made to Ms. Bitter at a later date.

The full ACA story concerning the 2006 Thomas Jefferson Award can be found here (pdf).

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ACA Director Jackie Bugnion sparked lively interest with her powerful PowerPoint presentation regarding what ACA is, where ACA is, and suggestions as to where it should be going and how to get there. An excellent summary which will form the basis for review and change in the year to come.

A point-by-point summary of the meeting is available here.

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Watch the ACA website evolve in the coming months. And as you look, tell us what you like – or don’t like so much. Tell us what else you would like to see, and what you feel is extraneous.

One change we surely hope you will note is the home page links to Amazon-USA and Amazon-UK -- another reason to add the ACA address to your list of "favorites." Then just click quickly to our home page on your way to Amazon, and we’ll be on our way to a buck or two with no pain to you, as ACA gets a commission on items you purchase by entering Amazon through our website. ACA does not know what you purchase, and does not track who goes where. The ONLY difference from your going directly to Amazon is that you are directing Amazon to send a part of your normal purchase price as a commission to ACA.

SHOULD CHANGES BE IN VIEW?

Reader input is also requested concerning this News Update. Since its inception, we have deliberately avoided colors, logos, and fancy formatting in order to ensure that the greatest number of people can receive the text without problems.

However times – and computers – have changed a lot since the first News Update was circulated in 1996. PLEASE GIVE INPUT as to whether you, the readers, agree to our introducing a more attractive formatting, to our including occasional photos, etc. We will not insert gimmicks; just use some cosmetics. Please send your by email:

SHOULD YOU BE MORE IN OUR VIEW?

Another change you will be seeing on ACA’s website and in all its literature is an increasing (read: "incessant") call for more volunteers to help on specific issues, to help on current and future projects, and just to help in day-to-day functioning of the organization. Please give thought as to whether you are willing to devote a few hours per week, per month, or upon occasion to help protect the interests of Americans around the world. Virtual volunteers welcomed.

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Colorado now allows citizens who have never resided in the U.S. to register and vote. Colorado law defines these citizens as persons who are citizens of the United States, will be eighteen years of age or older on the date of the next election, and have never been a resident of any state but whose parent is eligible to register and vote in Colorado. These citizens may submit a Federal Post Card Application or Colorado voter registration form to register and request an absentee ballot which will allow them to vote for Federal offices (President/Vice President, U.S. Senator, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives).

(from the July 2007 issue of Voting Information News, issued by the Federal Voting Assistance Program – www.fvap.gov)

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The June issue of Voting Information News supplies a full listing of emails at US embassies and consulates worldwide where one can write for help in registering and voting (fvap.gov).

Voter registration is also made easy via the non-government website of Overseas Vote Foundation (overseasvotefoundation.org). Recent elections have repeatedly underscored the importance of the overseas absentee vote; let’s make sure that this positive momentum increases with each election!

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Senate bill S.206 introduced by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and House bill H.R.82 introduced by Reps. Howard Berman (D-CA) and Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) in January 2007 would eliminate the (in-)famous Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) that reduces Social Security benefits paid to individuals who have another pension based on income not subjected to Social Security tax – as in foreign pensions. This also affects many military and state government retirees (teachers, police officers, firefighters).

SS pensioners can find that their benefits are reduced by one dollar for every two dollars received in foreign pension. As one American abroad recently wrote ACA, "My small, meager and partial monthly allotment, being chopped about a 1/3 from what I ought to get before the WEP reduction, ... is not even enough to cover my medical expenses monthly."

The current bills have numerous cosponsors (some 270 in the House), giving this legislation a serious chance of passing. Encourage your congressional representatives to get on the bandwagon if s/he is not already endorsing it. Fax, hard copy letters or phone calls remain the most effective way to contact congressional offices, and expect to speak with a "staffer" specialized in the area of Social Security rather than the congressperson him/herself.

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Due to passport processing delays, the US Departments of State and Homeland Security announced June 8, 2007 that US citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can enter and depart from the United States through September 30, 2007 by air with a government-issued photo identification (e.g., drivers license) and Department of State official proof of application for a passport.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) was mandated by Congress to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for citizens and legitimate international visitors. WHTI requirements for air travel took effect on January 23, 2007.

Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State (obtainable via travel.state.gov). Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of application.

For the first eight months of Fiscal Year 2007 (October 2006 - May 2007), the State Department issued 10.3 million passports, a 37 percent increase over the same period last year. Today, approximately 78 million Americans – a little over one-quarter of the population – have valid passports. While the State Department has considerably beefed up its US-based passport-issuing personnel, it is still running behind the demand. For FAQs related to this issue see: travel.state.gov

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The US State Department is now accepting requests by those who paid for expedited passport service but believe they did not receive it. Passport applicants who pay the $60 additional fee for expedited service are supposed to receive priority attention from the State Department and receive their passport in a more timely fashion (currently, 2-3 weeks, instead of 10-12 weeks). However, recent backlogs at the State Department have led to numerous incidents of people not obtaining their passport in time for planned travel.

According to the State Department’s web site, those who paid for expedited service but believe they did not get what they paid for, should submit a written request to the State Department, Passport Services/PPS/Refunds, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037-3202. The request should include the following information: passport number (if available), name, date and place of birth and approximate date(s) they applied for/received their passport, mailing address and phone number.

For more information, visit the State Department’s web page on this issue, travel.state.gov.

(Thanks to the home page of Rep. Baron Hill for this info.)

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Cheers to the US Army for publishing a comprehensive guide to naturalization for the American soldier. Soldiers have unique challenges in naturalizing, but they also have special rights. This guide spells out the rules in detail: www.hrc.army.mil

(source: visalaw.com)

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Families in Global Transition (www.figt.org) is an organization devoted to discussing the special dynamics encountered in the internationally mobile lifestyle, and exploring practical ways to optimize the potential of this experience. Their 10th anniversary conference will be held 6-8 March 2008 in Houston, TX (Omni Houston Hotel), where specialists in all aspects of international living – human resource personnel, relocation experts, educators and counsellors – will share experiences and strategies for making the living abroad experience positive for all concerned.

In preparation for the conference, Families in Global Transition seeks program proposals. View the various topics to be discussed and download the "request for proposal" on their website.

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Those who have had their patience tried beyond endurance by airport delays or spent a good part of a day on the tarmac waiting to take off or approach the gate, may (or may not) favor passage of H.R. 1303 introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson (D –CA) (thomas.loc.gov).

The proposed Airline Passenger Bill of Rights Act of 2007 - Requires a covered airline to: (1) establish procedures for handling passenger complaints; (2) provide customers at the airport and aboard an aircraft with information regarding delay, cancellation, or diversion; (3) establish procedures to allow passengers to exit the aircraft in the case of a departure or arrival delay of more than three hours, with specified exceptions; (4) provide passengers on a departure- or arrival-delayed grounded aircraft with essential ventilation, food, water, sanitary, and medical services; (5) publish a monthly list of its chronically delayed flights and provide such information upon ticket purchase; (6) publish and update lowest fare and schedule information; and (7) make every reasonable effort to return lost baggage within 24 hours.

Airline industry representatives oppose the concept, saying it would create inflexible standards which would do more harm than good.

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Three easy steps:

1. Purchase and read ACA’s book of living-abroad experiences by real folks like you, "So Far Yet So Near"
2. Write a short review of the book, and
3. Place it on the www.amazon.com USA or www.amazon.co.UK website. There you will be, immortalized!

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The Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs/U.S. Dept. of State, in conjunction with the Bureau of Education and the National Geographic Society offer an online global IQ quiz at iew.state.gov/quiz.htm Let us know if you get a perfect score!

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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$50 a year (CHF 60). 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!