Congress is considering the creation of a Delegate in Congress as Title II of the "Northern Mariana Islands Covenant Implementation Act". The Northern Marianas has a population of 45,000 and precarious economy. What about the several 4 to 6 million Americans who reside overseas who foster the development of American exports, are the unofficial diplomats of the nation and contribute several billions of dollars in taxes to the financing of the US government? ACA has a proposal on representation for Americans residing overseas, see Step 1 of the "3 easy steps”.

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ACA congratulates Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Congressman Mike Honda, both members of the Americans Abroad Caucus, for their initiative and strongly endorses both Rep. Honda’s (D-CA) OVERSEAS Vote Act (H.R. 4173) and Rep. Maloney’s (D-NY) Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2007 (H.R. 4237). ACA strongly supports both these bills.

Contact your Congressional representative to encourage him/her to cosponsor and vote for both of these bills. IF you contact email via your Congressperson’s website, remember to use your American voting address, mentioning in the text of the email that you live abroad.

Both bills would ban states from requiring witnessing or notarization of ballot return envelopes for military and overseas voters, and would extend voting rights to American-citizen children born overseas who may have not established residency in the United States, permitting them to use the voting residence address of their American parent/s.

The Maloney bill builds on a number of "lessons-learned" in recent elections to adjust the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to stop cases of effective disenfranchisement due to cumbersome and confusing procedures. It prohibits election officials from refusing applications and ballots for failure to meet nonessential requirements (such as size or weight of paper or envelopes) and establishes clear rules for transmission of ballots. "Right now, far too many overseas Americans – including many of the brave men and women serving in our military – are being disenfranchised by a tangle of bureaucratic red tape. We have a responsibility to make it as easy as possible for all patriotic, tax-paying Americans to vote," said Representative Maloney.

The Honda bill eliminates the application for a state absentee ballot as a condition for casting a federal write-in absentee ballot. Its primarily emphasis, however, is on outreach and education of overseas voters, through creation of a $5 million competitive grant for nonpartisan organizations to conduct outreach and provide information and assistance to overseas civilian citizens. It further requires the Secretary of State to ensure that passports include a page describing the voting rights of overseas Americans. Representative Honda stated, "Voting is a sacred right that should be made available to all our fellow citizens. If there isn’t adequate infrastructure to outreach and educate overseas citizens, let’s build one. If people don’t know their rights, or get lost in this complicated process, let’s help them."

The full text of ACA’s press release on the subject as well as the Int. Herald Tribune article can be found here.

ACA, together with AARO (Association of Americans Resident Overseas) and FAWCO (Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas) have sent a joint letter supporting the two bills to all members of the Americans Abroad Caucus, stating that "rapid passage into law is essential". The letter continues, "We hope that all members of the Americans Abroad Caucus will unite behind this non-partisan issue so vital to Americans residing overseas."

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The new, revised software in place at Overseas Vote Foundation (www.overseasvotefoundation.org) makes it simpler and faster than ever to register to vote. Built into the program are the differing specific requirements of each state, so you are prompted for (only) the information your state requires. You fill out and print the form online on their secure site (https). During registration, personally identifiable data is removed from OVF's temporary file space by the time you receive your registration or ballot request form through direct download.

And remember, most states permit you to vote in primary elections only if you indicate a party preference.

ACA is proud to have been named as a member of the Overseas Vote Foundation Strategic Alliance. Let's all work together to make the 2008 overseas vote stronger than ever!

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Do not count on being counted in the category of "American living abroad" in the 2010 unless are you are military, US Government employee or dependants. A lively campaign in the late 90s and early years of this century by ACA and other groups for inclusion of all overseas Americans in the census led to Census Bureau investigation of the possibility and a trial count in three test countries in 2004: France, Kuwait and Mexico. Results were evidently deemed unsatisfactory. While there is no specific statement on the Census Bureau website (www.census.gov), the census budget submitted to Congress earlier this year has resounding zeros in sub-categories labelled "overseas", and the Q&As for vendors regarding the 2010 Census Communications Campaign quotes:

Q: "Section C.2.3, Geographic Scope of the 2010 Census, does not state the inclusion of Americans living overseas. Will part of the Communications Campaign target these citizens?"

A: "No."

An interesting historical overview of the varying treatment of "Americans Overseas in U.S. Censuses" can be found at: www.census.gov

You may not be counted — BUT BE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS !!

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In January 2007, Congressman Howard Berman and Senator Diane Feinstein respectively introduced in Congress the Social Security Fairness Act of 2007 – H.R. 82 and S. 206. This bill proposes to amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the government pension offset and Windfall Elimination Provisions which were put into the law in 1983.

This bill would certainly help restore Social Security benefits to many who have worked only in the United States, and it would also eliminate one of the key problems facing Americans who have had careers in both the United States and abroad, often making them subject to reduction in US Social Security payments due to the Windfall Elimination Provisions (WEP). This penalty reduces the retiree’s benefit check by as much as 50%, causing real hardship for those reliant on limited pensions. For a fuller description, see: www.ssa.gov

As this legislation would give relief to many state employee voters (such as teachers, firemen, etc.) in addition to overseas Americans, it has attracted many co-sponsors: 333 for the House bill 34 for the Senate Bill. However, there seems to be a real possibility that these theoretical votes in favor may never translate into practical votes for passage, and that bills will die in committee (the House Subcommittee on Social Security and the Senate Committee on Finance). Let your senators and representative know that you care about this legislation being passed. Remember, always give your US voting address and zip code in contacting members of Congress, mentioning in your message that you live abroad.

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An exhibit celebrating the close connections between the United States and the international city of Geneva from the 17th century to the present day is currently on display at the United Nations E-Building in Geneva. From the Age of Reformation and the "Geneva Bible" that the Pilgrims carried with them on the Mayflower, to President Wilson’s support for the creation of the League of Nations in Geneva, "The connection between Geneva and the United States span centuries and continue to inspire and influence us today," said Warren W. Tichenor, US Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.

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The next full issue of this News Update will be in January 2008. Interim messages may be sent to the News Update list if current events require.

All of us at American Citizens Abroad send warm wishes to Americans Everywhere, and best wishes for the coming year.

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Make a free charitable donation while enriching your own vocabulary. Talk about a win-win situation! Go to freerice.com and choose from the multiple-choice responses to match definitions to vocabulary. For each word you get right, a sponsoring business will contribute sufficient money to purchase ten grains of rice to be given to the world’s hungry through the World Food Program. A site worthy of return visits.
(Thanks to reader Anne van Schooneveld for this tip)

"It was a dark and stormy night…" was first written by whom? Edward George Bulwer-Lytton in 1830. But breathe easy – this and other wretched writing is perpetuated, thanks to San Jose State University’s annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. And YOU, too, can contribute by crafting convoluted opening sentences to non-existent novels in various categories. For full details and a cocktail of tortured English prose, go to: www.bulwer-lytton.com".

There are endless possibilities for writing to Santa online. Google’s "I'm feeling lucky!" choice is: www.christmassanaclaus.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. Next year's auction will be held on Friday 11th April 2008 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!