U.S. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVED IN UKRAINE URGE CONGRESS TO REPEAL JACKSON-VANIK TRADE RESTRICTIONS

December 5, 2005.

    For Release: Monday, December 5, 2005
    
    Contact: Ken Bossong (+1-301-588-4741)
    
    WASHINGTON DC -- In a letter delivered today to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 61 former and current Peace Corps volunteers who served in Ukraine urged the Congress to “graduate” Ukraine from the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik amendment.
    
    Jackson-Vanik is a 1974 Amendment that imposed trade restrictions on the Soviet Union in response to its poor human rights policies, particularly restrictions on the emigration of religious minorities.
    
    However, as the letter notes, “Ukraine has clearly more than fulfilled the requirements necessary for graduation from Jackson-Vanik. Ukraine has built a strong record of allowing open emigration and has created conditions for religious minorities to pursue their beliefs freely. As such, Ukraine is a success story for Jackson-Vanik and it now merits graduation from the Amendment's provisions.”
    
    Following his January 2005 inauguration, Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko announced that Ukraine's graduation from the provisions of the U.S. Jackson-Vanik Amendment would be at the forefront of his economic and foreign policy objectives for 2005.
    
    Last April, following their Washington meeting, U.S. President George Bush joined President Yushchenko in expressing support for "immediately ending application of Jackson-Vanik to Ukraine."
    
    Most recently, on November 18, the U.S. Senate approved repeal of the Jackson-Vanik restrictions on Ukraine.
    
    The matter now lies entirely in the hands of the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives who may consider this issue within the next two weeks.
    
    The letter concludes that “politically, legally, and morally, graduating Ukraine from the Jackson-Vanik provisions is the right thing to do. … There is no better way for the United States to celebrate the first anniversary of the Orange Revolution than to graduate Ukraine from Jackson-Vanik. … We therefore urge you to lend your full support to efforts to make this a reality.”
    
    The full text of the letter and list of signers follows.
    
    # # # # # # #
    
    PLEASE SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO GRADUATE UKRAINE FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE JACKSON-VANIK AMENDMENT
    
    A Letter from Former and Current U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers
    Who Have Served in Ukraine
    
    December 5, 2005
    
    Member
    U.S. House of Representatives
    Washington, D.C. 20515
    
    Dear Representative:
    
    As Ukraine commemorates the one-year anniversary of its Orange Revolution, we are writing to urge you to lend your support to efforts to reinforce democratic and free-market developments there.
    
    These efforts include working with Ukrainian officials in their quest to eventually join the World Trade Organization, NATO, and the European Union.
    
    Also included among these efforts is an issue that is almost entirely in the hands of the Members of the U.S. Congress. That is supporting legislation to graduate Ukraine from the 1974 Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions.
    
    Ukraine has clearly more than fulfilled the requirements necessary for graduation from Jackson-Vanik. Ukraine has built a strong record of allowing open emigration and has created conditions for religious minorities to pursue their beliefs freely. As such, Ukraine is a success story for Jackson-Vanik and it now merits graduation from the Amendment's provisions.
    
    Moreover, this step is urgently needed as a symbolic affirmation of Ukraine's successful democratization. Graduating Ukraine from Jackson-Vanik would provide powerful support for the Ukrainian government's efforts to stabilize and expand its economy, promote trade and investment, and participate in the international marketplace.
    
    Politically, legally, and morally, graduating Ukraine from the Jackson-Vanik provisions is the right thing to do. Furthermore, it poses no economic or other costs to the United States.
    
    There is no better way for the United States to celebrate the first anniversary of the Orange Revolution than to graduate Ukraine from Jackson-Vanik.
    
    We therefore urge you to lend your full support to efforts to make this a reality.
    
    Sincerely,
    
    1.) Shane Ahn
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Kyiv, Ukraine)
    Virginia
    
    2.) Carolyn Andrews
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2002; Donetsk, Ukraine)
    Ohio
    
    3.) Travis Bailey
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2002; Odessa, Ukraine)
    Texas
    
    4.) David Barrett
    (PC-Group 20; 2001-2003; Yaremcha/Berdyansk, Ukraine)
    Texas
    
    5.) Ken Beishir
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2003; Poltava, Ukraine)
    Texas
    
    6.) Somer Bessire
    (PC-Group 19, 2000-2002; Kalanchak, Ukraine)
    New York
    
    7.) Ken Bossong
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2003; L’viv, Ukraine)
    Maryland
    
    8.) Donna Braden
    (PC-Group 14; 1999-2001; Kryvyi Rig, Ukraine)
    Illinois
    
    9.) William Andrew Brady
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine)
    Pennsylvania
    
    10.) Patrick Breiding
    (PC-Group 16; 1999-2002; Mangush, Ukraine)
    Washington, DC
    
    11.) Alice Chiu
    (PC-Group 11; 1998-2001; L’viv & Mykolayiv, Ukraine)
    Washington, DC
    
    12.) Ben Colmery
    (PCV; Dobrotvir, Ukraine)
    New Jersey
    
    13.) Maureen Corcoran
    (PCV; 2000-2002)
    New Jersey
    
    14.) Mark DeTray
    (PC-Group 20; 2001; Ukraine)
    Washington
    
    15.) Teresa Devore
    (PC-Group 13; 1998-2001; Ukraine)
    New York
    
    16.) Clifford Worth Dixon
    (PCV; 2002-2004; Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine)
    Washington, DC
    
    17.) Elaine Donnelly
    (PC-Group 16; 1999-2001; Uzhhorod, Ukraine)
    Massachusetts
    
    18.) Beth Eilers
    (PC-Group 8; 1997-1999; Vinnitsa, Ukraine)
     South Dakota
    
    19.) Burke Eilers
    (PC-Group 8; 1997-1999; Khmelnitsky, Ukraine)
    South Dakota
    
    20.) Judith Enders
    (PC-Group 13; 1998-2001; Ukraine)
    Washington
    
    21.) Alissa E. Fiss
    (PC Group 19; 2000-2002; Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, Ukraine)
    Florida
    
    22.) Kelly (French) Fox
    (PC-Group 20; 2001-2003; Kobelyaky, Ukraine)
    Rhode Island
    
    23.) Mark C Hall
    (PC-Group 2; 1993-1995; Kyiv, Ukraine)
    
    24.) Bruce Jay Hansen
    (PC-Group 21; 2001-2003; Saki, Crimea, Ukraine)
    Pennsylvania
    
    25.) Robert Hurst
    (PCV; Chortkiv, Ternopliska, Ukraine)
    Indiana
    
    26.) Thomas Hyde
    (PC-Group 6; 1996-2000; Rivne, Ukraine)
    Oregon
    
    27.) Scott Jackson
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2002; Chernivsti, Ukraine)
    New York
    
    28.) Lenta Lynn Jarrett
    (PC-Group 20; 2001-2003; L’viv, Ukraine)
    California
    
    29.) David Johnson
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Kharkov, Ukraine)
    Florida
    
    30.) Cheryl (Sunnquist) Jones
    (PC-Group 8; 1997-1999; Drohobych, Ukraine)
    Michigan
    
    31.) Regine Kennedy
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Rivne, Ukraine)
    Minnesota
    
    32.) Ann (Duncan) Kinsley
    (PC-Group 19; 2000-2002; Kalush, Ukraine)
    Massachusetts
    
    33.) Rich Krauze
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2002; Rivne, Ukraine)
    Washington
    
    34.) Scott Lasher
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine)
    West Virginia
    
    35.) Doug Latham
    (PC-Group 5; 1995-1997; Chernivtsi, Ukraine)
    Alabama
    
    36.) Patricia Lozoya
    (PCV; Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine)
    Texas
    
    37.) Judith Mandel
    (PC-Group 20; 2001-2004; Artemovsk, Ukraine)
    California
    
    38.) Kevin McMahan and Natasha Volodymyrivnia McMahan
    (PC-Group 24; 2003 - 2005; Kaniv, Ukraine)
    Ohio
    
    39.) Ellen Michelson
    (PC-Group 19; 2000-2002; L’viv, Ukraine)
    Toronto, Canada
    
    40.) Cristina T. O'Keeffe
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Ukraine)
    New York
    
    41.) Rob Paullin
    (PC-Group 21; 2001-2003; Kremenets, Ukraine)
    Illinois
    
    42.) Michael Pegues
    (PC-Group 2; 1993-1995; Poltava, Ukraine)
    Alabama
    
    43.) Louis A. Richards
    (PCV; Stakhanov, Ukraine)
    California
    
    44.) Edward Roach
    (PC-Group 13, 1998-2000, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine)
    Ohio
    
    45.) Jerry Schoeberlein
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Cherkasy, Ukraine)
    West Virginia
    
    46.) Elsa Shartsis
    (PC-Group 14; 1999-2001; Lutsk, Ukraine)
    Michigan
    
    47.) Jack Shartsis
    (PC-Group 14; 1999-2001; Lutsk, Ukraine)
    Michigan
    
    48.) John Joseph Sheetz
    (PCV; Drohobich, Ukraine)
    Florida
    
    49.) Tommie Soileau
    (PC-Group 5; 1995-1997; Berdichev, Ukraine)
    Tennessee
    
    50.) Chandler Harrison Stevens, Ph.D.
    (PC-Group 14; 1999-2001; Kherson & Yalta, Ukraine)
    Minnesota
    
    51.) John Theis
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2002; Kharkiv, Ukraine)
    Texas
    
    52.) Lillian Thompson
    (PC-Group 24; 2003-2005; Simferopol, Ukraine)
    Maryland
    
    53.) James Tichenor
    (PC-Group 22; Zhytomyr, Ukraine)
    Washington, DC
    
    54.) Suzanne Wagner-Budak
    (PC-Group 13; 1998-2001; Ladyzhin, Ukraine)
    Illinois
    
    55.) Elizabeth L. Watson
    (PC-Group 16; 1999-2001; Pidvolochysk, Ukraine)
    California
    
    56.) P. Jay Werner
    (PC-Group 28; Uzhgorod, Ukraine)
    Colorado
    
    57.) Bob Wittig
    (PC-Group 1; 1992-1994; Dniepropetrovsk, Ukraine)
    Washington, DC
    
    58.) Judy H. Wong
    (PC-Group 24; Kherson, Ukraine)
    California
    
    59.) Karen Wyman
    (PC-Group 3; Ukraine)
    New Hampshire
    
    60.) Wini Yunker
    (PC-Group 17; 2000-2002; Kirovograd, Ukraine)
    Kentucky
    
    61.) John Zvosec
    (PC-Group 15; Ukraine)
    Minnesota