Senator Ron Wyden asks for review of Uganda's trade status if the gay genocide bill passes

[ccharles000]

Concerned by what he calls the "barbarity" of Uganda's proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill ("kill the gays bill"), U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a strong letter on Tuesday to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk. Wyden is Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee's subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness.

Wyden says that passage of the bill would violate the terms of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through which Uganda is permitted by the Unites States to export its goods duty-free to the United States. AGOA requires that beneficiaries not engage in "gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." Uganda has enjoyed the AGOA plumb since 2000. Wyden said in the letter to Clinton and Kirk:

I strongly urge you to communicate immediately to the Ugandan government, and President Yoweri Museveni directly, that Uganda's beneficiary status under AGOA will be revoked should the proposed legislation be enacted. ...Before us is a concrete opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to ending violence and discrimination against LGBT persons worldwide.

The senator's letter also states that Uganda benefits from a trade relationship with the European Union similar to AGOA. So far only Sweden has explicitly stated that continuation of aid will be tied to adherence to basic human rights, but one wonders what productive conversations Sen. Wyden has perhaps had with his EU counterparts to mention this.

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14807/senator-ron-wyden-asks-for-review-of-ugandas-trade-status-if-the-gay-genocide-bill-passes

[ashling]

1. I thought I read the other day that the bill

had been withdrawn ... is this so?

[closeupready]

3. The kill provision was, as I understand, but not a life imprisonment provision.

One way or another, that bill needs to be withdrawn entirely.

[ccharles000]

5. ..

I believe it was talked about but never happened.

[closeupready]

2. Totally support that.

Kudos to Wyden.

[Mari333]

4. you can thank Rick Warren and a host of other idiots for this debacle

that same Rick Warren that Obama so kindly asked to say a prayer.