2009

On Friday, November 6th, the U.S. government finally released its estimate of how much coca was cultivated in Colombia in 2008. The result is the first reduction in coca-growing since 2002-2003, a significant drop from 167,000 hectares measured in 2007 to 119,000 hectares in 2008. (A hectare is equal to 2.47 acres.) This brings the U.S. government’s coca cultivation estimate to its lowest level since 2004. (The U.S. government has not yet released 2008 coca data for Peru and Bolivia.) This matches a downward 2007-2008 trend – though not the number of hectares – that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime announced (PDF) back in June.

A reduction in coca cultivation is good news. But what caused it?

We're hitting the ground running with Human Rights NOW and we need you to join us in a taking an urgent action today.

Our mission? Convince as many congressional representatives as possible before December 7th to sign on to a letter calling for real change in U.S. policy towards Colombia, so that it can be sent out ASAP to Secretary of State Clinton.

Click here to find out how!

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin recently traveled to Cuba in order todiscuss hurricane preparedness with the country’s leading experts. Inthe aftermath of the Mayor’s trip, the need to reinstate a workingrelationship between the United States and Cuba could not be moreapparent.  Considering Cuba’s remarkable hurricane response system andproximity to New Orleans, it is logical to collaborate (or at leasecommunicate) about natural disasters. But the trade embargo and travelrestrictions against Cuba make co-operation rather difficult.

Current List of Co-Signers on this Letter (51)

• Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) - Original co-signer
• Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) - Original co-signer
• Representative Donald Payne (D-NJ) - Original co-signer
• Representative Mike Honda (D-CA) - Original co-signer
• Representative Hank Johnson, Jr. (D-GA)
• Representative Chaka Fattah (D-PA)
• Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI)
• Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
• Representative Bob Filner (D-CA)
• Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL)
• Representative George Miller (D-CA)
• Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
• Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)
• Representative José Serrano (D-NY)
• Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
  
• Representative John Lewis (D-GA)
• Representative Dennis Moore (D-KS)
• Representative Jim Oberstar (D-MN)
  
• Representative Danny Davis (D-IL)
• Representative John Olver (D-MA)
  
• Representative Michael Capuano (D-MA)
• Representative Lacy Clay (D-MO)
• Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
• Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
• Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN)
• Representative Donna Edwards (D-MA)
• Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA)
• Representative Peter Welch (D-VT)
• Representative John Tierney (D-MA)
• Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
• Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI)
• Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA)
• Representative John Conyers Jr. (D-MI)
  
• Representative Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
• Representative Bruce Braley (D-IA)
  
• Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
• Representative Phil Hare (D-IL)
• Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ)
  
• Representative Linda Sánchez (D-CA)
• Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL)
• Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN)
  
• Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
• Representative Mike Michaud (D-ME)
• Representative Ed Markey (D-MA)
• Representative Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
  
• Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
  
• Representative Betty Sutton (D-OH)
  
• Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO)
  
• Representative Barney Frank (D-MA)
• Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
• Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)