In May, HR 1707, the Latin America Military Training Review Act, which calls for the closure and invesigation of the SOA, goes before Congress for a vote. The legislation has bipartisan support, but only half of New York’s Congresspeople are among the bill’s 122 cosponsors (see below).

Reps. Eliot Engel, Carolyn McCarthy, Gregory Meeks, and Edolphus Towns-–all Democratic Congresspeople from Long Island and NYC-–have not signed up to cosponsor this bill but voted for a similar bill last year. Charles Rangel did not vote.

Visit SOAW’s Legislative Action Index page for ideas on how to get this bill moving, and check out New York legislators’ previous votes on this issue. Last year, 22 of New York State’s 29 representatives in Congress voted for a similar bill to shut down the SOA. The bill lost by just 11 votes (214 to 203).

Many thanks to the following representatives for cosponsoring HR 1707:

• Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [D-5]
• Rep Bishop, Timothy [D-1]
• Rep Clark, Yvette [D-11]
• Rep Crowley, Joseph [D-7]
• Rep Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-20]
• Rep Higgins, Brian [D-27]
• Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [D-22]
• Rep Israel, Steve [D-2]
• Rep Lowey, Nita [D-18]
• Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-14]
• Rep McNulty, Michael R. [D-21]
• Rep Nadler, Jerrold [D-8]
• Rep Serrano, Jose E. [D-16]
• Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-28]
• Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-12]
• Rep Walsh, James T. [R-25]
• Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [D-9]