29 Mar Center Delivers over 300,000 Petitions to Congress

Introduces “Sovereignty Vote Index” at Conference Washington, DC – The American Policy Center presented more than 300,000 petitions to Congress in support of the American Sovereignty Restoration Act (H.R. 1146) at a Capitol Hill press conference today. The petitions call for U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations.

The American Policy Center’s President, Tom DeWeese also unveiled the “National Sovereignty Vote Index” which rates Congressmen according to their votes for bills involving national sovereignty.

“We are putting a bright spotlight on those in Congress who don’t support national sovereignty. And we’ve brought more than 300,000 signed petitions to show Congress that the American people want their sovereignty protected,” said DeWeese.

The Vote Index rates members of the House of Representatives according to their votes on five key pieces of legislation. A review of the voting records reveals that almost half of 435 representatives failed to support legislation to protect America’s national sovereignty.

The conference and the delivery of petitions coincide with the U.N.’s Millennium Summit in New York this week. Some U.N. critics are concerned with the direction the Summit has taken.

According to DeWeese, the U.N. is considering the creation of a “Rapid Reaction Force”, a standing U.N. military force with authority to intervene in the internal affairs of any nation.

Another topic of debate at the U.N.’s Millennium Summit is the creation of the International Criminal Court. Concerned observers note that the proposed court will have authority to try American citizens before foreign judges without Constitutional Page Two guarantees of due process of law.

One proposal of great concern before the Millennium Assembly is the elimination of the United States’ veto power and permanent membership on the U.N.’s Security Council.

“Even if you don’t think these other proposals are risky, this proposal should frighten you,” DeWeese said.

“Official reports, including Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s own report to the Millennium Summit call for eliminating permanent membership and veto power on the Security Council. This poses a serious threat to U.S. security,” DeWeese said.

“Obviously its focus is changing from its original purpose to be a place where nations can come together to discuss their differences. Instead the U.N. is seeking global armies, global taxes and global courts. These are the reasons we see it as a threat to U.S. national sovereignty.” DeWeese said. “Clearly the United Nations is on a different track.”

“It is for these reasons we believe it is time for the U.S. to get out of the U.N.”

DeWeese concluded, “The United Nations today is not your father’s U.N.”