TO: Ambassador Bouhlal
FR: Ed Gabriel, MAC team
RE: Phone Call with Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) regarding the House Foreign Operations Bill
The number for the office of Chairman Rogers is 202-225-4601.
Most of the time, the Congressman will not be available and will call back later in the day.
Background
Rep. Hal Rogers is a Republican from Kentucky. Rep. Rogers is Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the most powerful person on the Committee. He has a reputation as a skillful insider with significant influence over a wide range of areas.
He was born in rural Kentucky and has represented the 5th district for 13 terms, making him the longest serving Kentucky republican ever elected to federal office.
Rep. Rogers has been a consistent supporter of Morocco. He visited Morocco when Ed Gabriel was serving as US Ambassador in Rabat. He has sent a staffer on the Congressional Staff Delegation to Morocco. In 2004 he voted in favor of the Free Trade Agreement. In 2007 and 2009 he signed both House letters supporting the Moroccan Autonomy plan.
As a strong supporter of Morocco and resolving the dispute over the Western Sahara based on Autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, Rep. Rogers should be supportive of the report language.
Rep. Rogers has a very busy week as they are marking up 4 of the biggest Appropriations bills (Homeland, Defense, and Military Construction, in addition to our bill) and will likely not want to talk for a long time. Rep. Rogers will want to hear that this language has the support of key Republicans on the subcommittee like Kay Granger and Mario Diaz-Balart.
Goal
To Thank Chairman Rogers for his support over the years and thank him for the positive report language that was included by the Subcommittee.
Talking Points
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Thank Chairman Rogers for his support over the years.
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Thank him for the positive language that was included by the Subcommittee under the leadership of Republican Chairwoman Granger and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart on the issue of resolving the Western Sahara based. MAKE SURE to use the correct member reference above for each call you make. One of the talking points references the Republican member who helped us, the other references the Democratic member who helped us.
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Morocco very much appreciates this attention from the Congress and we believe your actions will prove very helpful to security and stability in the region.
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If he asks for more information you can explain how the positive report language notes how the deteriorating security situation makes it imperative to resolve the dispute over the Western Sahara based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.
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Resolving the dispute based on Autonomy/Sovereignty is the long time position of Chairman Rogers, the Congress (House and Senate Majorities) and both President Bush and President Obama. AND MOROCCO SUPPORTS THIS US POSITION.
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The language also emphasizes the need to resolve protracted refugee issue posed by the refugee camps that have been run by the Polisario for over 35 years by conducting a census of who is living there and working on programs that emphasize resettlement outside of the camps.
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Thank him again for all of his support and for this important language.