(Tuesday, September 12) -- Several Congressmen will begin meeting tomorrow in a House-Senate conference committee to decide the final budget figures for the BATF (H.R. 2020). Earlier this summer, the House gave the BATF a $6 million increase, but the Senate later voted to cut their pay by $7 million. We need to contact the conference committee members and encourage them to go with the Senate figures cutting the BATF budget.

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       Conference Committee Members for the 
     Treasury Appropriations (including BATF)

 Senators         Phone            Fax           

Shelby (AL) *   224-5744        224-3416 
Mikulski (MD)   224-4654        224-8858 
Kerrey (NE)     224-6551        224-7645 
Gregg (NH)      224-3324        224-4952 
Hatfield (OR)   224-3753        224-0276 
Jeffords (VT)   224-5141        228-0338 
Byrd (WV)       224-3954        228-0002

Representatives   Phone            Fax      BATF pay decrease **

Lightfoot (IA)* 225-3806        225-6973        Against 
Kingston (GA)   225-5831        226-2269        Against 
Visclosky (IN)  225-2461        225-2493        Against 
Livingston (LA) 225-3015        225-0739        Against 
Hoyer (MD)      225-4131        225-4300        Against 
Forbes (NY)     225-3826        225-4313        Against 
Istook (OK)     225-2132        226-1463        Against 
Coleman (TX)    225-4831        225-4825        Against
Wolf (VA)       225-5136        225-0437        Against 
Obey (WI)       225-3365        225-3240        Against

*  Chairman of the respective Treasury Appropriations
subcommittees in each house.  The Treasury Appropriations 
subcommittees handle the BATF budget.

** Vote on BATF pay decrease.  On July 19, 1995, the House of
Representatives defeated an amendment to H.R. 2020 that would 
have limited funding for the BATF.  Rep. Helen Chenoweth (R-ID),
author of the amendment, said her provision would prevent "any 
member of ATF rom receiving any bonuses or salary rewards this 
year until the Waco and the Ruby Ridge and other investigations 
have been concluded."  Members who voted "Against" the Chenoweth
amendment effectively opposed efforts to limit BATF funds for
1996. 

   Note: All numbers (for phone and fax) begin with "202."  Fax
numbers are the most current that GOA has.  If a number has been
changed, call and ask their office for the new number.  GOA
would  be appreciative if you faxed us the new
number.
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HERE'S WHAT TO DO:

Call Senator Richard Shelby, and the Representative or Senator in your state. Urge them to go with the Senate figures for the BATF appropriations. You could mention that even the Senate cut is not enough; that the BATF should be put on the chopping block. Nevertheless, we do not need to give them a pay increase (which the House version does).

In addition to calling the legislators near you, it is important to call Sen. Shelby for two reasons. First, he is co-chairman of this conference committee. Second, he has been an outspoken critic of the BATF, and thus, he is in a good position to insist that the conference committee adopt the Senate figures.