Action Alert

December 5, 1997

HELP CIVIL RIGHTS DIRECTOR WIN CONFIRMATION

• See Lee Confirmation Event Update

Tuesday, December 9th, is the 40th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. Events will be held around the country to highlight that date and to advocate for the confirmation of Bill Lann Lee as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. As you may be aware, the leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee refused to allow a vote on Lee, asserting that the nominee might use that position 'to oppose affirmative action rollbacks.' The same leadership acknowledged that Lee is a very qualified candidate; he is western regional counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. There is also strong bipartisan support and even if the Judiciary Committee failed to approve his nomination, a majority of the Senate would most likely vote for his confirmation.

Your help is needed to move the Lee nomination to a floor vote. Please take a few minutes to call your Senator and urge that a vote be held. The most recent NOW Legislative Update contained information about Lee's educational and professional credits and more information can be found on the website for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, www.civilrights.org

The following senators (with the Washington and State office phone numbers listed) especially need to hear from activists:

E-mail addresses can be found at http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html

Also, special 40th anniversary events will be held in various cities; contact persons for those events are as follows:

Cleveland, Phil Hayes, 202-467-2377 (% People for the American Way in D.C.)
Detroit, Kendra Huward, 888-614-1020
Los Angeles, Stuart Kwoh, 213-748-2022, ext 26 or Kathleen Yasuda, 213-387-1974
Memphis, Judy Mela, 202-467-2355 (% People for the American Way in D.C.)
New York, Margaret Fund, 212-966-5932
Salt Lake Area, Michael Kwan, with the Utah Coalition for Justice at 801-535-7762
San Francisco, Beverly Umehara, 415-986-3585