Current Chapter News
Annual Meeting
March 6-8th, 2008
Republicans Abroad celebrated its 30th Anniversary by holding its Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., from March 6th- 8th , 2008.
Invited guest speakers: Karl Rove, RNC Chairman Robert (Mike) Duncan, Senator Jim DeMint and Lorne Craner, surrogate for John McCain,)and prestigious scholars from the Heritage Foundation.
Mr. Craner, current President of IRI, (International Republican Institute), was the first to speak, on Thursday, March 6th, to the group of chairmen and representatives from about 15 countries as different and as far as Israel, Iraq, Bangladesh, on the reasons why he is personally supporting John McCain. He recounted an interesting and compelling story: the fact that his father had been imprisoned at the same time as Senator McCain in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” and had communicated only through the wall for at least two years, before meeting face to face. Mr. Craner, spoke of John Mc Cain’s integrity, leadership and maverick spirit. He stressed McCain’s commitment to maintaining tax cuts and his aversion to earmarks, “pork barrel spending and waste that leads to corruption.” He also spoke of McCain’s conservative credentials: that throughout his career in the senate he had voted as a conservative at least 80% of the time. Senator McCain has spoken in the past to Republicans Abroad UK and most recently via teleconference, with RA-Germany. At the moment of writing this report, McCain was on his way to Israel, France and England, where members of local chapters had the opportunity to meet with him.
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A visit to the offices of Senator Jim DeMint was the next stop. Chris Fussner congratulated and voiced support to the Senator for introducing a bill to eliminate the foreign earned income exclusion. (As is well known to any expatriate working and living abroad, the foremost concern is the heavy tax burden by the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, (TIPRA) signed into law in May 17, 2005. A last minute amendment, attached to the bill, curtailed, -and for some expatriates, effectively eliminated- Section 911 benefits. While the amendment retroactively increased the amount of foreign-earned income that could be excluded, from $80,000 to $82,400 and raised up to $85,000, last year- it now requires housing benefits to be included as income. In addition, the amendment now requires expatriates to consider their residual income and excluded amount, when determining their tax rate.
On April 18, 2007 Senator Jim De Mint (R-South Carolina), introduced bill S. 1140, and co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Ne), the “Working American Competitiveness Act.” It proposed to eliminate the foregoing limitations on the foreign earned income exclusion. This bill is identical to the measure proposed in the 109th Congress: S 3496 or the “Working Americans Competitiveness Act” and the bill introduced in the House by Rep. Chris Chocola (R- Indiana), HR. 5986.
Republicans Abroad supports Senator Jim De Mint’s bill. On December 17, 2007 Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), introduced HR 4752, the Working American Competiveness Act, which would eliminate the foreign earned income exclusion under section 911 of the US Tax Code and is the companion piece to S. 1140, introduced last year by Senator De Mint.
And something is finally being done…read on….
Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers (APCAC) and Several American Chambers Abroad Lead Coalition to Eliminate Unfair Taxation of U.S. Citizens Working Abroad
Who: Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
Tami Overby, APCAC Representative and President & CEO, AmCham Korea
Bill Oberlin, Chairman, AmCham Korea
Members of newly formed Alliance for a Competitive Tax Policy
What: A group comprising American Chambers of Commerce in Asia, U.S. corporations and other US based business groups has formed the Alliance for a Competitive Tax Policy (ACTP). ACTP and its members will generate support for proposed policy change to create a level, global playing field for U.S. companies and work to prevent further unfair tax burdens on Americans working overseas. Congressman Meeks (D-NY) and Sen. DeMint (R-SC) have introduced HR 4752 and S 3496 – the Working American Competitiveness Act – to eliminate unfair taxation of the foreign income of U.S. citizens.
When: Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 10:00 a.m.
Where: 188 Russell Senate Office Building
Background: The United States is the only industrialized country in the world to tax its citizens on income earned internationally. U.S. citizens working abroad are therefore taxed both by the country where they live and work, and by the United States.
For nearly three decades, U.S. tax laws provided a limited exclusion of this tax on foreign-earned income (under Section 911 of the Internal Revenue Code); however, the passage of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act (TIPRA) of 2006 narrowed the already partial exclusion. The result is a system that unfairly penalizes American working overseas and that ultimately harms America’s competitiveness in international trade by:
- Creating an economic disadvantage for U.S. corporations wishing to place key personnel/top performers abroad;
- Causing additional barriers-to-entry for smaller companies seeking benefits/advantages of globalization; and
- Making foreign workers more attractive as options at a time when the U.S. economy is suffering
 On the evening of March 6th, members of Republicans Abroad dined at the National Republican Club of Capitol Hill. The invited guest speaker was RNC Chairman, Robert (Mike) Duncan. On the right, Chairman Duncan with Bob Gebhardt, Chairman, RA-Switzerland. Mr. Duncan shared his views on the elections and what is at stake-our national security, wasteful spending, earmarks, social security, healthcare, etc.
 Some members of Republicans Abroad posed for a photo in front of the White House after meeting on Friday, March 7th, with Barry Jackson, Assistant to the President and Director for Strategic Initiatives at the Executive Offices Building.
It was a privilege for the members to hear Mr. Jackson comment on the President’s Agenda, the importance of the tax cuts for the economy,
Other issues discussed by Mr. Jackson were the President’s stand on Iraq and the WOT, and the importance of the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia, being stalled by the Democratic Congress and fellow supporters, Big Labor.
 Members of Republicans Abroad spent part of Friday afternoon at the Heritage Foundation and were briefed by the foundation’s experts on subjects as different as the present economy, the elections and FISA. Bridgett Wagner, Director of Coalition Relations hosted the conference. The first to speak was J.D Foster, Ph.D., Norman B. True Senior Fellow in the Economics of Fiscal Policy, Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies. His previous job before joining Heritage was at the White House’ s Office of Management and Budget, where he was Associate Director for Economic Policy. He spoke about the effect of the tax cuts on the economy. Some of what he spoke to Republicans Abroad can be read in his recent article for Heritage, Tax Cuts, Not the Clinton Tax Hike, Produced the 1990s Boom.
Brian Darling, Director, U.S. Senate Relations, Government Relations. Before joining Heritage in 2005, Darling served as counsel to Sen. Mel Martinez, (R-FL). He previously served as general counsel to former Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH). While with Smith, Darling was chief strategist for legislation that allowed commercial airline pilots to carry firearms in flight. In January 2000, Darling accompanied Smith on a visit to the home where Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez was staying and he also crafted legislation to grant him permanent residency. Mr Darling spoke about the election process and the particular situations of the Republican and Democratic campaigns-where they are at the moment and possible outcome scenarios.
Charles Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow, Center for Legal and Judicial Studies , touched on a very important and transcendental issue: FISA and the Protect America Act. His insight on the subject was interesting considering the fact that before joining Heritage in 2007 he served as Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Detainee Affairs where he advised the Secretary of Defense on detainee issues worldwide, including at Guantanamo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
 Karl Rove, “the Architect,” as President Bush once referred to him and now often called by that same name by fellow pundits and talk show hosts at Fox News, captivated the attention of the 55 Republicans Abroad members and friends on Friday night by delivering some witty remarks and commentaries on the physical and mental state of the Democratic Party; his new role as television pundit in the realm of Bill O’Reilly, Hannity, et.al; his experience and his personal insight on the Administration, President Bush, the Iraq War and the million issues and happenings facing conservatives, not so conservatives and the like- What a privilege and treat it was to listen to Karl Rove in person, and who is affable, extremely witty and funny!
Memorandum
from the Republicans Abroad Philippines
December 3, 2007
The Manila-based organization
of the Republicans Abroad met on Monday 3 December to elect
officers, discuss the way forward and to formalize a
program for the ensuing busy presidential election year.
Ms Carlyn Manning and Doyle Stout were elected to
co-chair the organization for CY 2008.
Indeed with the US Presidential
election occurring in November 2008, the local chapter of
the Republicans Abroad must sharpen the focus and
increase the dialogue as we increase our knowledge of the
issues, the various candidates and their platforms.
Collectively, we believe that the 2008 election will be a
difficult one and that the Republican overseas voters will
play an even more significant role in the final outcome of
the vital Presidential election.
We are changing the monthly
meeting process. In the past we had speakers at most of the
first Monday meetings of the Republicans Abroad. We
will now have a speaker once a quarter. The intent is to
have the speaker enlighten us with discussions that pertain
to the election, the issues and to the candidates. We will
use the normal first Monday meeting to discuss the major
issues, the candidates and to increase our membership and
attendance.
Our next monthly meeting will
be January 7 at 1200 hours at the Manila Room of the
Elks Club, 7th floor of the Corinthian Plaza building in
Makati. Our focus and agenda for that meeting will be to
discuss the following:
1.
“A Simplified Process
for U.S. Voters abroad-Initiatives offer hope for 2008
election” an informative article by Brian Knowlton that
was published in the 29 November issue of the International
Herald Tribune. If you need the article please respond and
give us your email address and a copy will be sent.
2.
Republican
Presidential Candidates Debate-
we will have a copy of the debates for review and
discussion.
3.
Additional agenda items
that you might want to discuss. Please give us the topic and
a brief description of the item and we will add it to the
agenda.
We also need your assistance.
The organization needs a corresponding Secretary and a small
committee of perhaps two people to do the spade work and
preparation for the monthly meetings by researching and
recommending topics for the monthly meetings. If you have an
interest in assisting the organization please call either
Carlyn (887-0050) or Doyle (0916.273.5986) so that we can
better discuss the need with you.
We would also like to take the
time to thank Mr. Tom Hoesy, the outgoing Chairman of
the Republicans Abroad who ably served the
organization for the past two years. Thanks Tom for a job
well done.
Please put the 7th
of January on your calendar and we welcome your
participation.
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Republicans
Abroad European Regional Meeting
October 11-14,
2007
Luxembourg
Republicans Abroad celebrate at La Lorraine
restaurant in the heart of Luxembourg... Corinne Sinclair,
on the left and Jeff Hook, far right, share a moment with
James O'Neal from Florida
Roger Johnson, Czech Republic, Sharon March, Luxembourg
and Mr. and Mrs. Crites, UK, pose for the cameras...
From L to R: Maria Dolores and James
Levy, Spain, Robert Horn, RA Counsel and speaker par
excellence, Cynthia Dillon, Elayne Ghiron and Global Chair
Chris Fussner are enjoying a good time!
Co-Chairman Joan Hills (Left) stands with
Switzerland's Chairman Bob Gebhardt, Helene and
Regional Chairman George Yates, Hermione Proctor, the
Netherlands, Austrian Chairman Pamela Moore, Czech
Republic's Chairman Roger Johnson and UK's Chairman,
Miki Bowman.
Roger Johnson shares a laugh with William, RA Luxembourg.
UK's Miki Bowman with great friend of
Republicans Abroad, Laertes Boechat,from Luxembourg
Members of Republicans Abroad and friends
visit the headquarters of CSV (Christian Socialist People's
Party) in Luxembourg
Members of Republicans Abroad stand with
Executive Director Pierre Gramegna (left) of the Luxembourg
Chamber of Commerce
Deputy Mayor Xavier Bettel candidly talks to
members of Republicans Abroad.
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