RAVE Act Emergency Action

[cookiegirl]

sorry for the messy cut and paste job guys.


*** EMERGENCY - JOE BIDEN TRYING TO SNEAK RAVE ACT INTO S151
Conference
*** CALL YOUR SENATOR NOW

Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) is at this very moment attempting to sneak
the RAVE Act into conference committee on the National AMBER Alert
Network Act of 2003 (S151). S151 is a popular bill about child
abduction and has nothing to do with drug issues. S151 has already
been passed by the Senate and House and is now in Conference. In
contrast, the RAVE Act has not passed even one single committee this
year. It did pass a committee last year, but was so controversial
two Senators withdrew their sponsorship after the vote.

This means that if the RAVE Act passes the conference committee, it
is likely to become law without ever having a hearing, a debate or a
vote. Drug Policy Alliance has been told that Senator Biden has told
other conference committee members, incorrectly, that the ACLU is no
longer in opposition to the action. He also has told conferees that
nightclub owners now support him (on the basis of one group that
switched sides). If the act makes it into the conference language it
is likely to become law. It must be stopped now.

PHONE YOUR SENATORS and Conference Committee Members (Background
information below). DO IT NOW. If you do not respond to this alert,
the controversial RAVE Act is likely to become law and it will be
much harder to fix.

ACTIONS TO TAKE:

1. The following Members of Congress are on the conference
committee. They need to hear from you IF AND ONLY IF you live in
their district. Please be polite. Just tell them that you oppose
the RAVE Act, that it is controversial and it should not be included
in the conference language of S151. Don't stay on the phone long.
Ask as many people as you can to call them.

HOUSE:
James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) - 202/225-5101
Howard Coble (R-NC) - 202/225-3065
Lamar Smith (R-TX) - 202/225-4236
Mark Green (R-WI)- 202/225-5665
Melissa Hart (R-PA)- 202/225-2565
John Conyers (D-MI) - 202/225-5126
Bobby Scott (D-VA) - - 202/225-8351

SENATE:
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) - 202/224-5251
Charles Grassley (R-IA) - 202/224-3744
Jeff Sessions (R-AL) - 202/224-4124
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) - 202/224-5972
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) - 202/224-4242
Ted Kennedy (D-MA) - 202/224-4543
Joseph Biden (D-DE) - 202/224-5042

2. Everyone in the U.S. - You have two Senators who can weigh in on
this issue with the conferees. A list of your Senators by state can
be found at
http://www.senate.gov/general/contac...ators_cfm.cfm.
Please call your Senators at the Capitol Switchboard at 202/224-3121 -
please tell them that the RAVE Act is very controversial. Senator
Biden is holding up the AMBER Act by placing controversial bill in
conference. Urge them to oppose the RAVE Act by contacting the
Senate conferees and asking them to leave it off the measure so that
there will at least be a hearing on this issue.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Congress is considering two pieces of legislation that could create
disincentives for club owners to have water, ambulances and
paramedics available at large dance events. The bills might also
threaten live music and dancing. If enacted, either bill could
prevent you from hearing your favorite band or DJ live. Every musical
style would be affected, including rock and roll, Hip Hop, country,
and electronic music. The proposed laws could also shut down hemp
festivals, circuit parties, and other events government officials
don't like. Both bills would allow overzealous prosecutors to send
innocent people to jail for the crimes of others.

The two bills are the RAVE Act (H.R. 718) and the CLEAN-UP Act (H.R.
834). The RAVE Act was first introduced last year in the Senate by
Senator Joe Biden (D-DE). A House version was introduced by Rep.
Lamar Smith (R-TX). Thanks to the support of thousands of voters like
you, Drug Policy Alliance and a coalition of friends and activists
around the country was able to stop both bills last year.
Unfortunately, supporters of the RAVE Act are even more determined to
pass it this year. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) is sponsoring a new RAVE
Act in the House. Additionally, Senator Biden has introduced a Senate
version entitled the Illicit Drugs Anti-Proliferation Act.

If enacted, the RAVE Act would make it easier for the federal
government to punish property owners for any drug offense that their
customers commit - even if they work hard to stop such offenses. If
enacted, nightclub and stadium owners would likely stop holding
events - such as rock or Hip Hop concerts - in which even one person
might use drugs.

The CLEAN-UP Act was also first introduced last year, but it failed
to make it out of committee. This year's bill has over 60 co-sponsors
and could become law without your help. Sponsored by Rep. Doug Ose (R-
CA), the Clean, Learn, Educate, Abolish, and Undermine Production
(CLEAN-UP) of Methamphetamines Act is largely an innocuous bill that
provides more money and training for the clean up of illegal
methamphetamine lab. Hidden within the bill, however, is a draconian
section that could make dancing and live music federal crimes.

Section 305 of the CLEAN-UP Act stipulates that:

`Whoever, for a commercial purpose, knowingly promotes any rave,
dance, music, or other entertainment event, that takes place under
circumstances where the promoter knows or reasonably ought to know
that a controlled substance will be used or distributed in violation
of Federal law or the law of the place where the event is held, shall
be fined under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not
more than 9 years, or both.'

This provision will allow any concert promoter, event organizer,
nightclub owner and arena or stadium owner to be fined and jailed,
since a reasonable person would know some people use drugs at musical
events.

Under both the RAVE Act and the CLEAN-UP Act, it doesn't matter if
the event promoter and property owner try to prevent people from
using drugs. Nor does it matter if the vast majority of people
attending the event are law-abiding citizens that want to listen to
music not do drugs. If enacted, either bill could be used to shut
down raves, circuit parties, marijuana rallies, unpopular music
concerts, and any other event federal officials don't like.

[cookiegirl]

This conference is happening today @ 2 pm, if anyone cares.

[revaluation]

I do...I wanna know what's going on. Can we attend? Is it on CSPAN?

[cookiegirl]

It's not on CSpan, and I don't think the public can attend (unless you're with a staffer maybe? ) . . . our staff is involved in this conference so I will try to let you know what happens as soon as I know.

No idea how long it will go on. . .

PS - according to the DJ name machine - Joe Biden's DJ name is "DJ Project Ho". brilliant.

[djbuster]

this is more bullshit. senator biden is attaching this bill to a completely unrelated bill that has to do with child kidnapping. by doing this - the bill will never get voted on on the senate floor. it will just become law all of a sudden.

it is really important that people contact their senators and pass this word along to others...this bill could really fuck up our already fucked up scene.

a call takes two minutes...is it worth it? i think so.

[cookiegirl]

conference is over. . . trying to find out what happened . . .

[cookiegirl]

OK - the first reports are saying that RAVE did make it into the conference report but some people are not happy about it, and may raise objections. I guess it was to pacify Biden b/c he was being a dick about something else (surprise).

It's a waiting game at this point. . I'll keep ya posted. *sigh*

[cookiegirl]

Here is the summary of the text as it appears in the conference report. More info can be found at house.gov/judiciary/

Sec. 608. Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act

Section 608 of the conference report is a new section that is related to the purpose of this Act. This section, known as the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act, helps to protect children by amending the Controlled Substances Act to expand the "crack house" statute. (17) This expansion makes it clear that anyone who knowingly and intentionally uses their property, or allows another person to use their property, for the purpose of distributing or manufacturing or using illegal drugs will be held accountable. This section raise the penalties for people who traffic in a substance often marketed to children at clubs; and authorizing funds for drug prevention activities. It also creates a civil penalty for violating 21 U.S.C. § 856.

In addition, the language directs the Sentencing Commission to consider increasing the sentencing guidelines for offenses involving gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a Schedule I substance often used to facilitate sexual assault. Under current law, an offender would have to have 13 gallons (equivalent to 100,000 doses) of GHB to qualify for a five year penalty. Because large-scale GHB dealers generally distribute gallon quantities of the drug, they generally are not prosecuted at the federal level because the penalties are too low. In order to prevent the abuse of club drugs and other illicit substances, the bill also authorizes $5.9 million for the Drug Enforcement Administration to hire a Demand Reduction Coordinator in each state and authorizes such sums as may be necessary for the Drug Enforcement Administration to educate youth, parents and other interested adults about the dangers associated with club drugs.

[nourishment]

"often marketed to CHILDREN at clubs"??!! There shouldn't be any children in clubs anyhow. Hell, you have to be 18 just to get in.

I called both senators and my congressman. Fat lot of good that did.

[revaluation]

Here's the article I wrote for DCNC about the RAVE Act....

enjoy!

[cookiegirl]

That is a kick ass article reval, but I have to say the formatting on that site blows chunks. Makes my eyes go

Someone should tell their resident computer monkey to fix the margins.

[vicman]

Originally posted by cookiegirl
That is a kick ass article reval, but I have to say the formatting on that site blows chunks. Makes my eyes go

Someone should tell their resident computer monkey to fix the margins.

roflmao

sooo...what happened?

[revaluation]

Originally posted by vicman
roflmao

sooo...what happened?

Ravers Organized Against the Rave act (ROAR) posted that it passed and is now law, but I dunno. As far as I know, the AMBER bill was just in conference. Could it have gone to the Senate, House and Pres so fast?

[cookiegirl]

Originally posted by revaluation
Ravers Organized Against the Rave act (ROAR) posted that it passed and is now law, but I dunno. As far as I know, the AMBER bill was just in conference. Could it have gone to the Senate, House and Pres so fast?

ROAR is mistaken. It was inserted into the conference report, but that still has to pass the house and senate *and* be signed by the President before it becomes law. I agree that it is uncomfortably close to becoming law, but I'm irritated that ROAR didn't investigate the legislative process before spreading that rumour all over the 'net.

[cookiegirl]

The House is considering the conference report right now.

You can watch on c-span.

edit: the report just passed the house