On Capitol Hill

In the Senate
The US Senate will join the ranks of the World Bank, the European Parliament and the British House of Commons by serving Fair Trade Certified coffee in its cafeterias. In a signing ceremony of an alliance between the US Agency for International Development and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced that "the Senate restaurants will soon be offering the option of Fair Trade Certified coffee to senators, their staffs and the public. Serving Fair Trade Certified coffee in our own cafeterias and coffee shops is one step toward fair prices for coffee farmers."

In the House
In the US House of Representatives, 60 members sent a letter to the House Dining and Guest Services in August 2001 requesting that Fair Trade Certified coffee be served in the House cafeterias. As a result, Fair Trade Certified coffee is available in two cafes in the House. Your support is still needed to ensure that the cafeteria also makes the switch.

Hearings and Resolutions
In July 2002, the House International Relations Subcommittee held hearings on the crisis. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) introduced a House resolution expressing the sense of Congress that all branches of the Federal government should limit purchases of coffee to that which is Fair Trade Certified. In November 2002, the House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 604 that directs Congress to "adopt a global strategy to respond to the current coffee crisis" and urges "private sector coffee buyers and roasters to work with the US government to find a solution to the crisis which is economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable..." A similar resolution (S. Res. 368) passed in the Senate.

Pete Stark (D-CA) will re-introduce a Fair Trade Resolution in 2003. This calls for government purchasing of Fair Trade Certified coffee to encourage continued congressional attention to this devastating crisis, and the need for Fair Trade. We invite all Fair Trade supporters to send a letter to your congressional representative encouraging support for Pete Stark's Fair Trade Coffee resolution.