wfn.org | Assembly adjourns in mid-issue

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

04-July-1996 
 
GA96103 
 
Assembly adjourns in mid-issue 
 
ALBUQUERQUE--The final committee report of the day Thursday ended in some 
confusion as the Assembly ran out of time and voted to recess until 7 a.m. 
Friday, when moderator John Buchanan told the Assembly it would resume 
where it had stopped. 
 
    That stopping point was action on a report from the National and Urban 
Issues committee in regard to the UN Fourth World Conference on Women held 
in Beijing, China, in September 1995. The committee recommendation was to 
adopt the recommendations from the Advocacy Committee for Women's Concerns 
with amendments. 
 
    However, the issue prompted one of two minority reports that will be 
brought to the Assembly during this committee's report, and the Assembly 
voted 312-208 to make the minority report the main motion. 
 
    The minority report asked the Assembly to encourage the Advisory 
Committee on Social Witness Policy to study the "Beijing Declaration" and 
the "Platform for Action" in order to make recommendations to the 1997 
General Assembly about appropriate ways to implement justice issues. 
 
    Elder commissioner the Rev. Jeffrey Bell spoke for the minority report, 
saying the 186-page document in question was never seen or read by the 
committee. 
 
    "We don't reject the rights of women. Rather, we would place into study 
a document we don't understand," he said. "I urge you to look before you 
leap." 
 
    However, after voting in favor of the minority report, several 
commissioners noted that portions of the recommendations dealt with issues 
other than the Beijing conference. The question was asked about the fate of 
those issues, contained in the majority report and thus negated. It was at 
this point of concern and confusion that the Assembly halted work on this 
issue for the day. 
 
    Action was completed on other portions of the committee's report. The 
assembly adopted recommendations that call for meaningful dialogue on 
racial justice and cultural diversity, including preparation of resources 
and training events to foster such dialogue. 
 
    The Assembly also adopted overture 96-115 as amended, which charges the 
church to become fully aware of the sovereignty issues confronting Alaskan 
Natives and Native Americans, and to communicate to the President and 
Congress the church's concern about legislation that is damaging to the 
sovereign rights of all Native American people. The overture calls for 
Native Americans to be full partners in formulating legislation impacting 
them. The overture also urges the PC(USA)'s Washington office to advocate 
public policies that respect sovereign rights of Native Americans. 
 
    The financial implication of this overture was reported at $522 and 
will come from the per capita apportionment. 
 
Nancy D. Borst 

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