Dear Mr. Frucht: Thank you for letting me know of your support for efforts to close the School of the Americas (SOA) in Fort Benning, Georgia. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue. As you may know, I have been a strong opponent of funding for the School of the Americas and have voted repeatedly to close it. This year, I am an original co-sponsor of H.R. 732, sponsored by Representative Joseph Moakley, which would close the School. In addition, I supported an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2000 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act that cut off funding for the School. I am pleased to report that this amendment was approved by a vote of 230 to 197. Although this provision was not included in the final version of the bill, it represents an important step forward in opposition to the SOA. Passage of this amendment sends a strong signal to the Defense Department that the School's days are numbered. It reflects the strong grassroots efforts by church groups, human rights organizations and other advocates who have been speaking out against the egregious activities associated with the School. Cutting off funds to the School of the Americas is an important step forward in forging a new relationship with Latin America militaries based first and foremost on adherence to civilian authority and respect for human rights. Thank you for sharing your views with me. Whenever you seek additional information on this or any other issue, please do not hesitate to contact me. I also encourage you to visit my homepage on the Internet at http://www.house.gov/gejdenson or contact me via e-mail at bozrah@mail.house.gov. Sincerely, Sam Gejdenson