Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE45958
2009-05-06 14:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
Foreign Assistance Withholding to Countries with
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 045958
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT
SUBJECT: Foreign Assistance Withholding to Countries with
Unpaid Parking Violations
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 045958
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT
SUBJECT: Foreign Assistance Withholding to Countries with
Unpaid Parking Violations
1. Summary: This cable is being sent as a notice to alert
U.S. posts that Congress has once again enacted legislation
linking payment of outstanding parking fines incurred during
the period from April 1, 1997 through September 30, 2008 to
foreign aid. Accordingly, the Department must withhold 110
percent of the amount of unpaid parking fines and penalties
from FY 2009 foreign assistance to the central government of
any country owing parking fines to the District of Columbia
and New York City. If post is approached on this issue, host
country should be advised to promptly raise concerns with the
Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) through their embassy in
Washington. End summary.
2. This is to advise post that the United States Congress has
enacted fiscal year 2009 legislation that might affect foreign
assistance that some countries are scheduled to receive. As
part of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs Appropriations Act, Congress has required the
United States to withhold from foreign assistance funds for
the central government of a country, an amount equivalent to
110 percent of the total amount determined to be owed (a
country's total unpaid, fully adjudicated parking fines and
penalties) under the parking programs in Washington, D.C. and
New York City. Withholding is to be based upon fines and
penalties incurred during the period April 1, 1997 through
September 30, 2008, and 110 percent of the amount owed must be
withheld from obligation for the central government until the
Secretary of State certifies to the committees of
appropriations that all fines and penalties owed have been
fully paid. The amount withheld is reduced based upon amounts
withheld in prior fiscal years, so it is possible a country
could have outstanding fines but not have funds withheld in
this fiscal year. Nonetheless, we urge all countries to pay
their outstanding fines as this issue is a major irritant with
the local jurisdictions and a matter of concern to members of
Congress.
3. Each year the Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) sends a
circular diplomatic note to all embassies in Washington
reminding them of this legislation and encouraging them to
resolve the outstanding parking violations. OFM encloses a
separate notification for each country of the total amount of
unpaid or unresolved parking tickets for those countries
affected. Below is the content of the diplomatic note.
Begin text:
The Secretary of State presents her compliments to Their
Excellencies and Messieurs and Mesdames the Chiefs of Mission
and wishes to advise of Fiscal Year 2009 legislation that
might affect foreign aid to countries. The 2009 Department of
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations
Act, (Div. H, P.L. 111-8) requires the United States to
withhold foreign assistance funds equal to 110 percent of the
amount of unpaid fully adjudicated parking fines and penalties
owed in Washington, D.C. and New York City. Such assistance
must be withheld until the Secretary of State certifies to the
United States Congress that amounts owed are fully paid to the
governments of Washington, D.C. and New York City.
The amount to be withheld is calculated from the amount owed
on parking violations, by vehicles registered to the
Department of State, that were incurred during the period
April 1, 1997 through September 30, 2008. The amount of
assistance withheld under this year's act will not include
parking fines and penalties for which assistance was
previously withheld under prior legislation for the same
period.
For each country affected, enclosed is a notification of the
total amount of unpaid or unresolved parking tickets. The
amounts owed to Washington, D.C. and New York City are
separated. The amounts attributable to offices in New York
City are not broken down between the United Nations Permanent
Mission ("PM") and Consulate ("C").
Assistance withheld will be held in reserve. If the amounts
owed are fully paid to the governments of Washington, D.C. and
New York City before August 31, 2009, the withheld funds could
be provided before the end of this fiscal year, after the
Secretary of State certifies this information to Congress.
The Department encourages all affected missions and mission
members to contact the appropriate city officials to confirm
the accuracy of the parking violation data and then take the
necessary steps to resolve all outstanding valid parking
tickets either by paying amounts owed or successfully
adjudicating violations. Please note that the Secretary can
only certify information to Congress based on written
confirmation from the jurisdiction that the amount in question
has been fully satisfied. Missions should obtain such
confirmation from both jurisdictions for submission to the
Department. Questions regarding this parking ticket/foreign
assistance withholding policy should be directed to Jackie
Robinson of the Office of Foreign Missions at (202) 647-3416.
End text.
4. If posts are approached on this issue, host countries
should be advised to promptly raise concerns with the Office
of Foreign Missions (OFM) through their embassy in Washington.
5. Posts should also remind U.S. personnel (consular and
diplomats) that the USG expects U.S. officials at all levels
to pay tickets for motor vehicle violations.
CLINTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT
SUBJECT: Foreign Assistance Withholding to Countries with
Unpaid Parking Violations
1. Summary: This cable is being sent as a notice to alert
U.S. posts that Congress has once again enacted legislation
linking payment of outstanding parking fines incurred during
the period from April 1, 1997 through September 30, 2008 to
foreign aid. Accordingly, the Department must withhold 110
percent of the amount of unpaid parking fines and penalties
from FY 2009 foreign assistance to the central government of
any country owing parking fines to the District of Columbia
and New York City. If post is approached on this issue, host
country should be advised to promptly raise concerns with the
Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) through their embassy in
Washington. End summary.
2. This is to advise post that the United States Congress has
enacted fiscal year 2009 legislation that might affect foreign
assistance that some countries are scheduled to receive. As
part of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs Appropriations Act, Congress has required the
United States to withhold from foreign assistance funds for
the central government of a country, an amount equivalent to
110 percent of the total amount determined to be owed (a
country's total unpaid, fully adjudicated parking fines and
penalties) under the parking programs in Washington, D.C. and
New York City. Withholding is to be based upon fines and
penalties incurred during the period April 1, 1997 through
September 30, 2008, and 110 percent of the amount owed must be
withheld from obligation for the central government until the
Secretary of State certifies to the committees of
appropriations that all fines and penalties owed have been
fully paid. The amount withheld is reduced based upon amounts
withheld in prior fiscal years, so it is possible a country
could have outstanding fines but not have funds withheld in
this fiscal year. Nonetheless, we urge all countries to pay
their outstanding fines as this issue is a major irritant with
the local jurisdictions and a matter of concern to members of
Congress.
3. Each year the Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) sends a
circular diplomatic note to all embassies in Washington
reminding them of this legislation and encouraging them to
resolve the outstanding parking violations. OFM encloses a
separate notification for each country of the total amount of
unpaid or unresolved parking tickets for those countries
affected. Below is the content of the diplomatic note.
Begin text:
The Secretary of State presents her compliments to Their
Excellencies and Messieurs and Mesdames the Chiefs of Mission
and wishes to advise of Fiscal Year 2009 legislation that
might affect foreign aid to countries. The 2009 Department of
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations
Act, (Div. H, P.L. 111-8) requires the United States to
withhold foreign assistance funds equal to 110 percent of the
amount of unpaid fully adjudicated parking fines and penalties
owed in Washington, D.C. and New York City. Such assistance
must be withheld until the Secretary of State certifies to the
United States Congress that amounts owed are fully paid to the
governments of Washington, D.C. and New York City.
The amount to be withheld is calculated from the amount owed
on parking violations, by vehicles registered to the
Department of State, that were incurred during the period
April 1, 1997 through September 30, 2008. The amount of
assistance withheld under this year's act will not include
parking fines and penalties for which assistance was
previously withheld under prior legislation for the same
period.
For each country affected, enclosed is a notification of the
total amount of unpaid or unresolved parking tickets. The
amounts owed to Washington, D.C. and New York City are
separated. The amounts attributable to offices in New York
City are not broken down between the United Nations Permanent
Mission ("PM") and Consulate ("C").
Assistance withheld will be held in reserve. If the amounts
owed are fully paid to the governments of Washington, D.C. and
New York City before August 31, 2009, the withheld funds could
be provided before the end of this fiscal year, after the
Secretary of State certifies this information to Congress.
The Department encourages all affected missions and mission
members to contact the appropriate city officials to confirm
the accuracy of the parking violation data and then take the
necessary steps to resolve all outstanding valid parking
tickets either by paying amounts owed or successfully
adjudicating violations. Please note that the Secretary can
only certify information to Congress based on written
confirmation from the jurisdiction that the amount in question
has been fully satisfied. Missions should obtain such
confirmation from both jurisdictions for submission to the
Department. Questions regarding this parking ticket/foreign
assistance withholding policy should be directed to Jackie
Robinson of the Office of Foreign Missions at (202) 647-3416.
End text.
4. If posts are approached on this issue, host countries
should be advised to promptly raise concerns with the Office
of Foreign Missions (OFM) through their embassy in Washington.
5. Posts should also remind U.S. personnel (consular and
diplomats) that the USG expects U.S. officials at all levels
to pay tickets for motor vehicle violations.
CLINTON