Panel rejects overture seeking accounting safeguards on investment/divestment issues By Craig M. Kibler The Layman Online Saturday, June 17, 2006 217th General Assembly Birmingham, Ala. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Committee on General Assembly Procedures voted Friday afternoon to recommend that the 217th General Assembly reject an overture that seeks to impose accounting safeguards on any General Assembly action regarding investment and divestment. The overture (108) was proposed by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities in the wake of an action by the 216th General Assembly that initiated the divestment process of denomination holdings against companies doing business with Israel. That action sparked a wave of outrage across the country during the past two years, and prompted several overtures at this General Assembly. Rev. Margaret Thomas of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities, speaking for the overture, said that her presbytery was "concerned about the actions of the 216th General Assembly regarding investment and divestment. How could this happen, when we were there and didn't realize what was going on? The issue of divestment was not even a highlight, then look at what happened. " She said that issues having economic implications, for example, are subject to review. "Issues that affect the investment policies of the church should have a review, too, looking at the budget function, before precipitous action is taken." With minimal discussion, the committee voted 28-15-2 to recommend that the full General Assembly disapprove the overture. In a flurry of other action, the committee voted: To recommend approval of an authoritative interpretation and standing rule amendment regarding administrative review on the General Assembly level (vote of 44-0-1). To recommend approval to amend the standing rules regarding the election of the stated clerk. This included an adjustment in schedules because of the change to biennial assemblies; and a splitting up the duties between a nominating committee and an evaluation committee (vote of 46-0-0). To recommend that the 2012 General Assembly be held in Pittsburgh (vote of 44-0-0). The 2008 General Assembly will be held in San Jose, Calif., and the 2010 General Assembly will be held in Minneapolis.

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