About Us
American Citizens Abroad — ACA — The voice of Americans overseas
Mission: Founded in 1978, ACA (www.aca.ch) is a non-profit, non-partisan, volunteer association whose mission is to defend the rights of Americans living overseas.
ACA is dedicated to:· Providing assistance and information to private US citizens living and working outside of the United States
· Representing their interests before the US Congress, Administration, the press and all US citizens living at home.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, ACA has a worldwide membership base and a global network of country contacts. The association draws on more than three decades of rich experience and knowledge of laws affecting private Americans living overseas.
Why is ACA is needed? Unlike some other countries, the United States government does not have any formalized, supportive relationship with its citizens living abroad. Americans living overseas have no direct representation in Congress. No effective mechanism is in place to bring to the attention of Congress the issues affecting the daily lives of Americans overseas. Americans living overseas are affected negatively by a variety of US laws and regulations, yet no governmental agency is responsible for informing Americans abroad of legislative and regulatory developments affecting them ACA aims to fill this void.
What are key issues of concern for overseas Americans? A non-exhaustive list of issues of particular concern to Americans abroad includes:
· Voting – absentee procedures & voters’ rights
· Citizenship – transmission of US citizenship to children born abroad
· Taxation – citizenship-based taxation, excluded income under Section 911
· Social Security – elimination of the WEP penalty
· Medicare – redress non-coverage of eligible persons living abroad
· Representation – non-voting Delegate(s) in Congress to represent Americans abroad
How and what does ACA communicate? ACA’s most powerful tool for communication is its website (www.aca.ch), which houses a wealth of in-depth research, position papers, documentation and linkss. In addition, its regular e-News Update is circulated to thousands of individuals and groups worldwide, and the annual News Report is transmitted electronically. Both of these communications can also be found on the website. Press releases and news flashes are issued on an as-needed basis. And hundreds upon hundreds of inquiries are answered via email.
ACA’s structure encourages global input:
· Country contacts: 50+ active individuals widen ACA’s reach by representing the organization in the countries where they live.
· Board of Directors: 35 people from all over the world provide ideas, guidance and support. In addition, Country Contacts are ex-officio members of this Board.
· Executive Committee: 15 Board members are also on the Executive Committee, which determines policy and works with our paid part-time office manager to run day-to-day operations.
· Executive Director: Heading ACA is its annually-elected Executive Director.
Primary ACA activities center on informing Americans overseas regarding their rights and obligations, following legislative and regulatory developments and liaising with the press on Americans abroad issues. Our goals are to improve the image of Americans overseas, to educate the public and the US Administration on overseas Americans issues, and to propose and support legislation in the interest of Americans abroad.
How does ACA work to influence decision-makers in Washington? ACA maintains liaison with Congressional and Administration offices, in particular with members of the Americans Abroad Caucus. With other collaborating groups serving overseas Americans, it participates in the annual Overseas Americans Week in Washington to discuss issues with representatives and staffers. When critical legislation important to interests of overseas Americans is being considered, ACA organizes write-in campaigns to ensure that Congresspersons hear from overseas voters registered in their home districts on the given issue. In addition, ACA keeps its wide range of Washington and press contacts updated on overseas Americans issues.
Does ACA collaborate with other groups? ACA collaborates on a regular basis with:
· OVF - Overseas Vote Foundation (Strategic Alliance Program member)
· MECACC – Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce
· AARO – Association of Americans Resident Overseas
· FAWCO – Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas
· ALLAMO – Alliance of American Organizations Iberia
· The Americans Abroad Caucus in Congress
· ACA is an advisory partner of the Overseas Vote Foundation and works closely with the Pew Foundation’s “Make Voting Work” project in Washington DC
ACA believes in long-term commitment. ACA believes in its mission to serve all US citizens living abroad. It knows that changing legislation in Washington is a long-term commitment requiring unending effort, patience and creativity. ACA will persevere in representing the voice of overseas Americans and regularly integrates younger members to its Board to ensure continuity.
ACA needs your help and support so we can continue to work on behalf of all Americans. Contact us directly or through your local Country Contact.
ACA, 5 rue Liotard, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, +41 22 3400233, info.aca(at)gmail.com
History of project
| Positions on issues |  |
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Now celebrating 30 years of service to Americans residing abroad, ACA has held unwavering positions on several issues directly affecting citizens residing abroad: Children's citizenship, Medicare, Social Security, Taxation, Voting, and Congressional representation.
ACA’s Positions on issues
¨ Citizenship: All Americans should enjoy the same right to transmit US citizenship to all of their children, including all children born to or adopted by a US citizen abroad.
Executive summary
Due principally to issues relating to the different means by which children acquire citizenship, and because of restrictive provisions of present US law, it is entirely possible for a child born to a US citizen parent to be legally stateless.
¨ Medicare: Americans abroad who are eligible for Medicare benefits in the US should be able to receive these or equivalent benefits while abroad.
Executive summary
Medicare benefits are still not available to citizens living outside the United States. This is not only unfair, but needlessly costly to taxpayers, since it encourages citizens to travel back to the US for expensive treatments, which would cost far less in their countries of residence. TheTriCare program available to military personnel overseas could be extended to cover all Americans overseas.
¨ Social Security: Americans abroad should not be penalized simply because they spent part of their careers abroad, or because they retire abroad and/or have a foreign-born spouse or adopted children. ACA supports H.R. 82 and S. 206, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2007, which would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).
Executive summary
WEP eliminates up to 50% of Social Security benefits for individuals receiving foreign pensions. Self-employed Americans working abroad must pay FICA taxes in addition to the social security taxes they pay in their country of residence. No voluntary program exists for non-self-employed Americans to contribute to the Social Security system. Foreign spouses and adopted children of Americans are often denied survivor benefits.
¨ Taxation: Exclusion of foreign income under Section 911 of the US tax code and other measures aimed at eliminating double or unfair taxation should be expanded in order to restore American competitiveness. ACA supports S.1140 and H.R. 4752, the Working Americans Competitiveness Act, and recommends repeal of the 2006 tax increase measures included in TIPRA.
Executive Summary
US citizens working overseas are subject to a tax liability in their country of residence AND in the US, putting American citizens and businesses overseas at a competitive disadvantage. This tax burden discourages American companies from employing Americans overseas. The Working Americans Competitiveness would eliminate the cap on the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion under Section 911. The TIPRA measures to repeal include the stacking measure and the limitation on housing exclusion, which has drastically increased taxation of Americans residing overseas.
¨ Voting: ACA supports H.R. 4173, the Overseas Vote Act and H.R. 4237, Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2007 which would greatly simply procedures for absentee registration and voting for Americans abroad under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and would effectively enfranchise many Americans overseas.
Executive Summary
These two bills are complementary amendments to UOCAVA and would simplify and clarify terminology used in voting materials, ban the rejections of votes based on “non-essential” requirements such as paper size, permit submission of ballots by means other than post, extend voting eligibility to 2nd generation overseas Americans who have established a US domicile, prohibit the refusal to accept a ballot for lack of notarization on the envelope, eliminate the application for a state absentee ballot as a condition for casting a federal write-in ballot and provide for $5 million in funding for non-partisan voter outreach programs.
Representation: ACA believes that the only effective long-term solution for Americans to have their voice heard is direct representation in Congress through Delegates elected by the overseas community.
Executive Summary
The Americans Abroad Caucus, founded in 2007 in the House of Representatives, is a positive first step for Americans Abroad to have a contact point in Washington. Nevertheless, as Americans overseas represent a population that would be ranked 25th among the 50 states, this community should have right to its own representation, particularly given the special issues they face, the growing complexities of the global markets and the role that Americans overseas play in the competitiveness of the United States.
ACA, 5 rue Liotard, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, +41 22 3400233, info.aca(at)gmail.com
Our users
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For over thirty years, ACA has been defending your rights as a US citizen living abroad. For only $60 a year you can help ACA with its important work on behalf of Americans living and working overseas.
As a member of ACA you will receive regular electronic mailings of the News Update, published ten times per year, which contains important information on legislation and issues affecting US citizens living overseas. You will also receive the annual News Report recapping ACA's work done throughout the year; ACA's attendance at the Washington D.C. Overseas Americans Week, ACA collaboration with PEW and OVF (voting), ACA's interface and dialog with the Americans Abroad Caucus addressing issues such as: tax equalization, voting, Medicare and Social Security benefits, and overseas banking problems.
Be part of this dynamic and important organization, JOIN or RENEW today by clicking here.
Membership dues are payable on a once-a-year renewal basis. The date for payment is December 1 of each calendar year representing payment of dues for the year following (i.e. Dec. 1, 2008 for 2009 dues). Unfortunately ACA is unable to prorate payments for those joining during the calendar year. Our standard policy is that if you join within the first six months of any calendar year (Jan. – June), the dues will be applied to the year in course. If you join during the second half of any calendar year (July. – Dec.), the dues will be applied to the year in course and the following year. Your cancelled check or charge card billing is proof of payment and membership.
You can also donate to ACA with every purchase you make from Amazon US or UK at no increase in cost to you. Just click through to one of the Amazon sites from our Books page on this ACA website before you make your purchase.
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Contact
ACA-PragueBen Henderson
bwhenderson(at)gmail.com
ACA-Geneva
info.aca(at)gmail.com
About ACA
- Mission statement ( 1 items )
- Position Summary ( 1 items )
- Country Contacts ( 2 items )
- Documentation ( 6 items )
- Board and Executive committee ( 2 items )
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Current ACA Issues
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Events
Upcoming
Overseas Vote Foundation Summit 17-19 March 2010 Munich.
ACA Super Auction 19th March 2010 in Geneva.
Overseas Americans Week 19-23 April 2010 in Washington.