Keep Pressure on Congress: Demand Exit Plan from Iraq

[UFPJ Action Alerts <listmaster at unitedforpeace.org>]

ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
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We apologize that due to technical difficulties we were not able to get
this to you yesterday.  We do still encourage you to take action, and
please forward this alert as appropriate.

KEEP UP THE PRESSURE TO DEMAND WITHDRAWAL OF US TROOPS FROM IRAQ
* National Write-in/Call-in Week May 31- June 3 to hold elected officials
accountable
* Lobby your Representative to co-sponsor Lynne Woolsey's H. Con. Res. 35

Thanks to Rep. Lynn Woolsey, on May 25 Congress debated an exit strategy
from Iraq for the first time after two years of war! UFPJ learned about
Woolsey's amendment to the Defense authorization bill asking President Bush
for a plan to withdraw from Iraq earlier that same day and immediately put
out an urgent email alert. In just a few hours, thousands of you responded
by contacting your representatives telling them to vote "yes" on Woolsey's
amendment. We were all pleasantly surprised when 128 members of the House
voted in support of the Woolsey amendment.

We want to thank all of you who took the time to make those calls and,
before that, on the Iraq supplemental bill. Now we need to keep up the
pressure, it's starting to work.

Just as we are keeping up the pressure in the streets, we need to keep up
the pressure on Congress. UFPJ is calling for a National Write-in/Call-in
THIS WEEK, week May 31 - June 3, while Congress is in recess. Your
representatives should be in their home districts during this break, and
it's a perfect time for them to hear from you!

Let them know what you think about how s/he voted on the Woolsey amendment,
as well as the supplemental budget request in early May. And be sure to
urge them to sign on to the Woolsey resolution calling for a withdrawal of
U.S. military forces from Iraq, H.Con.Res. H. Con. Res. 35.

Knowing that Members of Congress won't exercise better leadership on Iraq
unless they hear from their constituents, we have created a legislative
mail system to facilitate rapid communication with members of Congress.
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17578370&url_num=3&url=http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ufpj/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=737>Click
here to take action: find out who represents you, how s/he voted on the
supplemental budget request, and if s/he has signed on to the Woolsey
resolution. Hold your elected official accountable.

Call and/or send them an email between May 31 and June 3. Issues related to
Iraq will be on the legislative agenda when members of Congress return to
Washington, DC. Keep up the pressure, we're making a difference!



Background Information
The Woolsey amendment lost by a vote of 300 to 128 with 5 not voting, and
we gained some Republican support. Five Republicans voted for the
amendment, most notably Rep Walter Jones (R-NC) of "Freedom Fries" fame.
(Some think that the March 19 Fayetteville protest, marking the second
anniversary of the war, was a factor in achieving the NC votes.) There were
some disappointments among "liberal" democrats including Rep. Cardin
(D-MD), Rep. Stenny Hoyer (D-MD), Rep. Sanchez (D-CA) and Rep. Udall (D-CO)
who all voted against the amendment, as well as House Democratic leader,
Nancy Pelosi.

<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17578370&url_num=4&url=http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2005&rollnumber=220>Find
out how your representative voted on Woolsey's amendment in the Defense
authorization bill.

The Woolsey amendment was a significant departure from business as usual
and has helped set the stage to build more pressure on Congress to bring
the troops home. It is an important first step in a larger and longer
campaign. Don't stop now.

Now is the time to build Congressional support for
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17578370&url_num=5&url=http://www.woolsey.house.gov/newsarticle.asp?RecordID=401>Rep.
Lynn Woolsey's resolution (H.Con.Res. 35) calling for a withdrawal of U.S.
military forces from Iraq. This resolution calls for the President to:

(1) develop and implement a plan to begin the immediate withdrawal of
United States Armed Forces from Iraq;
(2) develop and implement a plan for reconstructing Iraq's civil and
economic infrastructure;
(3) convene an emergency meeting of Iraq's leadership, Iraq's neighbors,
the United Nations, and the Arab League to create an international
peacekeeping force in Iraq and to replace United States Armed Forces in
Iraq with Iraqi police and Iraqi National Guard forces to ensure Iraq's
security; and
(4) take all steps necessary to provide the Iraqi people with the
opportunity to completely control their internal affairs.

More info about the vote:
--<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17578370&url_num=6&url=http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050526/woolsey_rocks_the_house.php>from
tompaine.com
--<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17578370&url_num=7&url=http://www.antiwar.com/orig/jeserich.php?articleid=6094>from
antiwar.com


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<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17578370&url_num=8&url=http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate>http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate



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