E-News: Banning Cluster Bombs, Iraq and More Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 17:11:39 -0500 (CDT) July 3, 2007 Read this E-Newsletter online: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/AASAHJPMDN/1284647136 Grassroots Action: Support Iraq Independence on July 4 Help expand the movement to persuade Congress to adopt a new policy that could lead to genuine independence for the people of Iraq. Before you go out to your July 4 parades and barbeques, print out and take along a handful of these patriotic flyers: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/GFPZHJPMDO/1284647136. Let people in your community know about this easy way to work for peace by writing their representatives in Congress using FCNL's website. Help put FCNL over the top and reach our goal this month of 2,000 new people writing to Congress about a new Iraq policy. Iraq: Progress on Bipartisan Legislation to Change Policy We are making progress toward persuading Congress to set the U.S. on a new course in Iraq that would make serious regional diplomacy, negotiations with Iraq's warring factions, and U.S. troop withdrawals unavoidable. A bipartisan group of senators is meeting to discuss ways of translating the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group into U.S. law: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/HRZMHJPMDP/1284647136. Urge your senators to change U.S. policy in Iraq during the debate on the military authorization bill: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/BJWLHJPMDQ/1284647136. Ask two friends to do the same: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/BXFIHJPMDR/1284647136. Report Back: Senate Fails to Reform Broken Immigration System After two separate sessions of debate, and some 400 amendments, the Senate last week failed to craft legislation that would provide comprehensive immigration reform. As a result, all of us -- and especially immigrants -- will live with our broken immigration system for at least a few more years. Read an initial analysis by FCNL's Legislative Director Ruth Flower: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/GILXHJPMDS/1284647136. From the Hill: Senate Panel Bans Cluster Exports A key Senate committee has approved legislation that would effectively ban the U.S. from exporting cluster bombs, a weapon with a particularly deadly record of killing and maiming civilians, both during and after their initial use. The legislation must still be approved by the full Senate and reconciled with a House version. You can help by ensuring that your senators and representative are cosponsors of the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2007: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/HTMKHJPMDT/1284647136. Read more: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/KNONHJPMDU/1284647136. Successes: Congress Stops New Bomb Plant Good news. Your messages have worked. Four separate committees in two chambers of Congress have now zeroed out funding for the Bush administration's proposal to build a new nuclear weapons facility to be located in one of six states. FCNL worked with people like you around the country to oppose this new facility. But the administration remains committed to its plan to develop and build new nuclear weapons. Read more: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/HLUFHJPMDV/1284647136 From the Quakers' Colonel: Changes FCNL's Senior Fellow for Military Affairs, Dan Smith discusses President Bush's decision to appoint the first U.S. envoy to the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/IWBQHJPMDW/1284647136 Quote of the Week: Iran Has a Message. Are We Listening? "With 18 months left in Bush's presidency, Iran may be offering his administration a last chance at a new relationship.... The Bush team is in danger of letting the current opening from Iran pass it by as well. The administration doesn't seem to recognize that diplomatic coercion by itself can't work -- not with a country that has turned its nuclear program into a national crusade." -- Reporter Michael Hirsh writing after 10 days in Iran: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/KJNSHJPMDX/1284647136. FCNL in the News: Religious Leaders Rally Against Torture In late June, FCNL's Senior Fellow for Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Jeanne Herrick Stare, played a key role in organizing and briefing delegations of Catholic, Muslim, evangelical Christian, and Jewish religious leaders that lobbied Congress to abolish torture. Read a press report about the lobbying effort, which was led by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, a group that counts Jeanne as one of its leaders: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/HJSRHJPMDY/1284647136. Photo of the Week: War Is Not the Answer in China FCNL's Field Program Secretary Kathy Guthrie and Director for Leadership Development Tim Barner standing at the Great Wall at Mutianyu in China: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/MLOMHJPMDZ/1284647136. _______________________________________ The Next Step for Iraq: Join FCNL's Iraq Campaign, http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/FVXRHJPMEA/1284647136/ Contact Congress and the Administration: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/OVPZHJPMEB/1284647136/ Order FCNL publications and "War is Not the Answer" campaign bumper stickers and yard signs: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/KDLWHJPMEC/1284647136/ http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/KJWLHJPMED/1284647136 Contribute to FCNL: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/MQYRHJPMEE/1284647136/ Subscribe or update your information to this list: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/AHLQHJPMEF/1284647136/. To unsubscribe from this list, please see the end of this message. Subscribe to other FCNL legislative, policy, and action alert lists: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/CYSRHJPMEG/1284647136. ________________________________________ Friends Committee on National Legislation 245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795 fcnl@fcnl.org * http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/LJGSHJPJUP/OSCHHJPMEH/1284647136 phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330 We seek a world free of war and the threat of war We seek a society with equity and justice for all We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled We seek an earth restored. --- If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please visit http://capwiz.com/fconl/lmx/u/?jobid=87552675&queueid=1284647136.