Call on Congress to have a Public Debate about Iraq!
Bi-partisan momentum is growing for an open debate! There are currently more than 8 Iraq-related bill languishing in committee in the House of Representatives. The one with the most support is H.J.Res. 55, the "Homeward Bound" resolution  , introduced last year by Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), with the support of several other colleagues. H.J.Res. 55 would require the president to develop and implement a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq .
Representative Abercrombie has filed a discharge petition for H.J. Res. 55, which would force the bill out of committee and guarantee consideration on the House floor. In order for this to happen, 218 Representatives need to sign the petition. The petition itself is H.Res. 543.
The discharge of the Homeward Bound Resolution is not about passing this particular bill, but rather securing an open discussion about the war—17 hours to be precise. By contacting your representative and urging them to sign the petition, you can help make this happen . It is likely that forcing debate in the House will lead to action in the Senate as well. Find out if your Representative has signed the petition !
What you can do:
Call
Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative's office. Let the person who answers the phone know that you're a constituent from [your town], and you'd like to make a request regarding Iraq policy. They may transfer you to a different person. When they're ready to hear you, please consider identifying yourself as a Unitarian Universalist and offer the name and location of your congregation, and then deliver your message, which might go something like this:
The war in Iraq has been underway for three years now, and the situation seems to only be getting worse. The news reports of death and suffering are heartbreaking, and I think it's high time Congress had a public debate about what's gone wrong and what we do next. Something needs to happen to stop the killing. I ask that Representative [name] sign the discharge petition for the Homeward Bound Resolution. Do you know if Representative [name] plans to sign it, or already has?
If yes—thank them for their time.
If no—ask why:
Given what's going on in Iraq , it's hard for me to understand why Congress wouldn't want to talk about it. It's a bipartisan bill. Can you tell me why the Representative won't sign it?"
Please share the answer you get with Rob Keithan  , Director of the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy. Send Rob an email that includes: (1) Your name; (2) Your congregation; (3) Your Representative's name; and (4) The answer you received. This will help us track action and response.
Write
Letters are a highly effective method of influencing members of Congress.
When writing, use this format:
The Honorable ____________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Think about your letter as having three paragraphs, or parts.
The opening part should clearly state your position and why you hold it. Urge the Member of Congress to take specific action (e.g. vote for/against a particular bill or amendment; co-sponsor a bill; etc.)
The second part should give more information on the bill/action in question and evidence supporting your position.
The third part should be a brief summary and provide final encouragement.
When possible, somewhere in your letter you should also try to thank your Member for some action they've taken in the past. Consider faxing your letter to ensure timely delivery . For more detailed tips on letter writing, please see the UUA Washington Office's "Tips on Writing to Members of Congress ."
Email
Emails are less effective than calls or letters but still definitely make a difference . Most Members of Congress now only accept emails submitted through forms on their websites (though many internet advocacy companies have compatible systems). To find your Members' websites using your zip code, see the UUA Washington Office's "Advocacy Resources " page.
You can also send an email through our partner organization, the Friends Committee on National Legislation . The UUA Washington Office will soon have this capability as well.
Calls and Visits to Local (District) Offices
The House of Representatives has several District Work Periods coming up in which you may be able to reach your representative closer to home . It's a particularly good time to arrange group lobby visits, such as with other members or your congregation or an interfaith group. The dates for the work periods are:
March 20 - March 24
April 10 - April 23
May 29 - June 2
You can find contact information for your Member's local offices using your zip code on the UUA Washington Office's Advocacy Resources page. A simple guide on arranging a district visit will be posted soon.
On the Anniversary of War: A Call for Public Debate
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