FCNL Successes
PDF version See earlier successesThe media is full of reports of gridlock and failure in Washington. Yet behind the scenes, the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s approach to lobbying that begins with listening and learning and then proceeds to a respectful conversation is achieving results. Here's a sample of some of what we've been doing in the last few months.
This list of successes was updated on April 26, 2012. Get a printable version
Building the Movement to Reduce Military Spending
Congress is on track to cut the Pentagon budget by nearly $1 trillion over the next 10 years. Yet strong and well-financed groups of military contractors are working to prevent these cuts from taking effect. In Washington, FCNL lobbyists have led the effort to focus on Pentagon spending in key coalitions and are continuing to identify strategies that work. Around the country, FCNL constituents are using information from our lobbyists to write letters, organize visits and publish letters to the editor in support of these cuts. We expect a series of critical votes in November and December 2012.
Ending the War in Afghanistan
A majority of people in this country now believe the war in Afghanistan should not continue. But Congress needs more encouragement. FCNL played an important role in persuading 88 representatives and 24 senators to sign a letter to the administration calling for an end to U.S. combat operations by the end of 2013. Our Spring Lobby Weekend brought more than 75 young adults to Capitol Hill to lobby on this issue, reaffirming Senator Jeff Merkley's assessment that FCNL is developing the "smart, engaged, fierce grassroots effort” to move Congress.
Creating Space for Diplomacy with Iran
FCNL efforts to generate congressional support for diplomacy include lobbying with business people and former military officials who can make a persuasive case to individual members of Congress that increased pressure from sanctions could lead to war, not prevent it. We have also helped to garner more than three dozen signatures on a bipartisan congressional letter to the president supporting diplomacy and are working to build support for positive legislation calling for sustained diplomacy with Iran. Our "Diplomacy, Not War, with Iran" postcards continue to be a prime educational and organizing resource for grassroots mobilization against war, with more than 4,500 to Congress so far.
See more recent successesPreserving U.S. Investments in War Prevention
In an era of deep budget cuts, FCNL lobbying has helped preserve funding for State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development efforts to prevent deadly conflict. When congressional leaders singled out the Complex Crises Fund for cuts, FCNL mobilized a broad coalition of faith, human rights and international groups to protect money for this small but vital program that is one part of a broader U.S. government effort to promote diplomacy, development and international cooperation.
Find out more.
Mobilizing a Faith Perspective on Climate Change
Congress has failed to pass legislation to address climate change. We at FCNL are convinced that the faith community has a key role to play in finding openings for policy change. FCNL’s recently appointed legislative secretary on environmental issues, Jose Aguto, is leading efforts to organize a diverse coalition that includes Friends, evangelicals and many other faith voices. Find out more about the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate Change and other work.
Preventing Atrocities and Genocide
President Obama's announcement in late April 2012 that he has a comprehensive strategy to prevent genocide and mass atrocities and is convening a high level interagency panel to coordinate this work is one more important milestone for FCNL's work on the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict. We at FCNL have been advocating for this effort for almost a decade. More recently, we worked to pass a resolution on genocide prevention in 2010, to build support for the president's August 2011 decision to create the interagency panel and to support the 29 senators from both parties who signed a letter last December calling for U.S. leadership to prevent mass atrocities.
Find out more.
Making the World Safer from Nuclear Weapons
When the U.S. government program to locate and secure bomb-grade nuclear material scattered throughout the world faced major cuts, FCNL’s lobbyist in Washington identified the members of Congress who would decide on this funding, led efforts to engage with the interfaith community and other constituencies, and mobilized grassroots lobbyists in key states to help maintain funding for this program.
Find out more about FCNL’s work to secure loose nukes and build support for the next step toward a safer world through ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Native American Advocacy: Protecting Women from Violence
Violence against women is a serious problem in Indian Country, one that FCNL has been focused on for several years. When senators proposed removing provisions in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that would help tribal law enforcement respond more effectively to this problem on reservations, FCNL helped organize our colleagues in the faith community to respond.
Stay up-to-date on this and other issues of concern to Native Americans with our Native American Legislative Update. Sign up here.
Immigration: Steps Toward Reform
FCNL continues to work for reform of the broken immigration system in the United States. Locally, our Write to Reform campaigners are getting letters to the editor published in key congressional districts to build the case for humane immigration reform. Congress took a positive step when the House passed legislation to ease the restrictions on how many immigrants from any one country can enter the U.S. legally. We are continuing to lay the groundwork in Congress for comprehensive immigration reform.
