“We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government, nor are we for this party or against the other…but we are for justice and mercy and truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our nation, and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity with God, and with one another, that these things may abound.”
The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) welcomes the conclusion of the 2024 elections as broadly fair, free, safe, and peaceful. We are encouraged by the millions of people who voted in the elections, and we respect the votes they cast. We look forward to working with the incoming 119th Congress and the members who have been elected to represent their communities in Washington, DC.
As a nonpartisan Quaker advocacy organization with more than 80 years’ experience lobbying in Washington, we are also called to raise a grave warning of the threats we see in the re-election of Donald Trump as president.
We are deeply concerned by the renewed threats his presidency presents to the dignity and lives of millions of people in our country and around the world, including many with whom we work. FCNL and our network of advocates will continue to work relentlessly to advance policies that will bring about a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.
As people of faith, we remain open and committed to working with a second Trump administration to find common ground where we can, and to continue advancing laws and policies for the common good. We know that diversity of thought is a strength of our democracy, and we will continue to bring a faith-based voice of moral conscience to the policy process. We remain committed to working with all political parties and across the beautiful diversity of our country to advance our beloved community.
We call on President-elect Trump to uphold the US Constitution, to comply with national and international laws, and to respect the rights and dignity of all people. We stand prepared to usher in the 119th Congress and the next administration with faith and hope. We will continue to endeavor to create opportunities for cooperation across political divides and peacebuilding amid conflict.
As people of hope, we will persist in our belief that our democracy is strongest when we are all engaged with it, and with one another. We stand in solidarity with people most impacted by government policies. We affirm our commitment to building the world we seek – a world free of war and the threat of war, with justice and equity for all, where every person’s potential may be fulfilled, and where our precious Earth is restored.
We will continue to fiercely advocate and lovingly defend human dignity and protect the rights of all people. We will stand firm in our historic peace witness that war is not the answer, and that just peace is always possible. We will lobby to protect the environment and the fullness of God’s creation.
Despite the enormous challenges we see ahead, we embrace the moment we have been called to carry forward the work of generations before us and the perseverance that it requires. Our faith calls us to the work of practicing hope during tough times and narrowing the distance between what is and what it should be. We are called to live a prophetic witness for the world we seek and to put our hearts and hands to action for it.
In times of fear and danger, we are called into deeper community with one another – and with those with whom we disagree. We are called to love our enemies, and to work for the transformation of our world into the beloved community we know is possible.
