In the next few weeks, Congress is expected to be asked to spend $33 billion more of our tax dollars for killing in Afghanistan. Now is the time to urge Congress to change course. Urge your Representative and Senators to oppose more money for killing and to support Senator Russ Feingold and Representatives Jim McGovern and Walter Jones in their push for President Obama to establish a timetable for military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

House Actions

Urge your Representative to oppose the $33 billion war supplemental for Afghanistan and to co-sponsor the McGovern-Jones bill, H.R. 5015 requiring the President to establish a timetable for the redeployment of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Senate Actions

Urge your Senators to oppose the $33 billion war supplemental for Afghanistan and to co-sponsor the Feingold bill, S. 3197 requiring the President to establish a timetable for the redeployment of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Call your representatives in Congress – call the switchboard toll-free at 1-888-543-5234 (thanks FCNL!) and be transferred to the Rep or Senator’s office – try to get a staff person who handles Afghanistan on the phone, and:

for Members of the House:

1. If their office has not co-sponsored the McGovern-Jones bill (current 64 co-sponsors are shown in the spreadsheet below), ask them to co-sponsor it.
2. Ask them to oppose the $33 billion war supplemental for Afghanistan.

for Senators:

1. Urge them to co-sponsor the Feingold bill. (so far, the Feingold bill has no co-sponsors.)
2. Ask them to oppose the $33 billion war supplemental for Afghanistan.

Then we want you to report your results on this website — what did the office say? – using the comments section for this blog. If the Congressional office directs you to a website or press clips that documents the Member’s position, or you come across such links, please post the URLs in your reportbacks.

Thank you for participating! Please spread the word by spreading this URL: http://noescalation.org!

We’ll update this spreadsheet as we get your feedback on where Members of Congress stand (and as new co-sponsors are added in Thomas); please post reports from conversations with offices, as well as information from the press and web sites, in the comments.

* Check the spreadsheet on and search through the comments to see what’s known so far about where the Senator stands. Key things you want to know are: has the Senator spoken out against sending more U.S. troops? Is the Senator introducing legislation in opposition to a troop increase? That’s going to shape your conversation with the office or the message you leave if you have to leave a message.

* Be polite, respectful and clear.

* Introduce yourself to whoever answers the phone. Let them know you are a constituent (if you are a constituent) and mention what city you live in.

* If you can, try to get a staff person on Afghanistan or a staff person who can speak to the Senator’s position a troop increase on the phone.

* Say that you’re very concerned about plans to escalate militarily in Afghanistan and that you want the Senator to speak out against it.

Sample Script for Your Calls
Hello, my name is __________ and I’m a constituent (if you are a constituent) calling from __________ (city or town).

Could I speak to your staff person who handles Afghanistan, or someone who can tell me the Senator’s position on proposals to send more U.S. troops? (If no such staff person available, leave a message urging the Senator to speak out against sending more troops and to introduce legislation against an increase in troops.)

I’m very concerned about press reports that President Obama may decide to send 40,000 or more troops to Afghanistan.

Can you tell me if Senator ____ has spoken out or taken a position against sending more troops to Afghanistan, or plans to do so?

(Include any answer in your reportback. If staff refers you to a press clip or their website, and you find something stating a position, post the URL to the No Escalation website in your reportback.)

I urge your to introduce legislation in opposition to sending more troops to Afghanistan and in favor of an exit strategy or a timetable for withdrawal. Will the Senator consider introducing legislation in opposition to a troop increase?

(Report back what they say about introducing legislation.)

* Check the spreadsheet on and search through the comments to see what’s known so far about where the Representative stands.  Key things you want to know are: has the Rep.  spoken out against sending more U.S. troops? Has the Rep. co-sponsored the McGovern bill? Has the Rep.  co-sponsored the Lee bill? That’s going to shape your conversation with the office or the message you leave if you have to leave a message.

* Be polite, respectful and clear.

* Introduce yourself to whoever answers the phone. Let them know you are a constituent (if you are a constituent) and mention what city you live in.

* If you can, try to get a staff person who knows the Representative’s position on Afghanistan on the phone.

* Say that you’re very concerned about plans to escalate militarily in Afghanistan and that you want the Representative to speak out against it.

Example Script for Your Calls

Hello, my name is __________ and I’m a constituent (if you are a constituent) calling from __________ (city or town).

Could I speak to your staff person who handles Afghanistan, or someone who can tell me the Representative’s position on proposals to send more U.S. troops? (If no, leave a message urging the Representative to speak out against sending more troops and to support the McGovern exit strategy bill and the Lee bill prohibiting an increase in troops.)

(If the Rep. has co-sponsored the McGovern bill:) Thank  you for co-sponsoring the McGovern bill, requiring the Pentagon to present Congress with an exit strategy from our military occupation of Afghanistan.

(If the Rep. has co-sponsored the Lee bill:) Thank  you for co-sponsoring the Lee bill, prohibiting an increase in U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

I’m very concerned about press reports that President Obama may decide to send 40,000 or more troops to Afghanistan.

Can you tell me if Rep. ____ has spoken out against sending more troops to Afghanistan, or plans to do so?

(If  staff refers you to a press clip or their website, and you find something stating a position, post the URL to the No Escalation website in your reportback.)

(If the Representative has not co-sponsored the McGovern bill) I urge you to co-sponsor the bipartisan resolution introduced by Representative McGovern calling for the Pentagon to present Congress with an exit strategy from our military occupation of Afghanistan. This legislation now has 100 co-sponsors.

(If the Representative has co-sponsored the McGovern bill but not the Lee bill) I urge you to co-sponsor the legislation introduced by Representative Lee that would  prohibit funding for sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

(If they say anything about the McGovern or Lee bills, include that in your reportback.)

Report your results here.