This is a campaign to lobby congress members to sponsor or co-sponsor the legislation which will decrease the danger to our troops in Afghanistan, help stabilize the country, and allow us to get out.  The foreign policy staff member is key to directing the congressmember's attention to this legislation.  They have been chosen for their positions in committees, usually appropriations, which can make the Afghan Stabilization and Works Program legislation happen.  Most of these D.C. offices have been visited by us in person in recent weeks and the foreign policy staff member was presented with our proposal.   All of the staff members we spoke with were courteous, professional, and eager to do the right thing.  But sometimes it is hard to get heard above the din in Washington.  Your voices will insure we do.

You can do two things:

1) If you are short on time, just email the foreign policy staff members at the emails listed below to request a phone appointment with the congress member.   You can cut-and-paste the following to save time:

(Emails listed below)
"My name is (name, rank or former rank, service affiliation.)  I am writing to request a phone appointment with Rep./Senator______ in order to discuss and ask him to sponsor the Afghan Stabilization and Works Program designed by JobsforAfghans.org  As you know, and as Vice  President Joe Biden has said, most of the Taliban are only fighting because  there is 40% unemployment and the Taliban pays $10 a day to young men who would rather be doing anything else.  Our plan takes the ideologically uncommitted off the firing line, and allows Afghans to build their society, so we can save on the cost of war and rebuild our economy here at home. Please go to jobsforafghans.org and click the link "congressional packet" for our materials.  Looking forward to hearing from you."

2)  If you can make a personal call to the office to request a phone appointment with the member, you can use the following suggested script: "Hello my name is____, I am a (soldier, veteran, unit) and I would like to speak to (foreign policy staff member named in chart below)." 

At this point you will probably be transferred to the person or get his/her voice-mail.

"Hello, my name is_______(name, rank, unit, present or former), and I'm calling to ask for a phone appointment with Congressman/woman_______ to discuss legislation which will decrease danger to the troops and stabilize Afghanistan.  You have received these materials from the organization Jobs for Afghans and hopefully have briefed your congressmember.  Can you tell me what you think of our proposal and give me a convenient time for a phone appointment? (If it's a voice-mail leave your number for a return call to schedule.  If staff member requests more information you can continue as follows)

"Well as you know  about 70%-90% of the Taliban, according to Vice  President Joe Biden, are only fighting because  there is 40% unemployment, literal starvation, and the Taliban pays $10 a day to young men who would rather be doing anything else.  Our plan takes the ideologically uncommitted off the firing line, and allows Afghans to build their society, so we can save on the cost of war and rebuild our economy here at home.  Can I send you the link where you will find our materials?  (verify their email address listed in chart.  Refer them to JOBSFORAFGHANS.ORG )

"Thank you and looking forward to speaking to your congress member."

When speaking to member:  "Representative_______, my name is (name, rank, unit) and I am calling to ask you to sponsor legislation which will reduce the danger to troops in the field in Afghanistan, through work projects for the unemployed young men who, as you know and as Vice President Joe Biden has said, join the Taliban only because it pays $8 to $10 a day.  Can you give me your thoughts on the proposal by Jobs for Afghans which has been presented to you by your staff?  (sound him or her out, note and relay concerns on the legislation that you can't address to us via email at jobsforafghans@gmail.com and/or call us at 617-599-5195 (ask for Sue) to pull us in to respond to questions.  We will initiate a discussion with this member.)

Fact sheet

Draft legislation

White  Paper (optional)

 

Member	Foreign Policy Staff Member	Phone	Fax	Foreign Policy Staff Member Email
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)	Ann Vaughan	202-225-6506	202-225-0546
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-OH)	Drew Simon	202-224-2152	202-224-2152	drew_simon@durbin.senate.gov
Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL)	David Gillies	202-225-5661	202-225-0285	david.gillies@mail.house.gov
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)	Mary Yoshioko	202-224-3934	202-224-6742
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)		202-224-3553
Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)	Nathaniel Milazzo	202-225-3021	202-225-3382	nathaniel.milazzo@mail.house.gov
Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY)	Michael Ryan	202-225-3335	202-225-4669	mike.ryan@mail.house.gov
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)	Fatima Sumar	(202) 224-2742	202-224-8525
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)	Jake Sciandra	202-224-5344		jacob_sciandra@snowe.senate.gov
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)	Andy Friedman	202-224-3224	202-228-4054
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)	Derrick Nayo	202-224-5641	202-224-0044	derrick_nayo@franken.senate.gov
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)	Charles Dujon	202-225-0773	202-225-0899	charles.dujon@mail.house.gov
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)	Scott Exner	202-225-2661	202-225-9817	scott.exner@@mail.house.gov
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)	Amy Vossbrinck	202-225-5871	202-225-5745
Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY)	Jennifer Prather	202-225-4706	202-225-2122	jennifer.prather@mail.house.gov
Rep. Adam Schiff ((D-CA)	Timothy Bergreen	202-225-4176	202-225-5828	timothy.bergreen@mail.house.gov
Rep. David Obey (D-WI)	Anne Georges	202-225-3365		anne.georges@mail.house.gov
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)	Ross Nodurft	202-224-5824	202-224-9735	ross_nordurft@landrieu.senate.gov
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)	Brian Chelcun	202-224-5323	202-224-2725	brian_chelcun@feingold.senate.gov
Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA)	Christina Tsafoulias	202-225-5111	202-225-9322	christina.tsafoulias@mail.house.gov
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)	Marta McLellan Ross	202-228-5243		marta_mclellanross@webb.senate.gov
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)	Peter Frosch	202-225-6631	202-225-1968	peter.frosch@mail.house.gov
Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID)	Adam Elias	202-225-6611	202-225-3029	adam.elias@mail.house.gov
Rep. Steven Rothman (D-NJ)	Jonathan Moore	202-225-5061		jonathan.moore@mail.house.gov
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)	Tim Riser	202-224-4242	202-224-3479