Legislative Action Message: October 13, 2005

Save Darfur: Phone Congress Next Tuesday, October 18

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Congress and the Bush administration have declared that genocide is underway in the western Darfur region of Sudan. But today, amidst reports of spiraling violence, Congress has failed to take concrete steps to address this ongoing crisis. Just this week, new attacks against civilians, humanitarian workers, and African Union peacekeepers have prompted calls for the UN Security Council to address the deteriorating security situation in Darfur.

Please join FCNL, other national organizations, and thousands of people around the country in a National Call-In Day for Darfur! You can call Congress another day, but if thousands of people call Congress next Tuesday, October 18, the impact of our voices will be multiplied.

With your help, we can persuade Congress to pass substantive legislation to help end the crisis in Darfur and support peace and accountability in Sudan. The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (H.R. 3127 in the House of Representatives and S. 1462 in the Senate) would expand and strengthen the African Union mission to better protect civilians, impose focused sanctions on individuals responsible for atrocities in Darfur, and support peace negotiations to resolve the conflict. The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2005 has strong bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, but needs more cosponsors to help move it through Congress this fall. To find out more about FCNL's work on the Sudan and Darfur, visit FCNL's website.

Without pressure from Congress, the Bush administration and the government of Sudan will not take the necessary steps to end the crisis and ensure the people of Darfur can return to their homes in peace. And without pressure from people like you, Congress will not act.

Take Action Next Tuesday, October 18:

Mark your calendar today. Please, take a moment on October 18 to call your senators and representative and ask them to support the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act. Your call will make a difference! Follow this link to find out if your member of Congress is already a cosponsor of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, read talking points on what to say during a phone call, and see the best number to use to call your member of Congress.

Thank you for joining the National Call-In Day for Darfur! Please pass this message on to five other people you think might also make calls.

Background:

Three simple ways to call your senators and representatives:

1. The simplest way to call your members of Congress is by using the FCNL web site. We will provide you with talking points for the call, and give you the direct phone number. You can also leave comments for us to tell us how the call went.

2. If you’re not near a computer next Tuesday, you can contact the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be transferred to the offices of your member of Congress by name. You will need to already know the names of your members of Congress, which you can find using FCNL’s congressional directory.

3. You can also use FCNL’s congressional directory to find your members’ direct numbers. Go to the Elected Officials web page enter your zip code and click on the picture of each of your members.

You can also find out if your representative and senators are already cosponsors of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act.

Sample Telephone Call Script

Hi, this is ___ calling from ___. I’d like to know if Congressman/woman/Senator ___ is a cosponsor of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (H.R. 3127 in the House of Representatives / S. 1462 in the Senate).

If yes:

That’s great. I would appreciate a written response on what he/she is doing to make sure that this bill gets a vote before Congress adjourns this year. This is just too important to leave undone. And thank you for your time.

If doesn’t know or no:

I’ve heard that this is the only bill with a real chance of passing this year, and that it has bipartisan support. As a constituent, I urge Congressman/woman/Senator ___ to cosponsor the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act. Can you send me a letter letting me know if the Congressman/woman/Senator will become a cosponsor? This bill is just too important to leave undone. And thank you for your time.

For a full list of talking points on the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, see FCNL's website.

Contacting Legislators

Contact your members of Congress through FCNL's web site.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515