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Toll Free Number: 1-800-590-6313
 Photo: Luis Arnal
Sponsored by the
American Task Force for Lebanon When nearly 100 nations - including Britain, France, and Germany - gathered in early December to sign a global treaty banning cluster bombs, the U.S. was conspicuously absent. And yet, the U.S. has been the world's biggest user of these weapons, which always end up killing more civilians than soldiers.
President Obama and Congress can fix U.S. policy. In fact, they have already started. In March, Congress passed a law permanently banning exports of nearly all U.S.-made cluster bombs.
Now we need Congress to act to prevent any further use by U.S. troops.
Call your senators on Monday, March 30 and ask them to co-sponsor the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act, S. 416. This legislation would prohibit the U.S. from using any cluster bombs that leave behind an unacceptably large number of landmine-like "dud" cluster submunitions - small bombs that keep on killing. It would also prohibit any use of these weapons in areas that are normally populated with civilians. Growing support from the Senate will show President Obama that he has the public's backing to sign this treaty and send it to the Senate for ratification!
Take Action
Help spread the word. Before the day of action, email your activists and urge them to call their senators on March 30. Post the action on your web site and blog. Tell your friends and family about the action.
Who Should You Call?
- Are you from California, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Washington, or Vermont? Both of your senators are already on board! That's great! You can still write your representative and urge her or him to cosponsor the companion bill in the House, H.R. 981.
- Are you from Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, or Wisconsin? One of your senators is already co-sponsoring, so call the other one! These senators still need calls: Chuck Grassley (IA), John Kerry (MA), Carl Levin (MI), Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Tom Udall (NM), Arlen Specter (PA), George Voinovich (OH), Jack Reed (RI), John Thune (SD), John Rockefeller (WV), and Herb Kohl (WI).
- Do you live in any other state? You should call both of your senators and ask them to cosponsor the bill!
How to Make Your Calls
Call the Senate switchboard using this toll free number: 1-800-590-6313. Ask for your senators by name. Find out who your senators are.
- Once you are directed to the office, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask to speak to the legislative assistant who deals with foreign or military policy issues.
- Follow the script below (if you like).
- After you call one senator's office, call the switchboard again and ask for your other senator.
- Note: if the receptionist tells you that the person is not available, you can either give the below information to the receptionist, or ask for the legislative aide's answering machine and leave your message there.
Script for your Call
Please feel free to improvise and add additional information.
- My name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, STATE]. Thanks for taking my call.
- I'm calling to encourage Senator [SENATOR'S NAME] to cosponsor S. 416, the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act.
- Senator [NAME]'s co-sponsorship of this bill will help align U.S. policy with that of our closest NATO allies and ensure that we no longer use weapons that we know have a record of killing more civilians than soldiers.
- Will co-sponsorship of this bill be possible? (Give or leave your phone number if you would like a call back.)
- Thank you.
Learn more about Banning Cluster Bombs
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