Statement

As the country reels from three mass shootings in one week, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) urges policymakers to take every available step to reduce the harm and loss of life caused by guns.

On July 25, Attorney General William Barr announced that the federal government will start carrying out death sentences for the first time in nearly two decades by ordering the executions of five inmates. FCNL opposes this action and believes the death penalty should be abolished in all jurisdictions.

Recently, FCNL joined Senators, House members, and many other faith groups at a rally calling for legislation to prevent unauthorized war with Iran, an issue FCNL has been working hard on for months, if not years.

The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) has kept the United States and much of the world in a perpetual state of war for nearly 18 years. On May 22, members of Congress and advocates participated in a press conference to call on Congress to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), prevent war with Iran, and reassert Congress’s constitutional authority on matters of war and peace.

The House Judiciary Committee is marking up legislation outlining a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS recipients, and DED holders, all of whom are at risk of deportation pending cancellation of their protections.

FCNL joined faith groups at rally to demand an end to CIA drone strikes and a commitment from General Atomics, the company which builds the Predator and Reaper drones, not to develop lethal autonomous weapons systems.

On April 25, 2019, the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service hosted a public hearing on policy options related to selected service.

We share the inconsolable grief of our Muslim neighbors whose family members were killed or injured while at Friday prayers at two mosques in New Zealand.

President Donald Trump’s proposed FY 2020 budget lays out a disturbing vision for the future of our country that offers billions more for war, walls, and detention at the expense of our families, our health, and our safety.

As leaders representing a broad array of religious beliefs and faith traditions, we write urging you to immediately end the partial government shutdown. The consequences are dire for millions of individuals and families, especially those facing poverty and food insecurity.