[haw-info] National Call-In Days: Afghanistan War Funding

Take Action This Week...

 

This week the House of Representatives is expected to vote on a FY 2010 Supplemental budget, which includes $33.5 billion to pay for the escalation of troops in Afghanistan. The Senate has already voted 67-28 to give the White House this money. (26 of 28 No Voters were Republicans, who objected to the inclusion of additional items in the bill).

 

If the figure seems oddly low, that's because the White House is also asking for another $159 billion in FY 2011 to pay for the two wars. This is part of an overall $708 billion request for the Department of Defense.

This past month, US expenditure for the wars in Afghanistan an Iraq have exceeded one trillion dollars. Meanwhile, the Congress cannot come up with the money to pay for jobs, extended unemployment benefits, or help to the states.

 

Please call your Representatives office and ask the House member to:

 

* Vote against the Supplemental spending bill for escalating the war in Afghanistan

 

* Co-sponsor and vote in favor of the McGovern bill (HR 5015,) requiring the President to provide a plan and timetable for "the safe, orderly and expeditious redeployment of US troops from Afghanistan." Text and List of Co-Sponsors http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR05015:

 

Congressional Switchboard; 202-224-3121

 

Two Commonly Asked Questions;

 

Haven't I received this action alert before? No. Although it seems like it because for the past 9 1/2 years, Congress has been giving the White House money to pay for the wars, with varying levels of opposition.

 

If I already know that Congress is going the President the money he asks for why waste a call? Because if a substantial numbers of Congressional Reps vote "No" it will be a significant indication to the White House that they cannot expand the war in Afghanistan indefinitely. 

 

Carolyn  Eisenberg,

for Historians Against the War 

 

PS If you would like to receive more regular information on Congressional votes, please email: hiscze@aol.com.