The 2006 aid request conference committee: Call your representatives in Congress!

Call your Senators and Representatives: numbers at www.senate.gov and www.house.gov or through the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121.

If your senator or member of Congress is on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, your call is especially important. The committee will combine the House and Senate versions of the foreign operations appropriations bills by late September. This important piece of annual legislation determines the amount of aid to be sent to Colombia in 2006, how it will be spent, and conditions assistance. The Senate language on Colombia is much better the House version because it:

• Limits military aid and increases development assistance;
  
• Puts restrictions on funds used for harmful drug crop fumigation;
  
• Contains strict conditions on aid to demobilized paramilitaries in order to encourage a full dismantling of illegal paramilitary groups.

Tell your senators and members of Congress to support the Senate language on Colombia in the foreign operations appropriations conference committee.

Suggested script: Introduce yourself, state where you are from, and ask to speak with the foreign policy advisor. Share with the person on the phone or over voicemail:

“I am a constituent. I believe that peace in Colombia cannot be achieved through U.S. military aid and drug crop fumigation. I would like to urge Representative/Senator __________, as a member of the foreign operations appropriations subcommittee, to support the Senate language on Colombia during conference committee. The Senate version of the bill calls for greater development assistance and less military aid to Colombia, and lays out strict guidelines for U.S. funding of Colombian paramilitary demobilization. I ask that your office do all in your power to support peace in Colombia by supporting the human rights of all, protecting the victims of war, and promoting social and economic development in Colombia.”