FCNL - Friends Committee on National Legislation

“Whether it is arms control or it is climate change we can always look to the Friends to provide leadership.” – Rep. Ed Markey, one of sixteen members of Congress who spoke at a celebration of FCNL’s new offices, the first green building on Capitol Hill.

FCNL brings messages of hope to Congress: War Is Not the Answer and Peace Is Possible Through Peaceful Means. Hope springs from faithful action in risky times, and all the FCNL community, in Washington and around our country, practice hope every day. Our practice of hope shows some results. In 2007 we saw that more and more people engaged their government and effectively communicated with their elected representatives.

Despite a climate of fear and propaganda, your work with FCNL is making a difference: we are providing people around the country with the tools to work for nuclear disarmament, for ending U.S. sponsored torture, for banning cluster bombs, for restoring the earth, for honoring the promises to Native Americans, for ending the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq, for preventing another war with Iran, for exposing the fallacious “global war on terrorism,” and for promoting the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict. In some cases, Congress has supported good legislation but did not override a presidential veto. In every case, grassroots lobbying by FCNL constituents around the country played a role in persuading members of Congress to consider our views, and often, to vote consistent with FCNL’s recommendations.

These highlights illustrate what our Quaker lobbying has accomplished in 2007. In 2008 FCNL lobbyists continue to prepare the best available information on priority issues and to identify the next practical steps that Congress can take. We hope you’ll remain engaged, writing emails, making phone calls, and meeting with your elected officials.

Success and Progress

No New Nuclear Weapons: FCNL led the coalition lobbying strategy that resulted in Congress eliminating all funding for the administration’s proposed new nuclear bomb, the “Reliable Replacement Warhead” program (RRW).

Congress Reaffirms Ban on Permanent U.S. Military Bases in Iraq: For the second year in a row, Congress approved the FCNL-initiated proposal to ban the U.S. government from establishing permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq. The approval came just as President Bush revealed his plan to negotiate a long-term military basing agreement.

Senate Opposition to Attacking Iran Grows: The United States government has been threatening regime change in Iran since 2001, but opposition, both within the administration and in Congress is growing. Although Congress approved several dangerous sanctions measures in 2007, 30 senators signed a letter to the president in November warning against an attack, and U.S. intelligence agencies say Iran is not developing nuclear weapons.

Congress Bans Cluster Bomb Exports: Congress enacted a one-year ban on the export of cluster bombs, providing a first clear victory for FCNL’s campaign to ban cluster bombs. Congress still needs to ban the use by U.S. forces of these weapons in civilian populated areas.

Congress Takes Steps to Reduce Energy Consumption: Congress raised vehicle fuel economy standards to 35 miles-per-gallon by 2020 – the first such increase since 1975, though way behind Japan. The legislation also sets new energy efficiency standards for lighting and for many appliances, and encourages green building construction for many government and commercial buildings.

Housing for Native Americans: The House would provide housing for poor indigenous people in tribal communities and Alaskan villages. The House updated the act and authorized $624 million annually for this program designed to provide decent, safe, sanitary, affordable homes. Senate action is required.

Congress Supports Health Care for Poor Children: Both houses would provide 4 million children of uninsured working poor families with health insurance. The assistance would go to families whose income was too high to qualify for Medicaid and too low to purchase private insurance. Sadly, the president vetoed the legislation.

Celebrating Green on Capitol Hill

In July FCNL was privileged to host 16 members of Congress and several hundred others at an outdoor party organized to promote energy conservation legislation in Congress, celebrate the first green building on Capitol Hill, and raise FCNL’s profile in the halls of Congress. Members of Congress from both major political parties spoke about the importance of the Friends’ work and witness in Washington through FCNL.

Working Together with Friends

The solid grounding of FCNL’s work in the Religious Society of Friends is essential to the success of our work in Washington. In 2007 tens of thousands of Friends around the country participated in FCNL’s work through individual and corporate action, through representing their yearly meetings on the FCNL General Committee, and as part of our network of over 700 FCNL contacts in Friends Churches and Meetings around the country.

2006 Epistle

To Friends Everywhere

From the Friends Committee on National Legislation

To Baltimore Yearly Meeting

“Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?” I Corinthians 5:6

Our very small community of Friends – only a few hundred thousand in a nation of 300 million – may be called today to an historic role in a world where the number of armed conflicts has declined, but in which our government has become increasingly militarized; in which the structures of economic and social violence increase the gap between rich and poor; in which national and global policies relegate masses of people to a category we might as well call “expendable”; and in which the ice caps are melting due to human activity.

FCNL plays a role in balancing the prophetic with the practical. This brief epistle describes some of our attempts to achieve the practical in 2006. You will not read about every issue on which FCNL worked in 2006, but these stories illustrate what your Quaker lobby has accomplished. The work of FCNL lobbyists in Washington, DC, combines with the active engagement of the FCNL General Committee members, local volunteers, and thousands of citizen lobbyists around the country to persuade and influence Congress. Our successes are your successes. In this past year, we have much for which to be thankful.

We Seek a World Free of War and the Threat of War Iraq: FCNL’s Iraq Peace Campaign focused on building a bipartisan consensus in Congress to question the administration’s Iraq policy. After an 18-month FCNL effort, Congress approved provisions barring funding for permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.

Darfur: FCNL’s Darfur Legislative Updates have become a key tool for coalitions in efforts to focus policymakers’ attention on stopping genocide in Darfur. These weekly email update messages provided hundreds of groups with information on congressional activities, served as a clearing house for groups working on Darfur to share information and plan strategies, and allowed a broad coalition of groups to cooperate with each other on a regular basis.

We Seek a Society with Equity and Justice for All Saying No to Torture: The administration’s efforts to undermine the Geneva Conventions and win congressional authorization to torture people in some categories of detainees who were captured in the so-called “war on terror” have provoked resistance across the country. FCNL offered a religious perspective and a grassroots network ready to work against U.S. sponsored torture. FCNL staff also helped launch the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) in early 2006. NRCAT brings together people of faith committed to stopping U.S. sponsored torture.

Domestic Spying: FCNL lobbying against domestic spying focused on mobilizing constituent support for members of Congress who spoke out against the president’s spying program and on urging Congress to investigate this program. A peaceful counter-recruitment group gathered at the Palm Beach (FL) Friends Meetinghouse and was infiltrated and spied on by the Department of Defense (DoD). DoD classified the group as a “credible threat” to military recruitment. FCNL sought to support Florida Friends through mailing the meeting’s minute of concern to all monthly meetings and posting information about the situation on the FCNL website, www.fcnl.org. FCNL helped to persuade a small group of senators to block proposed legislation that would have rubber-stamped the president’s domestic spying program.

Continuing Advocacy on Native American Concerns: FCNL is the only non-native organization with a full-time staff person lobbying in support of Native American concerns on Capitol Hill. Working with tribal communities, other faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups, FCNL continued this year to support justice for individual Indian Trust Fund Account Holders in the case that has been championed by Elouise Cobell and supported the reauthorization of the Indian health program.

In March FCNL brought together media representatives with native and non-native leaders to discuss strategies for monitoring and influencing the media and its coverage of national Native American issues. “Hear Our Story: Communications and Contemporary Native Americans” was a conference attended by more than 200 native and non-native participants. They came together to start a dialogue, build networks, and design strategies for how native and non-native people can address the biased, misinformed, and missing coverage of Native Americans in the mainstream media and to counteract negative images and portrayals of Native Americans in popular culture.

We Seek a Community in which Every Person’s Potential May be Fulfilled

Budget Priorities: For every $1 spent on diplomacy, international cooperation, and humanitarian and development aid, the U.S. government spends more than $20 on wars and preparing for war. Lobbying to challenge these federal budget priorities is a key focus of FCNL’s work and an increasingly important mechanism for addressing the structural violence of poverty and lack of health care. FCNL continued this year to focus attention on the hefty portion of the federal budget that goes to war through articles in the FCNL Washington Newsletter, a budget priorities flyer, and an online advertisement just before the 2006 tax day headlined “42 percent of your tax dollars go to war.” Participants in the FCNL network wrote more messages to Congress on budget priorities than on any other issue except Iraq.

Immigration: The congressional debate on immigration reform leaned toward regressive, anti-immigrant policies. FCNL felt called to respond with policies to welcome the strangers. We recalled that Joseph and Mary once took Jesus to a strange land for his safety. We sought to soften the harsh House bill by working with the Senate to develop and support sensible alternatives. FCNL worked with immigrant rights coalitions in Washington and around the country to identify core elements of a bill that should define any effort to frame new immigration laws in this country, including paths to citizenship for people who come to the United States to work and people already living in this country. Our touch stones were the dignity of every person and our view that no person can be “illegal,” because we are all children of God.

We Seek an Earth Restored After visiting FCNL’s newly renovated green building on Capitol Hill, Sen. Jim Jeffords (VT) introduced legislation that would require the federal government to set green environmental and energy efficiency standards for the thousands of federal buildings across the country. The bill gained 11 bipartisan cosponsors before Congress adjourned at the end of September. Though this bill did not pass this Congress, it highlighted the debate on energy dependence and the government’s ability to lead the initiative for “earth-friendly” changes.

Many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle recognize the potential threat posed by climate change, and many are acting individually. However, they still have a long way to go to build a consensus on whether and how to act together. FCNL’s expanded environmental program focuses on ending U.S. oil dependence and mitigating harmful climate change. A variety of bills was introduced on these issues – an important step in furthering the legislative conversation. Grassroots action will help push these issues higher on the Congressional agenda.

Working Together with Friends: FCNL continues to rely on and benefit from our roots in the Religious Society of Friends. In the year before a new Congress convenes, FCNL sets its legislative priorities for the next two years. Our grounding in the Religious Society of Friends and our Quaker decision making process of discernment through worship strengthens FCNL’s program. Hundreds of Friends around the country participated in FCNL’s legislative priority setting process in 2006, through yearly meeting appointments to the General Committee and our network of over 700 FCNL contacts in Friends churches and meetings around the country. This web of interconnections with Quakers and others also facilitates the sending of tens of thousands of messages to members of Congress every year. FCNL established a Futures Working Group which is being asked to prayerfully consider how FCNL might envision its witness for the coming decade(s) and how we might strengthen FCNL's ability to empower a Quaker witness on Capitol Hill.

In 2006, the Friends Committee on National Legislation continued its effective and vigorous advocacy in the nation’s capital for peace and justice. The sustained support of Friends churches and meetings, yearly meetings, and tens of thousands of individuals has enabled FCNL’s Quaker witness for over 60 years. Then, as now, Friends have a light to shine in a world of darkness. If we shine our light in the right places, others may see what we have come to know: that love is the first motion; that we can rely on the power of love and the force of truth; that right and just relationships create common security; that every person is a holy place; and that the Earth is a living planet whose survival depends on us, and our fate, on it.

– Joe Volk, Executive Secretary, December 2006

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Washington, DC

2005 Program Report

This report may be reproduced and circulated

To Friends Everywhere

From Joe Volk for the Friends Committee on National Legislation

Quaker Witness in Washington

The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is a nonpartisan Quaker lobby in the public interest, founded in1943. In its work with Congress and the Executive branch FCNL labors to bring the spiritual values of Friends to bear on public policy decisions. FCNL is devoted to furthering the causes of international peace and social justice at home and abroad. Staff joins with volunteers around the country to bring a persuasive Quaker voice to a variety of Friends concerns.

This is an extraordinary time in U.S. and world history. Some argue that the United States must move aggressively to reassert its dominance in the world. Here at FCNL we take a different view, one that argues that using military power to impose the will of one country on the world is not right and does not work. The invasion and occupation of Iraq and the effort to bypass the United Nations and impose a U.S. agenda on the world have made the U.S. and the world less safe. The so-called “war on terror” has led individual U.S. officials to parse the meanings of words like torture and develop complex rationales for abandoning long held constitutional principles.

This is a moment in the history of this country when people are looking for alternatives. FCNL does not have all the answers, but we do know that war is not the answer and that there are alternatives not defined by partisan politics and calculations of who can win what in the next election. We know that focusing on human security, rather than national security is one of the best avenues for peaceful prevention of deadly conflict.

This very brief report does not touch on every issue FCNL worked on in 2005. The work of FCNL lobbyists in Washington DC is supported by the active engagement of the FCNL General Committee, volunteers, and thousands of citizen lobbyists around the country. Our successes are your successes. We have much for which to be thankful.

Peaceful Prevention of Deadly Conflict If war is not the answer, then what is? The practical instruments of negotiation, aid, and development assistance, the psychological instrument of respect for human dignity and equality, and the political instruments of human, juridical, and civil rights provide a more effective, just, and moral answer.

A main focus of the Peaceful Prevention program in 2005 was the ongoing crisis in Darfur, Sudan. The Senate passage of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act by unanimous consent in November was a great accomplishment. It followed a period of intense grassroots activity in the fall, including sending thousands of focused action alerts, and organizing national phone banking. The bill would help 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.

FCNL’s work promoting U.S.-North Korea dialog focused on changing “elite opinion” on this critical issue. Using a series of Hill briefings, workshops, and educational events often convened with other influential Washington groups such as the Brookings Institution, the FCNL East Asia Program became a pivotal force in shaping policymaker opinion on this issue. After nearly three years of ineffective and lackluster efforts, the Bush administration re-started direct negotiations with North Korea and the discussions have already achieved some limited results.

Iraq Campaign Throughout 2005, FCNL carefully and strategically promoted the Sensible Transition to Enduring Peace Resolution (STEP). It states simply: “It is the policy of the United States to withdraw all U.S. military troops and bases from Iraq.” When FCNL began presenting the STEP Resolution in January, many members of Congress and their staff were reluctant to discuss this resolution. FCNL staff knocked on dozens of doors, patiently suggesting that this resolution might provide a non-partisan foundation upon which members could craft pragmatic legislation.

By the end of June Congressional staff were expressing gratitude for FCNL’s work that enabled reasonable dialogue to begin on Iraq in general and withdrawal in particular. As intended, FCNL’s proposed STEP Resolution provided a non-threatening, non-partisan policy foundation on which members could craft programmatic legislation to declare U.S. intentions to withdraw, bring troops home, and end the occupation.

In November Representative John Murtha (PA) introduced a resolution “To redeploy U.S. forces from Iraq.” The legislation introduced by Rep. Murtha, who has been a strong supporter of the war in Iraq and the U.S. military in general, has attracted strong support in Congress. The bill would enact into law most of the key points of FCNL’s STEP Resolution.

Promoting Arms Control and Disarmament Grassroots activism helped stop the proposed “bunker buster” nuclear weapon in 2005. Working in concert with allies in the nuclear disarmament community, FCNL – its staff and grassroots supporters – achieved a significant victory in 2005 when Congress eliminated funding for this “new nuke.” FCNL’s Quaker Nuclear Disarmament staff combined direct lobbying of key legislators with a series of action communications to engage and mobilize constituents.

FCNL’s conventional weapons program works to inform Congress and the general populace about the problems posed by the weapons trade, and to influence policymakers in the direction of greater controls over the flow and use of weapons. FCNL successfully lobbied to persuade Congress to double the funds available for small arms destruction programs in countries that have recently experienced conflicts. In a last minute decision at the end of 2005, the U.S. Congress told the Pentagon not to begin production of any new landmines before studying the possible indiscriminate consequences for deploying this weapon.

Civil Liberties and Human Rights A big step in the direction of banning torture was taken when Congress passed the “McCain Amendment.” This provision bans torture by U.S. personnel and required the president to agree to the measure by attaching it to the annual military spending bill, which the president must sign or veto.

A strong partnership between the grassroots and FCNL helped turn congressional attention to and opened a debate about the trampling of civil liberties by our government. A delay was won in the permanent extension of the USA PATRIOT Act. News accounts in December confirmed the suspicions of civil liberties advocates, with revelations of further civil liberties encroachments by the federal government, including spying on Quaker meetings.

Reducing Oil Dependency FCNL continued to work behind the scenes in Washington to craft coalitions to oppose harmful energy legislation and argue for conservation. Thousands of people across the country responded to FCNL legislative action messages opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), supporting conservation measures within the energy bill, and ultimately condemning the legislation for failing to address critical conservation needs.

Native American Advocacy FCNL continued to monitor the Cobell v. Norton case regarding the scandalous Federal mis-management of funds held in trust for Native Americans – the largest legal case in Native American history. We have kept our constituents updated as the case’s 500,000 native plaintiffs face endless appeals in higher courts. All courts involved have upheld the principles of governmental accountability and fiscal responsibility underlying the case, but the administration and Congress act as if there are no funds to pay the money owed to Indian families.

Legislative advocacy addressed issues ranging from trust reform, to Indian health, protection of Indian women, telecommunications, cuts to construction funds for Indian health facilities and schools, and the opening of ANWR to oil drilling.

Lawyer and mediator Cushman Anthony joined the Native American program team full time as a Friend in Washington for five months. As the former head of a commission in Maine that coordinated between tribes and the state, he brought valuable experience and expertise.

FCNL Resources Support Local Action FCNL’s capacity to provide resources for our grassroots supporters to help them become more effective advocates continued to grow in 2005. Use of the online Legislative Action Center surged upwards as staff took a sophisticated approach to sending email action alerts. In addition to the weekly Legislative Action Message, now received directly by over 20,000 individuals, hundreds of personalized requests for action alerted constituents when their Representative or Senator had a key vote on a critical issue. The FCNL website was “renovated” with an eye towards ease of use and best practices.

Printed mailings and publications also brought concerns for national policy into homes around the country, through the monthly FCNL Washington Newsletter and the quarterly Indian Report. In the midst of our successful advocacy to prohibit funding for new nuclear weapons, thousands of individuals received a personal detailed mailing with information and requests for action.

Young Adult Program Quaker youth and other young adults are actively involved in the life of FCNL. Each year three to seven young people serve as legislative interns; college students and young professionals participate in FCNL’s Annual Meeting and a Spring Young Adult Lobby Day. Campus visits by FCNL staff include public lectures, guest lecturing in courses and Quaker studies programs, and meetings with students. We encourage yearly meetings to include young adults (under age 30) among their appointees to the FCNL General Committee.

Building for the Future FCNL finished a seven-year campaign to rebuild its national offices on Capitol Hill in the Fall of 2005. The new structure, located across from the Hart Senate Office Building, is designed to put a premium on natural light, is compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act, and walks gently on the earth by using modern, environmentally friendly architecture. Contributions from hundreds of supporters made this building possible. The staff returned to Capitol Hill in July.

This new building has already become a model for others. One senator, during a tour of the building in September 2005, announced he is planning to introduce legislation to use similar, green architecture in at least a small percentage of new government buildings. Several Quaker organizations and at least one high school group have also been inspired to explore reconstruction of their own structures to take advantage of green technology.

A series of open house events in the fall gave us the opportunity to welcome many friends of FCNL into the new building, including our neighbors on Capitol Hill, members of Congress and their staff, and colleagues in our many partner organizations. A grand building celebration was held in October, and FCNL General Committee members had an opportunity to tour the building during Annual Meeting in November. There continues to be strong interest in the building, the first of its kind on Capitol Hill, and we welcome a steady stream of visitors.

One of our strengths as an organization is that we have a longer view of the road we seek to travel in this country and in the world. But on a day to day basis, FCNL excels at identifying the small, practical steps that all of us can take to persuade the federal government to advance the country down that road over the short and medium term.

A dedicated, well-organized religious lobby in the public interest can make a difference in Washington, D.C., in these difficult times, on issues of importance to current and future generations. It is precisely in these times that we must redouble our efforts to defend and restore our democratic institutions. We will not abandon our republic or our moral convictions in this time of great need. Instead, we will proceed with love, faith, hope, courage, commitment, and dedication.

– Joe Volk, Executive Secretary

Why is it so important to have a Quaker voice in Washington in the 21st century? Especially in times of warfare, Quakers are called to bear witness to God's love for every person by providing a clear voice for peace and by opposing violence and articulating its alternatives. We recognize that achieving lasting peace involves not just a cessation of war but addressing the injustices and disparities that give rise to violent conflict among people.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, our nation's "war on terrorism" threatens to make permanent a war economy and national security state. We see rapid erosion of civil liberties and disregard of basic human needs. Security is being used as a justification for furthering U.S. unilateralism, militarism, withdrawal from treaties, blocking or ignoring cooperative efforts for peace and justice, and disregard for international law.

Here in Washington, DC it often seems that the fundamental Quaker testimonies of peace, integrity, simplicity, and community are not just disregarded, but constantly undermined by a few holding political power. This echoes the historical experience of Friends. Many of the principles that our Quaker predecessors first practiced and advocated seemed to their contemporaries extreme, radical, or even unthinkable: the direct experience of God with no intermediary clergy, the equality of women and co-education, religious tolerance, charging the same price to every customer, renunciation of capital punishment, abolition of slavery, and respect for universal human rights. These practices and the ideas that evolved from Quaker faith challenged the established order. But now these practices and ideas are commonly accepted, even applauded in leading democracies around the world. Our history tells us that the power of truth and the force of love can restrain our government and eventually transform it.

Our history gives us hope. The spirit which leads us and the faith which supports us are both strong. The calling of Quakers to witness to those in power in the nation's capital remains vital. The work of FCNL is one way Friends fulfill this call.

Partisan legislative gridlock was the reality of the 2nd session of the 108th Congress. Day in and day out, for most of 2004, the House and Senate were unable to agree to a budget resolution, a national energy policy, and the reauthorization of Head Start, highway and public transportation, welfare, international affairs, or Indian health programs. They didn't agree on most appropriations bills, and thus, the most essential business of this Congress didn't get done in anything resembling a timely fashion.

This dysfunctional legislative environment challenged us at FCNL to direct grassroots lobby efforts effectively (it was hard to know if or when a bill was going to come up). Despite this difficult context, we can report numerous accomplishments in several key areas.

FCNL HAD A GOOD YEAR. The legislative program is as strong as it has ever been. The number of people across the country engaged in and supporting FCNL's work continued to grow. FCNL's "War is Not the Answer" yard signs and bumper stickers continued to offer a prominent and poignant witness for peace across the country, and public demand for these remained strong.

Our building reconstruction is well under way. And, FCNL enjoys the confidence and trust of Friends and like-minded people across the country.

This very brief summary report does not touch on every issue FCNL worked on in 2004. The work of FCNL lobbyists in Washington DC is supported by the active engagement of the FCNL General Committee, volunteers, and thousands of citizen lobbyists around the country. Our successes are your successes. We have much for which to be thankful.