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It
seems that almost every day there is a new sign of hope coming from the Obama
Administration that U.S.
policy toward Israel/Palestine is changing for the better. For example, today
we learned that the State
Department sent Israel a formal diplomatic note three weeks ago pressing Israel to lift
the siege of the Gaza Strip. |
111th Congressional Report Card
Are Members of Congress getting close to adopting some of President Obama’s
viewpoints and initiatives? Find out in
our new, interactive 111th
Congressional Report Card, which grades Members of Congress on major
pieces of legislation and Congressional “Dear Colleague” letters on Palestine/Israel
in the current Congress.
We grade Senators on two items and Representatives on eight. How does your Member of Congress stack
up? Who made our Hall of Fame and our Hall of
Shame? Find out by clicking
here.
This year’s Congressional Report Card not only features a new and improved user
interface, but it also includes a little
attitude. Because, let’s face it, many
of the things that Congress does on Palestine/Israel would be laughable were
the consequences not so tragic. So, for
example, we describe one gushy resolution about how Israel
is the best thing since sliced bread as “quaint,” and in another resolution we
question whether Members of Congress “are stuck in some parallel universe where
Palestinians occupy Israel.” Read more by clicking
here. Read about Our
Adventures on Capitol Hill
Speaking of us getting a little snarky, check out National Advocacy Director
Josh Ruebner’s blog posting on his adventures
yesterday on Capitol Hill trying to get into the House Appropriations Subcommittee
“mark-up” session, during which Members of Congress recommended $2.775 billion
in military aid to Israel in FY2010. Read our exclusive blog content, “Willy
Wonka Goes to Washington.” Meet with Your
Member of Congress in August
It’s not too early for you to start thinking about putting together a
delegation to meet with your Members of
Congress during the August Congressional recess to discuss with them their
voting records on Israel/Palestine and urge them to have a serious debate on
the merits of increased military aid to Israel during the rest of this year’s
budget process. If you can commit to
setting up a meeting with your Member of Congress in August, then please click here.
Don’t worry if you’ve never set up a meeting before with your Member of
Congress. We will provide you with resources, talking points, and a how-to
conference call so that you’ll be empowered to do it. It’s
our responsibility as good citizens to communicate our views to our Members of
Congress, so please sign up today to organize a meeting in August by clicking here.
Help Us Keep
this Important Work Moving Forward
Do you appreciate the work we’re doing to shift public discourse and affect policy
change? Are you encouraged by the
recent changes we’re witnessing and our collective ability to help bring them
about? If so, then consider making a tax-deductible donation
of $42 to the US Campaign to mark the 42nd anniversary of Israel’s illegal military occupation of the
Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and
Gaza Strip.
We need
your support to take full advantage of all the opportunities that are out there
for us right now. This month
we’re doing an on-line fundraising campaign to bring in some much-needed money
during this tough economic time. But
we’re less than 25% of the way to our goal. Can you please help us get there by making a tax-deductible contribution
today by clicking
here? A Word of Thanks
Finally, a big shout out to one of summer interns, Maria Underwood, for researching and compiling the data for the new
Congressional Report Card. Don’t forget
to check it out by clicking
here. |