Legislative Action | SOA Watch: Close the School of the Americas

Legislative Action

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APRIL DAYS OF ACTION IN DC - April 11-17, 2012 - Lobbying!

Get ready for our mobilization to DC in April of 2012! Call your member of Congress and set up a meeting with her/him during our lobby days (April 16-17) to get him/her to co-sponsor HR 3368 to shut down the SOA/WHINSEC. Urge friends and community members to join you!

Click here to let us know about your meeting with your Representative.

Remember that 2012 is election year, so let's push hard to get the candidates to address the issue of the SOA and militarization of our society. We can meet candidates on the trail, in town hall meetings, at debates, at the Republican and Democratic National Convention, and everywhere! Learn the skills you'll need to lobby hard during our April Days of Action.

Program for the Lobbying Days:
Monday 16th of April - Stweart R. Mott House, 122 Maryland Av., N.E.

09:15 - 10:15am Lobby Training

10:30 - 12:00 Meet with your Representative! (Set up your meetings now!)

12:00 - 02:00pm Join us for a rally, parade and march on Capitol Hill.

02:00 - 05:00pm Meet with your Representative!

(All Day: Pick up lobby packets, drop off visit forms, drop in for a debrief on your meetings!)

Tuesday 17th of April - Stewart R. Mott House (until noon*)

09:00am - 05:00pm - Meet with your Representative!

09:15 - 10:15am Lobby Training at Stewart R. Mott House.

(All Day: Pick up lobby packets, drop off visit forms, drop in for a debrief on your meetings!)

* 12:00pm-noon Change of location, you will find us at the Longworth HOB Cafeteria!

Can't come to DC? Send a message to your Congress member and call them, urging them to sign onto HR 3368.

Read more here.

SEND A MESSAGE TO YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER TODAY, URGING THEM TO SIGN ONTO HR 3368

Letter to President Obama

On August 16, 2011 Sixty-nine Members of the House of Representatives, headed by Congressman Jim McGovern and Congressman John Lewis, sent a letter to President Obama asking him to issue an executive order to close the SOA/WHINSEC. (See a list of Congressional signatories and view a copy of the letter here) This is one of many efforts that SOA Watch has employed to close the training school that has so many links to human rights violations across the hemisphere, and one of many efforts to curtail oppressive U.S. foreign policy in the Americas. We will also deliver over resolutions and statements in support of closing the school from labor, religious, and academic organizations along with over 10,000 signatures from citizens across the country in support of the closing of the SOA/WHINSEC, and demand that the president shut the school down!

See the list of organizations that have called for the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC.

There is still work to do! Will you help?

1. Call the White House to urge President Obama to respond to the August 2011 Congressional letter by closing the SOA/WHINSEC.

You can reach President Obama's office at: (202) 456-1111

Click here for a sample call script.

2. Identify your Representative (If you're not sure, you can find out here.) This site gives the phone number of your Representative's Washington DC office. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121 and ask for your Representative.

3. Where do they stand? Check to see if your Representative signed the letter to President Obama or has supported SOA Watch in the past. See list of Congressional signatories and cosponsors of HR2567 in the 111th Congress.

*You can find more information about your Representative's voting record, official positions and more at sites such as Project Vote Smart.

3. Let us know how it went! Be sure to call Alison Snow at the SOA Watch office in DC (202-234-3440), or send an email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) after your meeting, phone calls, or actions so that we may follow up with work at their offices here in DC!

Resources:

1. copy of the August sign-on letter (download as PDF),

2. reasons for closing the SOA/WHINSEC.

3. talking points

4. tips to schedule and prepare for a meeting,

Other tactics include:

- asking for a meeting with your Representative or an Aide;
- writing letters to the editor;
- bird-dogging your Representative when they are in town, or in DC;
- doing a sit-in, die-in or other nonviolent direct action that grabs their attention! Escalating your tactics is a great way to organize more people, build alliances and bring more attention to your demands.

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As justice and peace activists, and specifically anti-militarization activists working to close down the SOA/WHINSEC, we have a duty to encourage our representatives to choose the right path. An anti-militarization struggle, in our times, will NEVER be easy, but since we know that our actions today will lead to gains tomorrow, we must persevere and work on multiple fronts. Our lobbying efforts should be interconnected with our mass mobilizing efforts, our research efforts, and efforts from Latin America to fight imperialism and intervention.

If you have any questions on the SOA Watch Lobbying Campaign, please call Alison Snow at 202-234-3440 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Los Días de Acción de Abril en D.C. – El 11 – 17 de Abril del 2012 - ¡Cabildeo!

Prepárase para nuestra movilización en D.C. en Abril del 2012! Llame a su Representante en el Congreso y pide una cita con ella/el durante nuestros días de Cabildeo (16-17 de Abril) para que apoye la propuesta de legislación HR 3368 para el cierre de la SOA/WHINSEC. Avísales a sus amigos y a los miembros de su comunidad!

Haz clic aquí para dejarnos saber sobre la reunión con su Representante

Recuerda que el 2012 es un año electoral, así que empujemos fuertemente a nuestros candidato/as para que se involucren en el tema de la SOA y la militarización de nuestra sociedad. Uno se puede encontrar con su candidato en sus giras políticas, en reuniones abiertas en ayuntamientos, en debates y en la Convención Nacional del Partido Republicano y Demócrata, y en muchas partes más! Aprenda las habilidades necesarias para cabildear duro durante nuestros días de Acción de Abril.

Agenda para los Días de Cabildeo:

Lunes, 16 de Abril – en el Stewart R. Mott House, 122 Maryland Av. N.E.

09:15 - 10:15am Entrenamiento de Cabildeo

10:30 - 12:00 Reunase con su Representante! (Prepare su reunión hoy!)

12:00 - 02:00pm Únese a nosotros para una asamblea, desfile, y marcha en Capitol Hill!

02:00 - 05:00pm Reunase con su Representante!

(Todo el día: Recoja “paquetes” para el cabildeo, deje sus informes de visita, y pase por el Stweart R. Mott House para contarnos sobre sus reuniones!)

Martes 17 de Abril - en el Stewart R. Mott House (hasta el medio día/12*)

09:00am - 05:00pm - Reunase con su Representante!

09:15 - 10:15am Entrenamiento de Cabildeo en Stewart R. Mott House.

(Todo el día: Recoja “paquetes” para el cabildeo, deje sus informes de visita, y pase por el Stweart R. Mott House para contarnos sobre sus reuniones!)

* medio día/12 Cambio de localidad, estaremos en el Longworth HOB Cafetería!

No puedes venire a DC? Mande un mensaje a su Representante en el Congreso o llamlo/a, exigiendo que firme el HR 3368.

Para más información haga clic aqui.

$20,000 Challenge

An anonymous supporter made a huge gift to SOA Watch! The gift came with a challenge to raise $20,000 to help fund the movement. Will you help us meet this tremendous challenge with a donation today?

Please click here to donate today and help us meet the challenge!

New DVD: Somos Una América

Watch the Trailer

Order the DVD

Job Opening: SOA Watch Development and Operations Coordinator

SOA Watch has an opening for a full-time Operations and Development Coordinator in our Washington, DC office. We are looking for someone with a background dealing with finances, and with a strong commitment to the grassroots movement to close the SOA. People of color and women are encouraged to apply. If you are interested or if you can think of someone who would be great for this position, please see http://SOAW.org/work for the job description, requirements and for information on how to apply.

Tell Congress to Close the SOA/WHINSEC
Congress: Close the SOA