Email Action Alert

Congress Home for Summer Recess

~August 7, 2007~ 

Congress left for its summer recess this past weekend with a host of legislative issues still pending, among them the Feinstein/Lugar resolution on Israeli-Palestinian peace.  The resolution has been updated to reflect recent events in Gaza and the appointment of Tony Blair as Quartet envoy and was “hotlined” last Thursday, August 2nd (scheduled for quick passage by unanimous consent).  In the crowded, final legislative wrap-up, the resolution was not brought to the floor, but could still come up for passage in the fall, when Congress returns.   

Whether or not the Feinstein/Lugar resolution passes, it has already had a significant impact in Congress.  It’s introduction alone and the support of 36 Senators, including members of key committees and Democratic and Republican party leadership, has sent an important message of Congressional support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and robust U.S. diplomacy to achieve it.  The current list of co-sponsors, with key leadership positions noted, is included below.  

Over the past few months we have seen more Members willing to go on the record in support of two states and U.S. leadership on peacemaking.  In addition to the Feinstein/Lugar resolution, prominent Senators such as Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have spoken in support of U.S. action on the peace process.  In the House, H. Res. 143, the resolution urging President Bush to appoint a Mideast peace envoy, now has 49 co-sponsors.  H. Con. Res. 152, the House resolution commemorating the 1967 war and the reunification of Jerusalem, prompted unprecedented constructive remarks on Jerusalem and notably, no companion Senate version was ever introduced or passed.  See CMEP’s new resource, “Congressional Record of Support for Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking” for some of the key statements made by Members of the 110th Congress on these issues. 

Your advocacy at home and during the CMEP lobby day at our May conference, together with the work of Arab and Jewish peace groups, is having an impact on the debate in Washington.  Of course, there is more work to be done, and the August recess presents an excellent opportunity to build on existing relationships with your Members and their staff or to introduce them for the first time to a Christian peacemaking voice of which they may not be aware.   

TAKE ACTION:

Meet with your Members of Congress During the Summer Recess

Your Representative and Senators are in their home districts and states from now until September 3rd.  The Feinstein/Lugar resolution in the Senate and the Middle East Envoy resolution in the House have laid the foundation for constructive discussions with your Members.  Thank them for their support or urge them to sign-on as co-sponsors.  It is also important to express support for the fall Middle East peace summit that President Bush recently announced and to urge that the conference agenda include substantive political discussions that could concretely lead toward negotiations of a comprehensive peace agreement. See CMEP’s “Guidance for Advocacy During Summer Congressional Recess” for help in arranging your meeting and email julie@cmep.org for current talking points.   

Feinstein/Lugar Resolution Co-Sponsors (36) as of August 3, 2007

 

Listed alphabetically with key committee membership or leadership position(s) noted

 

Akaka (D-HI): Armed Services; Veterans Affairs (Chair)

 

Baucus (D-MT): Finance (Chair)

 

Bingaman (D-NM): Energy & Natural Resources (Chair), Senate Democratic Conference (Chair of Cmte Outreach)

 

Brown (D-OH)

 

Burr (R-NC): Intelligence (Select)

 

Byrd (D-WV): Appropriations (Chair); Armed Services; President Pro Tempore

 

Cantwell (D-WA)

 

Casey (D-PA): Foreign Relations

 

Craig (R-ID): Appropriations; Veteran’s Affairs (Ranking)

 

Dodd (D-CT): Foreign Relations (Near East), Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs (Chair)

 

Durbin (D-IL):  Appropriations (State, Foreign Ops and Related Programs), Majority Whip

 

Feingold (D-WI): Foreign Relations (Near East); Intelligence (Select), Majority Deputy Whip

 

Feinstein (D-CA): Appropriations; Intelligence (Select), Rules and Administration (Chair)

 

Hagel (R-NE): Foreign Relations (Near East); Intelligence (Select)

 

Harkin (D-IA): Appropriations; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (Chair)

 

Hutchison (R-TX): Appropriations, Senate Republican Policy Cmte (Chair)

 

Kennedy (D-MA): Armed Services, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Chair)

 

Kerry (D-MA): Foreign Relations (Near East, Chair), Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Chair)

 

Klobuchar (DFL-MN)

 

Kohl (D-WI): Appropriations

 

Leahy (D-VT): Appropriations (State, Foreign Ops and Related Programs, Chair); Judiciary (Chair)

 

Levin (D-MI): Armed Services (Chair), Intelligence (Select), Senate Nat'l Security Working Group (Co-Chair)

 

Lott (R-MS): Minority Whip, Senate Nat'l Security Working Group (Co-Chair)

 

Lugar (R-IN): Foreign Relations (Ranking)

 

Murray (D-WA): Appropriations, Senate Democratic Conference (Secretary)

 

Nelson (D-FL): Foreign Relations; Intelligence (Select), Armed Services, Majority Deputy Whip

 

Reed (D-RI): Appropriations (State, Foreign Ops and Related Programs), Armed Services

 

Smith (R-OR):  Minority Deputy Whip

 

Snowe (R-ME): Intelligence (Select), Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Ranking)

 

Specter (R-PA): Appropriations (State, Foreign Ops and Related Programs), Judiciary (Ranking)

 

Stabenow (D-MI): Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Cmte (Chair)

 

Sununu (R-NH): Foreign Relations (Near East), Minority Deputy Whip

 

Voinovich (R-OH): Foreign Relations (Near East)

 

Webb (D-VA): Armed Services; Foreign Relations

 

Whitehouse (D-RI): Intelligence (Select)

 

Wyden (D-OR): Intelligence (Select)

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