Dear CPC and CPA members,

After months of political back and forth between Congressional leaders and President Bush regarding how to proceed in Iraq, Congress will be voting on Thursday May 24th on a deeply disappointing version of the Iraq supplemental bill.

Originally the war supplemental bill included a timeline for troop withdrawal, but this week the congressional leadership conceded to Bush to allow for a bill that has no timeline for withdrawal and weak bench marks for the Iraqi government. We urge a “NO” vote on this bill. It is simply a blank check and lets an endless war continue.

Supporting this legislation is supporting an escalation in Iraq: meaning troops will be spread more thin, there will be increased levels of violence and deaths, as well as more funding diverted into the bottomless war coffers from vital domestic programs such as funding for higher education and children’s health insurance.

Almost every week we hear about more deaths related to this war, both of U.S. soldiers—many from Colorado—and of Iraqi civilians. The escalation is doing much more harm than good and it is the responsibility of Congress to reverse us on this path that Bush has led us down.

Please make a call NOW!!! to your U.S. Representative and Senators to encourage them to VOTE NO on the supplemental funding bill and to only supply funding when it is tied to a timeline for troop withdrawal and has standards for troop readiness.

Rep. Diana DeGette (District 1, Denver):  D.C. office: 202-225-4431 or District office: 303-844-4988

Rep. Mark Udall (District 2, Boulder, North Suburbs, Mountain Corridor): D.C. office: 202-225-2161 or District office: 303-650-7820

Rep. John Salazar (District 3, Pueblo, Grand Junction, West Slope):  D.C. office: 202-225-4761 or District office: 719-543-8200

Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (District 4, Northern Colorado, Eastern Plains):  D.C. office: 202-225-4676 or District office: 970-663-3536

Rep. Doug Lamborn (District 5, Colorado Springs, Central Colorado): D.C. office: 202-225-4422 or                       District office: 719-520-0055

Rep. Tom Tancredo (District 6, Denver Southern Suburbs): D.C. office: 202-225-7882 or District office: 720-283-9772

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (District 7, Denver Northern Suburbs): D.C. office 202-225-2645 or District office: 303-274-7944

Click here and use CPC’s Action Center if you are unsure of who your U.S. Representative is:
http://capwiz.com/progressivecoalition/state/main/?state=CO  

Sen. Ken Salazar: (Representing all of Colorado) D.C. office: 202-224-5852 or Colorado office: 303-455-7600
Sen. Wayne Allard: (Representing all of Colorado) D.C. office: 202-224-5941 or Colorado office: 303-220-7414

In Peace,
Colorado Progressive Coalition and Colorado Progressive Action

For more information or to get involved in our work against the escalation in Iraq please contact Jane Feustel, Colorado Progressive Action (CPC’s lobbying arm) 303-863-8390 or jane@coprogressiveaction.org