Friends of the Congo: U.S. Congressional Hearing on Congo, Thursday, February 2, 2012

ARE THESE YOUR CONGRESS PEOPLE ? IF YES THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HEALTH, AND HUMAN RIGHTS. THEY ARE HOSTING A HEARING ON "U.S. Policy Toward Post-Election Democratic Republic of the Congo"

CONTACT THEM ABOUT THE D.R. CONGO

If you live in the following states - Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Hampshire, Illinois, Delaware, New Mexico, Tennessee, Idaho, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Georgia, Wyoming, and Utah - we need your support in calling your senators and posting info on their facebook page about the situation in the Congo.

Here is a script:

Hello, my name is ___________. I am a constituent of Congressman/Congresswoman ___________. I am calling in regard to the Hearing on Thursday February 2 on Congo's elections that Africa Subcommittee will be hosting. I want to thank Congress for holding this hearing.

President Obama said in his State of The Union address "We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings - men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty."

It is US policy to support democracy in the Congo according to section 102 (1) of Public Law 109-456 yet the United States has not fulfilled this law or adhered to the country's democratic principles when it comes to its Congo policy.

In concert with U.S. law and stated U.S. policy, we urgently request the US government change the manner in which it is engaged in the Congo from one that supports strongmen to one that supports strong institutions and democracy by doing the following:

1. Respect the will of the people as expressed at the polls on November 28th by supporting efforts by the Catholic Church and other Civil Society organizations to arrive at the truth of the polls;

2. Cease recognition of the Kabila regime until the truth of the November 28th polls are determined;

3. Denounce the violence against civilians as documented by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other local NGOs.

Thank you

Note: Get as many of your family, friends, and people in your network to call these Congressmen and women especially if they live in the states listed above. Don't forget to leave comment on their facebook walls and tweet them.

Here is the contact info of the House Members on the committee hosting the hearing on February 2nd. Remember to ask your member of Congress to assure that a Congolese representative is invited to testify about his/her country.

Congressional Contacts:

Congressman Chris H. Smith - Republican
New Jersey's 4th Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-3765
Email: http://chrissmith.house.gov/zipauth.html
Website: http://chrissmith.house.gov/Contact/

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry - Republican
Nebraska's 1st Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-4806
Email: https://forms.house.gov/fortenberry/webforms/issue_subscribe.html
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jefffortenberry
twitter: https://twitter.com/jefffortenberry
Website: http://fortenberry.house.gov

Congressman Tom Marino - Republican
Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District
DC Office: 202-225-3731
Email: https://marino.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanMarino
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepTomMarino
Website: http://marino.house.gov

Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle - Republican
New York's 25th Congressional District
DC Office: 202-225-3701
Email: https://buerkle.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepBuerkle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepBuerkle
Website: http://buerkle.house.gov/

Congressman Robert Turner - Republican
New York's 9th Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-6616
Email: https://bobturner.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanBobTurner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/USRepBobTurner
Website: http://bobturner.house.gov/

Congressman Donald M. Payne - Democrat
New Jersey's 10th Congressional District (counties: Essex, Hudson, Union)
DC office: 202-225-3436
Email: https://payne.house.gov/contact/email-me.shtml
Website: http://payne.house.gov

Algene Sajery Yvette Clarke - Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights
New York 11th Congressional District
DC Office: 202-225-6231
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/US-Rep-Yvette-D-Clarke/135031389892682?v=wall
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/YvetteClarke
Email: http://clarke.house.gov/Contact/
Website: http://clarke.house.gov/