Urge Congress to Investigate “War on Terror” Abuses!

I hope you have all had a chance to call Senator Lautenberg and Senator Menendez in support of the Tribal Law and Order Act. If not, please do so soon!

The next thing on Amnesty International’s legislative agenda is encouraging Congress to investigate the abuses that took place during the previous administration. From April 6th to the 17th, activists across the country will meet with the offices of their Senators and Representatives to once again encourage them to do their job—performing oversight of the Executive Branch and thus ensuring that our constitutional system of checks and balances works!

We have planned this action to coincide with a congressional recess, a time in which Members of Congress are likely to be back in their home districts. That means that there is a good chance that you can meet with your Senator and/or Representative in person without having to travel to Washington!

You can sign up to lead a delegation . If you are approved, Amnesty will provide materials, online training, and a conference call to help you prepare yourself and train other members of your delegation.

You can also look for an existing delegation to join .

We don’t expect governments in countries like China and Iran to seriously investigate themselves and determine who is responsible for human rights violations. In democracy such as the United States, however, we should accept nothing less.

International Women’s Day/Protect Native American Women

As you probably know, today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. Amnesty is marking this event with a week of phone calls to the Senate supporting to protect Native American women from violence.

In its 2007 Maze of Injustice report, Amnesty International found that Native American and Native Alaskan women were TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE LIKELY to be raped or sexually assaulted than other women in the United States. It found that factors such as confusing and overlapping layers of bureaucracy and legislation; inadequate funding for law enforcement in the areas where they live; and lack of standards for the treatment of victims have left these women vulnerable and allowed their attackers to often remain unpunished.

The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009 would directly address these factors and thus offer Native American women the same level of protection that most of us take for granted. Please contact the offices of Senator Frank Lautenberg (202-224-3224) and Senator Robert Menendez (202-224-4744) and urge them to support this important legislation. Everyone in our nation deserves to be protected by the law! No one should live in fear, especially not because of her gender or ethic background!

You can find more information, including a sample script, at http://www.amnestyusa.org/svawlobby/tloa.php?st=NJ You can even use this website to let us know that you called and tell us how the offices responded!