September 30, 2005

This fall, the House and Senate versions of the 2006 foreign operations appropriations bill will be combined. This important piece of annual legislation determines what Plan Colombia will look like in the coming year by establishing the amount of aid to be sent to Colombia, how it will be spent (military aid versus development aid), and conditions the assistance. This year the Senate language on Colombia is much better than the House version because it:

• Limits military aid and increases development assistance;
• Puts restrictions on funds used for harmful drug crop fumigation;
• Contains strict conditions on aid to demobilized paramilitaries in order to encourage a full dismantling of illegal paramilitary groups.

Take Action! If your representative or senators are on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, your call is especially important. These members of Congress will be involved in conference committee meetings - the negotiations of the bill behind closed doors - and therefore have influence over the process. Hurricane Katrina has delayed Congress a bit, so calls in the first few weeks of October are still helpful.

Tell your senators and members of Congress to support the Senate language on Colombia in the foreign operations appropriations conference committee.

Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask for the office of your representative or senator.

Suggested script: Introduce yourself, state where you are from, and ask to speak with the foreign policy advisor. Share with the person on the phone or over voicemail:

For senators/representatives on the foreign operations subcommittee:

“I am a constituent calling about Colombia legislation in the foreign operations appropriations bill. I believe that peace in Colombia cannot be achieved through U.S. military aid and drug crop fumigation. I would like to urge Representative/Senator __________, as a member of the foreign operations appropriations subcommittee, to support the Senate language on Colombia during conference committee. The Senate version of the bill calls for greater development assistance and less military aid to Colombia, and lays out strict guidelines for U.S. funding of Colombian paramilitary demobilization. I ask that your office do all in your power to support peace in Colombia by supporting the human rights of all, protecting the victims of war, and promoting social and economic development in Colombia.”

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