Actions you can take today to help
Keep Oregon's Guard in Oregon:

Write a lettter to your state representative and senator

Contact the House Rules Commitee and the Speaker: Let them know you support HJM 5-1 going to a floor vote! (UPDATED 6/8/09)

Tell your friends and neighbors about the campaign!

Support the campaign--get on a mailing list and/or donate

 

Actions you can take today to help Keep Oregon's Guard in Oregon:

1) Write a letter to your state representative and senator.
If you do not know who your legislators are, you can look them up here on line:
http://www.legislatorpro.com/oregon Or you can download a handy booklet with contact information and photos.

Here is a sample letter with some of the points you might want to cover.

 

Dear Representative Roblan / Speaker Hunt

As an Oregonian, I urge you to take the steps necessary so that Oregon will ensure that its National Guard will only be deployed overseas for federal service based on valid Congressional enactments. Please be sure HJM 5-1, the Guard Home Memorial, gets a work session and a vote before the Legislature ends its term!

Thousands of Oregonians wrote, called, emailed, and marched in favor of keeping the Guard from deployment to Iraq. We understand that the current deployment may not be able to be stopped, but we think that, if amended, HJM 5 will send Congress with the same message that was in HB 2556-1--that a Governor should not release the Guard to federal service abroad if there is no valid authorization.

HB 2556 enjoyed bipartisan support. On May 21, the Medford Mail Tribune gave "cheers" to Representatives Dennis Richardson, a Republican, and Chip Shields, a Democrat, for "working to give the state more say in the deployment of Oregon National Guard troops to wars overseas." Mayor Kitty Piercy of Eugene wrote letters on May 26 to Eugene's legislative representatives calling for a work session and vote on HB 2556.

Legislation or resolutions to de-federalize the Guard has been introduced in Vermont, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and several other states. Oregon needs its National Guard to respond to wildfires and natural disasters, and for search and rescue missions. We have a chance to be a national leader with this legislation. Please let me know when HJM 5-1 has been scheduled for a work session.

Sincerely,
(your name)

 

You can also send a similar letter to
Governor Ted Kulongoski
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047

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2) Contact the House Rules Committee, the Speaker of the House, and your represenatative and ask for a House Floor vote on HJM 5-1 --you can use the same sample letter above.

(This action updated June 8, 2009!)

TOLL FREE NUMBER FOR THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD: 800-332-2313

Speaker of the House, Representative Dave Hunt (House District 40/Gladstone): 503-986-1200
 or rep.davehunt@state.or.us

Chair of the House Rules Committee: Representative Arnie Roblan (House District 9/Coos Bay): 503-986-1409
  or rep.arnieroblan@state.or.us
Vice-Chair House Rules Committee: Representative Vicki Berger (HD20-Salem): 503-986-1420
Vice-Chair House Rules Committee: Representative Chris Edwards (HD14-Eugene): 503-986-1414
Representative Tobias Read (HD27-Beaverton): 503-986-1427
Representative Mary Nolan (HD36-Portland): 503-986-1436
Representative Bill Garrard (HD56-Klamath Falls): 503-986-1456
Representative Bob Jenson (HD58-Pendleton): 503-986-1458
Representative Sara Gelser (HD16-Corvallis): 503-986-1416

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3) Tell your friends and neighbors about the campaign! Share the materials on the Campaign's website with friends, neighbors, family, coworkers, and your legislators.

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4) Let us know if
(A) you would like to receive updates by mail, or by email, about the Campaign as it moves forward
(B) if you would like to be on the general mailing lists of any of the
Campaign's cosponsoring groups; and/or
(C) you wish to support the Campaign with a donation--any amount will help!

Any amount you can send will be an enormous help as we continue our efforts to prevent the misuse of our local state militia for overseas wars and occupations.

Send donations to
(inside Portland/Gresham/Beaverton area)
Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group
PO Box 42456
Portland, OR 97242
503-236-3065
campaign@pjw.info

(outside Portland/Gresham/Beaverton area)
Rural Organizing Project
PO Box 1350
Scappoose, OR 97056
503.543.8417
www.rop.org

Be sure your donation is marked "Guard Home Campaign."

Thank you, and please get in touch with us by phone or email if you have question or concerns about the campaign.

Sincerely

Dan Handelman
Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group

Posted December 31, 2008; updated June 10, 2009

NOTE: The deadline for petition gathering was December 15, 2008; thank you to all who gathered signatures and all 7000+ Oregonians who signed!


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Frequently Asked Questions List (10/27/08)
Authorizations for Use of Military Force (2002 & 2001)
Previous Oregon resolutions and letters

Current list of supporters (12/4/08)
Back to Campaign to Keep Oregon's Guard in Oregon page

Return to Iraq Affinity Group page
Return to Peace and Justice Works home page