Important Details for Jan 29 Washington D.C. UFPJ Congressional Lobby Day

Sue Udry
Legislative Action Coordinator
United for Peace and Justice

visit our website: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3116

We look forward to seeing you in DC this weekend.  Our numbers are growing and we expect hundreds of thousands at the march and rally on Saturday.  Our goal is 1000 people at lobby day.  PLEASE plan to attend the lobby training and state meeting on Sunday afternoon .  The state meetings are the time for you to meet with the others who will make your congressional visits with you.  It is also a great opportunity to network with others in your state and make plans beyond Monday's lobby visit.  These meetings are important even for those of you who have lobbied before.

1. Briefings (via conference call)

Tuesday, Jan. 23 8-9 p.m. eastern time
Wednesday, Jan 24 8-9 p.m. eastern time
(see details below)

2. Saturday, Jan 27 March & Rally

Rally at 11 a.m. on the Mall at 3rd street
March will step off at 1:00
March will end on the West Lawn of the Capitol

3. Sunday, Jan 28 Workshops, briefings and state meetings
location: Bethesda- Chevy Chase High School
4301 East-West Highway, Bethesda MD.  Free Parking, convenient to metro. (You can check www.wmata.com  to find the best way for you to get there on mass transit)

Variety of workshops from 9 a.m. - 12:00

Lunch on your own at neighborhood eateries

12:30 Plenary session for Lobby training

2:30 Meet with others from your state and Congressional District

4. Monday, Jan 29

Congressional visits as scheduled
2:00 - 4: 00  or 4:30 Book Fair sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters  - room 1100 Longworth

Debriefing rooms (meet your delegation, rest, pick up more handouts):

On the South (HOUSE) side of the Capitol - room 2138 Rayburn office building.

On the North (SENATE) side - Conference Rm. 1 in the Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave. NE (close to the Senate office buildings, a few blocks from Union Station) ** this is the best place to drop your suitcases off

5. Map of  Capitol Hill

http://www.aoc.gov/cc/cc_map.cfm

(note: the Methodist building is not labled on this map, it is between the Supreme Court and the Dirkson Senate Office Building)

6. Rules for entering House and Senate Office Buildings:

To enter any of the office buildings, you have to go through a metal detector and put your bags through an x-ray machine.  We are getting wriiten guidlines from the Capitol Police on exactly what you are allowed to bring into the buildings. Big signs and sticks are not allowed,  In the past we have had problems with big scrolls of paper.

DETAILS

1. Conference Calls:
You are invited to get a headstart on the weekend by joining one or both of these conference calls -- you will have time to ask questions and learn more about the issues.

Phone Number: 319-632-1100
access code: 381-726#

(this is a normal long distance call, there is no fee associated with the conference call service)

instructions: at the appointed time (8 pm eastern) call the above number, an automatic voice will come on and prompt you for your access code, you enter that and you will be connected to the conference call.  Since there will be so many people on the call, we ask people to 'mute' their phone to cut out background noise -- you do this by pressing 6 on your phone.  If you want to add to the discussion or ask a question, you press 6 again.  This is a cost-effective and convenient way for us to have a chance to talk before you come to Washington.

Iraq Briefing

Tuesday, Jan. 23
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. eastern time

Raed Jarrar will update us on efforts by Iraq's members of Parliament and others to promote peace and reconciliation in Iraq, and the current public mood in Iraq. You will have an opportunity to ask questions. 

Legislative Briefing
Wednesday, Jan. 24
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. eastern time

An update on legislation introduced on Iraq and Iran. A discussion of our legislative strategy for lobby day and beyond, including pressing for meaningful investigations.

2. Schedule for Sunday

location: Bethesda- Chevy Chase High School

4301 East-West Highway, Bethesda MD.  Free Parking, convenient to metro (www.wmata.com)

Sunday will be a full day of workshops, organizing meetings, lobby training and state caucus meetings.  We will have workshops and briefings on how to lobby and background and update on Iraq and Iran and Investigations to help you with your lobby visits.  There will also be a wide array of other workshops and organizing sessions.  See the morning workshop schedule here:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3485

Lobby Training and State Meetings will start at 12:30

12:30 - 2:15 Plenary will include a legislative briefing, update on Iraq, update on Iran, and any other essential information. 

Welcome: Rep. Maxine Waters, Chair Out of Iraq Caucus

Briefings on Iraq, Iran, Congress, Legislation and all you need to know for an effective meeting

Speakers include Rep. Jim McGovern (MA), Phyllis Bennis, Shervin B

2:30 - 4:30  THIS is the UNIQUE part of the weekend -- you'll meet with others in your state to discuss your strategy for your Senate meetings on Monday, as well as how you will follow-up as a group once you are back home.  This is how the peace movement will grow!  You will also have an opportunity to meet with the others from your Congressional District to plan those meetings and follow-up.

3. Schedule for Monday

We are working on organizing a kick-off press event at one of the House office buildings Monday morning.  Tentative time: 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.  Details will follow as they become available.

Debrief rooms:

We will have two rooms available for you from 9 - 5 on Monday to report back on your lobby visits, get additional handout, get questions answered etc. These rooms are also available for you to meet with others in your delegation, take a rest, or hear about other peoples experiences.

On the South side of the Capitol - room 2138 Rayburn office building.

On the North side - Conference Rm. 1 in the Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave. NE (close to the Senate office buildings, a few blocks from Union Station)  ** best place to leave your suitcase.

Book Fair
Rep. Maxine Waters will host a book fair featuring authors who have written books on the war.  You are all invited to attend between any congressional meetings you have scheduled (it will be okay to drop by for part of the event).  If time allows, audience members will be invited to ask questions  Here are the details

when: Monday, January 29, 2 - 4:30 pm,

where: Rm 1100 Longworth House Office Building (Ways and Means Committee Roomk)

Who: Rep. Waters and the following authors:

Mr. Aaron Glantz, author of How America Lost Iraq;   Mr. Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Imperial Life in the Emerald City ;   Ms. M. M. Chantiloupe, author of Iraq: The War That Shouldn't Be - You Decide;   Mr. David J. Danelo, Blood Stripes: The Grunt's View of the War in Iraq;   Mr. Christian Parenti, THE FREEDOM: Shadows and Hallucinations in Occupied Iraq;   Mr. Anthony Arnove, Iraq: The Logic of Withdrawal;    Mr. John Prados, Hoodwinked: The Documents that Reveal How Bush Sold Us a War;   Ms. Kirsten Holmstedt, Band of Sisters: American Women at War in Iraq;   Mr. Paul Joseph, Are Americans Becoming More Peaceful?;   Mr. James Bamford, A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America's Intelligence Agencies;   Mr. Paul Reickhoff, Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington;   Mr. Gerry Schumacher, A Bloody Business: America's War Zone Contractors and the Occupation of Iraq ;  Mr. Tyler Drumheller, On the Brink, An Insider's Account of How the White House Compromised American Intelligence.

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