<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><p style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><img width="200" height="131" alt="" src="http://org.salsalabs.com/o/826/images/VFP%20Logo%20-%20all%20caps.JPG"><img width="450" height="168" alt="" src="http://org.salsalabs.com/o/826/images/legislative_update_banner.jpg"></span></p><hr style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><hr style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="15" width="822" height="622" border="0" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; position: static; z-index: auto;"><tbody><tr><td width="250" valign="top" bgcolor="#6699cc" align="center"><h4></h4><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p><a target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=QMTtqNBt2X9VnXF7bQ9FCzVn0lVBv73a"></a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=sMuGQTOqYvWi8CLOc5ORTjVn0lVBv73a"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">VFP Legislative Priorities</span></a></p><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=LgAoQsBhUowkEHKQ2ssAh3o707az1rL8"></a></p><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=3CzGR7ByM7iuoIlYatTdtTVn0lVBv73a"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Current Bills Related to VFP Priorities</span></a></p><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Fehvha8Qg2Ubq0T88uakHTVn0lVBv73a" target="_blank"></a></p></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=0RzS6FZbCN1g2yc1vX8VEzVn0lVBv73a" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Why Work With Congress?</span></a></p></span><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1AsNDC5O3oB6XvqoNmb3fzVn0lVBv73a" target="_blank"></a></p></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MopaAnXL2rI3sTtA7Ggz1zVn0lVBv73a" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Building A Relationship With Congress</span></a></p></span><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=yDMXKYa9cAaHpwywyq%2FbDjVn0lVBv73a"></a></p></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FEUi1xF5RFpBxHUfFkDqmzVn0lVBv73a"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Preparing for a Meeting</span></a></p></span><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7EdkkLESPl9%2Fl7zCkizrQDVn0lVBv73a" target="_blank"></a></p></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=DegHHqFbckFi9LrPzZYLJDVn0lVBv73a"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Use GovTrack.us to Follow a Bill</span></a></p></span><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=qw7l97NZD8i1IyGcf%2FTcuTVn0lVBv73a"></a></p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=s8la6VW%2FgriFWCw4CqS3PjVn0lVBv73a"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Join VFP's Legislative Action Group</span></a></p></span><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div></td><td valign="top" align="left"><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">September, 2014<br><br>Dear C. G.,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">There are several critical issues before Congress at this time for VFP to address. You can most effectively establish a positive relationship in a person-to-person meeting with your legislator or their aide. Members of the House of Representatives are in their districts this week (September 21 through 28) and then are campaigning and re-organizing from October 3 through November 10. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">When you call regarding a specific issue, ask to leave your message with the legislative aide for that area. It will usually be the aide for military or foreign affairs. Keep this aide’s name and phone number. It can be as important to work with them as to work with the legislator. They are likely to have more time to hear you out and have a lot of influence on the member’s policies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you have trouble getting meaningful contact with someone, raise your issue in a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and mention the name of your members of Congress in the letter. They will be sure to see that.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">CURRENT PRIORITIES</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) is seeking co-sponsors for this bill, which he will introduce this week. The bill would prohibit the transfer to police of high caliber automatic weapons, armored vehicles, armed drones, aircraft, stun grenades, and silencers. Here are reasons your Representative should become a cosponsor:<br></span></p><ul><li><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">A hearing by the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight has produced some startling <a target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BFshVhWLdRKUECULaSWYGjVn0lVBv73a">information about problems in the existing program</a>.</span></p></li><li><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">A VFP sponsored petition calling on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to temporarily suspend the 1033 Weapons Transfer Program has more than 100,000 signatures. If you have not yet signed, do it <a target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=NBCkaseXEtcfhYBk%2FwDmgzVn0lVBv73a">here</a>.<br></span></p></li><li><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">VFP has a <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=GDXFoCIQ73e%2FPGhlPeCPiTVn0lVBv73a">powerful statement on Mike Brown’s death</a> and the militarization of police.</span></p></li></ul><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br><b>2. Oppose U.S. military action in Iraq, Syria, Iran; bring all the troops home from Afghanistan.</b> While they are not getting much traction, there are several bills in the House that repeal or sunset the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq passed in 2002. They are <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Pbjnd0HN7d3nb1hdJcDhlHo707az1rL8">H.R. 2324</a>, <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=AXq4pXDgdmJ5Z5pvu5h5cDVn0lVBv73a">H.R. 3852</a>and <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZTd3ExndZ3zSWwOFXSl6XTVn0lVBv73a">H.R. 4608</a>. Representatives can co-sponsor and call for hearings on these bills. Senators can sponsor companion legislation. <br></span></p><ul><li><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Again, VFP has a </span><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RvLwoEvbODxcNjw4qs9rgTVn0lVBv73a"><span style="font-family: Arial;">statement on alternatives to military action in Iraq and Syria</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></p></li><li><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">53 religious communities, leaders, and academics issued an <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wbB82i9iewd0I8rsnrT%2BNzVn0lVBv73a">open letter to President Obama</a> to propose more effective, more healthy and more humanizing ways to protect civilians and to engage this conflict<br></span></p></li><li><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Reuters reports that already in late August <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xhq8%2Bu6Qlmg8sV0Ru0p9bDVn0lVBv73a">operations in Iraq were averaging $7.5 million per day.</a> Aren’t there better uses for this money?<br></span></p></li></ul><p><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">3. Audit the Pentagon. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Representative Barbara Lee has introduced <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4GL7hrdR57HA7c%2BFsPEQiTVn0lVBv73a">H.R. 5126</a> to “instill a culture of accountability at the Department of Defense that supports the vast majority of dedicated members of the Armed Forces and civilians who want to ensure proper accounting and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.” Limiting waste and fraud at the Pentagon can be an easier place to start the conversation on limiting military spending. Ask your Representative to co-sponsor and/or support this bill.<br><br>Thank you for taking on this work and all you do for peace.<br><br>Sincerely,</span></p><p><img width="200" height="39" src="http://org.salsalabs.com/o/826/images/Signatures/Formal%20Michael-Signature%20small.jpg" alt=""> <img width="200" height="61" src="http://org.salsalabs.com/o/826/images/Signatures/sig%20druhe.jpg" alt=""><span style="font-family: Arial;">Michael T. McPhearson Virginia Druhe</span></p><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="2"><br></font></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="2"><b>Veterans For Peace</b>, 216 S. Meramec, St. Louis, MO 63105, 314-725-6005 </font></span></p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><span style="font-size: larger;"> </span></font><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div></span><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span times="" new=""><hr></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span times="" new=""></span></span></td></tr><tr><td width="250" valign="top" bgcolor="#6699cc" align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br></span></td><td valign="top" align="left"><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Make a tax-exempt </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=vazBOkI%2BLE8X6OUf9YnsVDVn0lVBv73a"><span style="font-size: medium;">donation</span></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> to VFP today!</span></span></span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">We also encourage you to </span></span><font face="Verdana" size="2"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana"><a title="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=15&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.etapestry.com%2Fhosted%2FVeteransforPeace%2FOnlineMembership.html" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=TPuGpULPFq%2FdSNlkDNnJ9jVn0lVBv73a"><span style="font-family: Arial;">join our ranks</span></a></font></font></font></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><p style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><a href="mailto:Enter e-mail address here?Subject=FWD: VFP Legislative Update: Peace at Home, Peace Abroad&Body=I thought you might be interested in this message http://THE NODE YOU ARE ON/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1306013">Forward to a Friend</a></font></p></span><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=bTNdxaK%2FtAf37%2BBp5PLVGjVn0lVBv73a"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="2">Unsubscribe</font></span></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><img src="http://cdn.mailscanner.info/1x1spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/TrackImage?key=3025918350" style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><br><div><div>On Sep 15, 2014, at 2:17 PM, C. 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