by WebPost | Mar 24, 2022 | Announcement
Final Opportunity to Review RFM's Legislative Priorities for Submission to FCNL
Please review these and send any feedback to Barbara Pedrotty (gracepeds@yahoo.com) by March 31st. At the recommendation of Meeting, the last two priorities listed here were added to the four that were presented to the March Meeting for Business.
Support legislation to abolish the Selective Service and to restructure the budget so it more robustly bolsters diplomatic initiatives and efforts to de-escalate conflicts.
Revitalize our democracy with legislation to promote campaign finance reform and not only protect voting rights but strengthen them, with the priority of ensuring easy and convenient access to the ballot box for those in marginalized communities.
Promote legislation that repairs and strengthens the social safety net so all workers can earn a living wage, and food security, housing and universal healthcare become every citizen's right.
Support legislation to dramatically reverse climate change, helping to eliminate potentially violent disputes over ever more limited resources like potable water and arable land while minimizing hostilities aimed at refugees forced to flee climate-induced disasters.
Advocate for legislation that encourages commercial farmers to use fewer herbicides, pesticides, and hormones in producing food, which will not only provide healthier products for consumers but simultaneously slow down climate change and the ongoing degradation of the Earth.
Push for the passage of legislation that finally establishes a commission to study reparation proposals for African Americans, and support similar initiatives for Indigenous Americans.
by WebPost | Feb 6, 2022 | Announcement
Friends Committee for National Legislation (FCNL), the Quaker organization that advocates on Capital Hill for legislation that reflects our testimonies, is reaching out to Meetings across the country in order to solicit input regarding which national issues Friends see as the most urgent for the 118th Congress, which convenes in January, 2023. In order for Richmond Friends Meeting to participate in this Spirit-led discernment process, please email Barbara Pedrotty by February 24th the issue/s you would like FCNL to focus on. Peace and Social Concerns will develop a plan, given the restraints of the pandemic, to combine and coalesce those suggestions into a draft of the (maximum) seven most urgent legislative issues for RFM. We will present the draft at Meeting for Business in March, in the hope of forwarding RFM's legislative priorities to FCNL by their deadline of April 12th, 2022.
FCNL suggests issues be grouped into one of the four categories, below, as noted in the brochure “The World We Seek” (available at fcnl.org) which outlines the foundational policies from which legislative priorities can be discerned. Therefore, please indicate in which category you believe your particular issue/s belong:
I. We Seek a World Free of War and the Threat of War
II. We Seek a Society with Equity and Justice for All
III. We Seek A Community Where Every Person’s Potential May Be Fulfilled
IV. We Seek an Earth Restored
Given the challenging times we live in, how are we as Friends called to influence our government today? What issues should be the focus for FCNL’s advocacy efforts? Where is the Spirit leading us?
Please send your suggestions to Barbara Pedrotty at gracepeds@yahoo.com by 2/24/22
