The following press release was just issued by the Progressive States Network (PSN) about the kickoff of a 50-state legislative response to President Bush's Iraq escalation plan. Tomorrow, January 17th at 11:30am EST PSN will be holding a conference call with Moveon.org, other grassroots groups, Sen. Ted Kennedy and legislators from all over the country to launch the campaign to have state legislatures introduce and pass resolutions demanding Congress stop Bush's escalation. You can join the call by RSVP-ing at www.progressivestates.org/iraq.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 16, 2007
Contact: Matt Singer 406-549-0773 msinger@progressivestates.org
Groups Join Legislators & Sen. Kennedy to Launch 50-State Legislative Response to Bush's Iraq Escalation Plan
Progressive States Network, MoveOn, Women Legislators' Lobby, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, and Sen. Ted Kennedy to Hold National Conference Call to Announce State Response to President Bush's Proposal to Escalate the War in Iraq
Missoula, MT - The Progressive States Network, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, Women Legislators' Lobby, and MoveOn.org are hosting a conference call with state legislators all over the country to launch a state legislative campaign to prevent President Bush's escalation in Iraq.
"States have the power and authority to speak out on issues that will impact them and their citizens," said Steve Doherty and David Sirota, Co-Chairs of Progressive States Network. "This escalation will have major costs - in terms of human lives, in terms of state budgets, and in terms of National Guard readiness."
The Progressive States Network will be working with legislators to introduce and pass resolutions calling on Congress to use its power to prevent President Bush's escalation.
MoveOn will launch a major campaign, mobilizing Americans across the country to contact their state legislators, urging them to take action on the escalation.
Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition that includes US Action, Service Employers International Union (SEIU), Win Without War, Vote Vets, Center for American Progress, Campaign for America's Future, MoveOn, and United States Student Association, will join the call to provide guidance and grassroots support for the resolutions.
State Senator Nan Grogan Orrock of Georgia, President of the Women Legislators' Lobby, will provide a state legislator's perspective on the escalation and how state governments can respond.
U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, who is sponsoring federal legislation to prevent the President's escalation, will brief legislators on Congressional efforts.
"State governments have historically spoken out on foreign issues from human rights abuses in Burma and the Darfur to trade policy to supporting our soldiers fighting overseas," said Joel Barkin. "This is a natural extension of that history."
Text of the resolution will be released prior to call. More information can be found at www.progressivestates.org/iraq
The Progressive States Network was founded in 2005 to drive public policy debates and change the political landscape in the United States by focusing on attainable and progressive state level actions. It accomplishes this mission by uniting policy makers with experts and grassroots organizations to provide the combination of efforts needed to advance good policy. It's board of directors includes representatives of MoveOn, AFSCME, SEIU, AFL-CIO, Center for American Progress, ACORN, and Media Matters for America.
WHAT: Conference call with legislators
WHO: Progressive States Network, MoveOn.org, grassroots groups, state legislators and U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy
WHEN: Wednesday, January 17, 2006 - 11:30am EST/8:30am PST
RSVP at www.progressivestates.org/iraq to receive call-in information for the call. The call is open to reporters and the public. Space is limited.