PLEASE ACT (AS A RESIDENT FROM ANY STATE)  

TO SUPPORT REFUGEES!!

Call These Members on the Appropriations Sub-Committee on State/Foreign Operations BEFORE JULY 6TH to Say Your Faith Leads You to Support Refugees, and to Urge Increased Refugee Funding!!

Here's a sample of what to say: "I'm a constituent from [City/State] and I urge the Representative to increase funding for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program that matches our commitment to welcome 100,000 refugees in Fiscal Year 2017 - a minimum of $567.5 million. As we seek to respond to the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, resettlement is one of the key ways that the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and leverage international support for refugees. My community welcomes refugees, and I urge the Representative to increase funding to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive."

California: Barbara Lee (D-CA-13): (202) 225-2661/ @RepBarbaraLee

Florida:

• Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-25): (202) 225-4211/ @MarioDB
• Ander Crenshaw (R-FL-4): 202-225-2501/ @AndrewCrenshaw
• Tom Rooney (R-FL-17): (202) 225-5792/ @TomRooney
• Debbie Wassermann Schultz (D-FL-23): (202)-225-7931/ @DWStweets

Maryland: C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-2): (202) 225-3061/ @Call_Me_Dutch

Nebraska: Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE-1): (202) 225-4806/ @JeffFortenberry

New York:

• Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY-17): (202) 225-6506/ @NitaLowey
• José Serrano (D-NY-15): (202) 225-4361/ @RepJoseSerrano

Pennsylvania: Vice Chair Charlie Dent (R-PA-15): (202) 225-6411/ @RepCharlieDent

Texas: Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX-12): (202) 225-5071/ @RepKayGranger

Utah: Chris Stewart (R-UT-2): (202)-225-9730/ @RepChrisStewart

You can also tweet your Representative: ".@REPRESENTATIVE, show that #AmericaWelcomes by supporting increased funds to resettle #refugees! #RefugeesWelcome"

Follow @RCUSA_DC on Twitter and "like"   Refugee Council USA on Facebook for up-to-date alerts.

 

Also, if you live in the states of California, Florida, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Utah, YOU have a state representative personally on the Sub-Committee!

*Please consider sending your leader an email like the one pasted below to show your support for refugees:

I hope you're well. In advance of tomorrow's markup of the House State Foreign Operations bill, I wanted to reach out to express our deep concern about the proposed funding levels for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) in the bill's

draft text.

The draft bill proposes that "not more than $394,254,000" can be spent on the USRAP and no Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding can go toward USRAP. This is below the $407 million spent in FY15 to resettle 70,000 refugees, and far below the $507 million expected to be spent in FY16 to resettle 85,000 refugees.

To resettle a projected 100,000 refugees from all over the world in FY17, the administration has requested $567.5 million. The drastic limitation in funding called for in the draft bill text could jeopardize U.S. diplomatic efforts at the very time U.S. leadership is most needed to urge allies to respond to the global refugee crisis and prevent regional instability.

We are deeply concerned that if enacted, such a reduction in funds would result in turning our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damaging integration efforts, and negatively impacting communities that welcome refugees.

Across the country, people of faith have demonstrated widespread support and welcome for refugees, with a spike in community volunteers who help refugees integrate and thrive. Just this week, in honor of World Refugee Day on June 20th, communities   hosted over 100 events around the United States to show how they support refugee resettlement.

As a resettlement agency with 37 affiliate offices across the country, we know there is ample community support to help 100,000 refugees rebuild their lives in FY17. But resettlement is a public / private partnership, and it is pivotal that refugees and the communities that welcome them have the resources needed to adequately integrate and thrive. 

We urge appropriators to increase funding for the USRAP that matches our nation's commitment to welcoming 100,000 refugees in FY17 - a minimum of $567.5 million. As we seek to respond to the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, resettlement remains one of the key ways that the United States can demonstrate leadership and leverage international support for durable solutions.

Please let me know if you have any questions about how these reduced funds would impact our local offices' abilities to adequately welcome refugees. Thank you, as always, for your work.

 

See action alerts below that are specific for each state represented by the subcommittee members:

Further, if you are from these states of the Sub-Committee Members, would you please also consider sending emails like these below TO YOUR PERSONAL FRIENDS AND FAITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, and ask that they might also call their leaders directly?

CALIFORNIA

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call Representative Lee at (202) 225-2661 and tell them to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, Representative Lee is preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

FLORIDA

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call your Florida Representatives and tell them to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, your Florida Representatives are preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

MARYLAND

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call Representative Dutch Ruppersberger at (202) 225-3061 and tell him to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, Representative Dutch Ruppersberger is preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

NEBRASKA

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call Representative Fortenberry at (202) 225-4806 and tell him to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, Representative Fortenberry is preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

NEW YORK

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call your New York Representatives and tell them to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, your New York Representatives are preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

PENNSYLVANIA

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call Representative Dent at (202) 225-6411 and tell him to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, Representative Dent is preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

TEXAS

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call Chairwoman Kay Granger at (202) 225-5071 and tell her to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, Representative Granger is preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!

UTAH

Dear Friend,

As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, refugee resettlement is one of the key ways the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. 

Right now, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a funding bill that would drastically cut resources for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This reduction in funding would turn our backs on the 100,000 refugees we have pledged to welcome, damage integration efforts, and negatively impact communities that welcome refugees. 

Will you call Representative Stewart at (202) 225-9730 and tell him to increase refugee resettlement funding?

Along with other members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State / Foreign Operations, Representative Stewart is preparing to debate this bill. Make your voice heard today to support welcoming communities and help refugees integrate and thrive.

Thank you for all your work and support!