Urge Your Legislators to Consponsor Landmine Victim Assistance Bills

By letter, fax, or email, please contact your Member of the House of Representatives and your two Senators to urge them to cosponsor the "International Disabilities and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare Assistance Act of 2003." This bill, if passed, will help thousands of landmine survivors worldwide with medical and rehabilitative care. In order to attract new supporters in Congress, it is to our advantage not to mention the Mine Ban Treaty or the current US landmine policy review when contacting legislators about this bill.

See sample letter below.
To find your legislators' contact information, visit www.senate.gov and www.house.gov.

This bill was introduced in the House and Senate during the last legislative session but was never voted on. We hope that legislators will feel compelled to pass the bill during this session. The more cosponsors we get, the better chance of passing the bill! Please pass along this action alert.
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Sample Letter of Support in Favor of Landmine Victim Assistance Bill

Date
Dear Senator or Representative (name):

I am writing to ask you to cosponsor the “International Disabilities and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare Assistance Act of 2003” (S 742 and HR 1462).

Thousands of Americans have been killed or maimed by landmines while abroad. It is estimated that every year 15,000-20,000 people, many of whom are women and children in some of the world's poorest countries, are maimed or killed by these weapons. Afghanistan and Iraq are only two of the more than 80 countries where landmines and other unexploded ordnance lead to so many conflict and post-conflict injuries for civilians.

While the Federal Government invests over $120 million in landmine-related activities annually, primarily for demining, less than ten percent of these funds are directed toward addressing the human suffering among those injured by mines. S. 742 and HR 1462 will expand authority at USAID and the Department of Health and Human Services to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities, including victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and warfare. Such assistance includes medical and rehabilitation services, research, prevention, public awareness campaigns, and peer support.

Thank you for considering this important humanitarian issue.
Sincerely,
(Name and Address)

Senators Brownback sponsored this bill in the Senate, with cosponsorship from Senators Clinton, Mikulski, Smith, Feinstein, Murray, and Bingaman. Representative Lantos sponsored this bill in the House, with cosponsorship from Representatives Wolf, Brown (Ohio), Smith (New Jersey), Evans, Payne, Pitts, Berman, Quinn, Wexler, Case, Crowley, McDermott, Woolsey, Blumenauer, Serrano, Ackerman, Schiff, Olver, Hoeffel, McCollum, and Langevin.