Blog Contributor:
Maryamu.Aminu
Dec 19th, 2011 1:06 PM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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Each day this week, we’ll highlight a major accomplishment in the fight against poverty that ONE members helped achieve in 2011. Today, ONE’s Assistant Director of ONE’s Government Relations Team Maryamu Aminu discusses our impact on the US FY2012 budget.
Did the year fly by for you? If you measure by our work, it was a long hard fight, but in the end, we emerged victorious. So here at ONE, we’d say it was a great year for fighting poverty. Due to the economic crisis, like most American families, ONE and our partners had to adjust our definitions of success. Success used to mean significant increases for critical life-saving programs. But in these turbulent economic times, now success means stopping cuts to these same programs, a.k.a, “Stop the Cuts that Could Kill.” So, even while we are witnesses to a devastating and ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, we did not lose our will to fight the famine and to support ways to advance sustainable, long-term food security. And that’s success!
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Jan 19th, 2011 4:05 PM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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Once again, Nigerians have been ranked the happiest, most optimistic and most hopeful in the world. As one of many Nigerians dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country, it’s easy to disagree, especially given how the country and its people are portrayed in the media. Nigerians have spent the majority of our 50 years of independence under military self-rule and the country ranks among the highest in corruption indicators every year. We’ve been beset by militant religious and ethnic strife in some regions, and of course, we’ve failed the democratic electoral process three times in a row.
So, why are we so happy?
The answer may defy conventional wisdom. Despite assertions made by scholars about colonial boundaries forcing ethnic groups into national conglomerations that can’t coalesce, the nation-building exercise is working in Nigeria. We believe in our country. If Nigeria hasn’t lived up to its potential, it’s not because the country is unsustainable. It’s because Nigerians haven’t lived up to Nigeria’s potential. I think Nigerians are innately, if unconsciously, connected to our national identity. We love the idea of Nigeria. We still feel that we are a young nation with the power to shape our future. We are a patriotic people, but we don’t measure our commitment to the country by a willingness to sacrifice our lives for it — we do so by our willingness to be identified as Nigerians. One of our leaders once said, “I won’t die for Nigeria, but I’ll live for Nigeria.”
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Jul 15th, 2010 3:01 PM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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 Big, big news: The Cardin-Lugar Transparency amendment just passed in the Senate!
Late in May, ONE put out an urgent call to all our members to call their Senators and urge them to vote in favor of including the Cardin-Lugar Transparency amendment to the Senate Financial Regulation bill. Our members generated more than 1,000 calls to the Senate and helped secure enough support for its sponsors, Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), to be confident of winning the vote. However, due to a procedural motion in the Senate, we were denied the opportunity to have the vote. Since then, we’ve been working furiously toward the inclusion of the Cardin/Lugar amendment after the House and Senate met in June to iron out differences between their two bills and settle on a final version. Championed by Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), the amendment was accepted in conference and was part of the final bill, which has since passed the House.
The transparency amendment is ONE’s biggest effort to fight corruption in poor countries to date. Through this amendment, ONE members are working to fight corruption and ensure that payments received by their governments and natural resources, go toward meeting Millennium Development Goals like health care, schools and clean water, not into the pockets of corrupt public officials. It makes it mandatory for all companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange to disclose what they pay to foreign governments for extracting oil and gas or mining gold and diamonds. In essence, we are helping to shed light on the finances of some of the most corrupt and closed regimes in the world–including Burma, Zimbabwe and Sudan– through the multinational corporations that do business with them.
ONE members’ calls to their senators made an enormous difference in our efforts to get the amendment included in the final bill. Today is a big victory not just for the people who will be positively affected by this important legislation, but for everyone who believes in transparency and accountability. Go ahead and give yourselves a pat on the back!
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Jul 14th, 2010 8:03 PM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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Late in May, ONE put out an urgent call to all our members to call their Senators and urge them to vote in favor of including the Cardin-Lugar Transparency amendment to the Senate Financial Regulation bill. Our members generated over 1,000 calls to the senate and helped secure enough support for its sponsors Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Richard Lugar (R-ID) to be confident of winning the vote. However, due to a procedural motion in the Senate, we were denied the opportunity to have the vote. Since then we’ve been working furiously towards the inclusion of the Cardin/Lugar amendment when the House of Representative and Senate met in June to iron out the differences between their two bills and settle on a final version. Championed by the Senator Pat Leahy (VT) and Representative Maxine Waters (CA), the amendment was accepted in conference and was part of the final bill which has since passed the House. We expect the Senate vote to come up on Thursday evening.
The transparency amendment is ONE’s biggest effort to date to fight corruption in poor countries. Through this amendment, ONE members are working to fight corruption and make sure that payments received by their governments, for their natural resources, go towards meeting Millennium Development Goals like healthcare, schools and clean water, and not into the pockets of corrupt public officials. It makes it mandatory for all companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange to disclose what they pay to foreign governments for extracting oil and gas, and mining. In essence, we are helping to shed light on the finances of some of the most corrupt and closed regimes in the world–including Burma, Zimbabwe and Sudan– through the multi-national corporations who do business with them.
ONE members’ calls to their senators made an enormous difference in our efforts to get the amendment included in the final bill. Click here to watch Senator Leahy introduce the amendment in the House Senate deliberations on the Financial Regulation bill. The House has already voted on the final bill with the Transparency language and we expect the Senate to vote tomorrow. We’ll have an update for you on Friday on whether it goes through.
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May 6th, 2010 12:30 PM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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Last month, we asked ONE members to petition their Senators to sign a bi-partisan letter to Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Ranking-Member Judd Gregg (R-NH) of the Senate Budget Committee. This letter urged them to fully fund the administration’s request of $58.5 billion for international affairs (also known as the 150 account). Thanks to your hard work and energy, over 40,000 ONE members secured signatures from 31 Senators.
Then two weeks ago, under the leadership of Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), the Senate Budget Committee passed a Senate budget resolution which included a $4 billion cut to discretionary spending, the entire amount of which was taken from the President’s $58.5 billion request for international affairs (the 150 account). Of equal concern to us, last Friday, Congressional Quarterly reported that Congressman Spratt, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, said if given an opportunity to move a House budget, his committee will likely maintain this $4 billion cut to the 150 account.
ONE is strongly protesting this misguided cut. The 150 account funds all diplomatic and peacekeeping operations, and our priorities such as debt relief for countries like Haiti, life-saving treatments to assist impoverished people infected or affected by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; and other poverty-fighting programs that empower women; provide food aid and promote agricultural development and enroll millions of children in school. In short, the 150 account demonstrates America’s values of helping the least among us, and helps stabilize fragile regions to strengthen our national security.
But it’s not over. 31 Senators have already made our point, and now we must see this through. ONE members have some serious work to do in the next few weeks to restore the international affairs budget request to $58.5 billion. We’ve learned that if Senator Conrad’s budget proposal goes to the floor for a vote, it will happen with very short notice. The good news is that we have strong bi-partisan champions in the Senate who will likely sponsor an amendment to restore the $4 billion cut. If that happens, we need all ONE members to be ready to contact their Senators, at a moment’s notice, and help deliver the votes to restore the account to the administration’s request. We’ve done this before and have won every time. This time is just as important- so stand by for the alert!
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Apr 22nd, 2010 9:56 AM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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As we approach the homestretch of the budget process for fiscal year 2011, we remind ourselves that we are fighting for funding increases for effective aid programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; put millions more children in school; save the lives of millions of mothers and young children; provide millions more with access to clean water and relieve the crushing burden of debt for devastated countries, like Haiti. We are trying to make fragile states and economies stronger, and making a safer world for America. In November 2009, more than 50,000 ONE members participated in a campaign asking Members of Congress to sign a letter to President Obama, expressing their support for a robust request for international affairs in his FY2011 budget. And we won BIG! A whopping 244 members of the U.S. House of Representatives Senate signed the letter.
President Obama also answered our call by requesting $58.5 billion for international affairs (also known as the 150 Account). He further explained in his recent State of the Union address that “America takes these actions because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores. But we also do it because it is right.” Since then, all our efforts have been to urge the remainder of the United States Congress to uphold this number. ONE members, our staff and partner organizations have collectively made hundreds of touches to Congress in support of our poverty-fighting account. These include making phone calls and writing letters, congressional in-district meetings, approaching and banding congressional targets at public events, and signing and delivering our 33,515-strong petition in support of the bi-partisan senate letter, all of which urged them to uphold the administration’s request of $58.5 billion for international affairs.
Today, the Senate Budget Committee will consider the budget resolution and put out an initial number for the 150 account. $58.5 billion is the magic number. We’ll keep you updated in the developments. Keep your fingers crossed and watch this space!
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Mar 29th, 2010 3:54 PM UTC
By Maryamu.Aminu
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Great news! In the middle of partisan divisions and debate about budget deficits and domestic issues, a group of Senate champions are circulating a bipartisan letter in support of the 150 account that is currently making its way around the U.S. Senate. The letter asks Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Ranking-Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) to uphold the administration’s FY11 request of $58.5 billion for International Affairs.
Since bipartisanship is one of ONE’s key principles, this is a great vehicle for ONE members to rally around as we continue to advocate for funding for our key priorities. Widespread, bipartisan support will help secure these necessary increases. These increases will in turn support a comprehensive approach to life-saving global health programs, sustainable global agricultural development, and investments in basic education, debt relief, and economic development programs.
So far, Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), George Voinovich (R-OH) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) are all signatories to this letter. We need to get as many Senators as possible to sign on to this letter to show Senators Conrad and Gregg that full funding of the international affairs account is the prevailing wisdom in the U.S. Senate. You can help by contacting your Senators’ offices and asking him/her to sign onto this important letter (currently housed in Senator Kerry’s office).
You can read the full text of the letter here.
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