Biden-Lugar Update

The list of senators sponsoring the Biden-Lugar Amendment continues to grow. See the latest list below.

We expect the Senate to vote on the legislation, which would restore $4.1 billion for the international affairs budget, today or tomorrow.

If you don’t see both of your state’s senators below then, call them - at 202-224-3121 - now.

Sen. Biden (D - DE)
Sen. Bond (R - MO)
Sen. Brown (D - OH)
Sen. Burr (R - NC)
Sen. Cantwell (D - WA)
Sen. Coleman (R - MN)
Sen. Collins (R - ME)
Sen. Corker (R - TN)
Sen. Dodd (D - CT)
Sen. Dole (R - NC)
Sen. Durbin (D - IL)
Sen. Feinstein (D - CA)
Sen. Hagel (R - NE)
Sen. Isakson (R - GA)
Sen. Kerry (D - MA)
Sen. Leahy (D - VT)
Sen. Levin (D - MI)
Sen. Lugar (R- IN)
Sen. Martinez (R - FL)
Sen. Menendez (D - NJ)
Sen. Obama (D - IL)
Sen. Smith (R - OR)
Sen. Snowe (R - ME)
Sen. Sununu (R - NH)
Sen. Voinovich (R - OH)

Biden’s Remarks

Some excerpts from Senator Biden’s remarks this afternoon as he introduced the Biden-Lugar Amendment. Check here for updates on the senators signed on so far.

“Mr. President, I have an amendment I would like to offer at this time for myself and Senator Lugar. We are joined by Senators Durbin, Smith, Dodd, Sununu, Menendez, Martinez, Kerry, Snowe, Levin, Collins, Obama, Voinovich, Leahy, Corker, and Hagel. Our amendment builds on similar work done by Senator Feinstein – we all share the same goals.

Mr. President, my amendment restores the full amount of the President’s request – $39. 5 billion – to the international affairs budget.

Last week two distinguish former senior military officers, General Anthony Zinni and Admiral Leighton Smith, came before the Foreign Relations Committee to tell us that we must reorder our nation’s priorities to protect our national security.

With more than fifty of their fellow former flag officers behind them, they are calling for a new emphasis on smart power – using our nation’s diplomatic and economic resources to protect our interests.

Defense Secretary Gates has made the same point absolutely clear, and I quote: “having robust civilian capabilities could make it less likely that military force will have to be used in the first place…

Our amendment has the support of the One Campaign, Interaction, the U.S. Global Leadership Campaign, and many other groups.”

Read the full remarks after the jump…. (more…)

Biden-Lugar Update

The latest list of co-sponsors for the Biden-Lugar Amendment to restore $4.1 billion to the international affairs budget below.

Call 202-224-3121 to urge your senators to sign on.

Sen. Biden (D - DE)
Sen. Bingaman (D - NM) 

Sen. Brown (D - OH)

Sen. Burr (R - NC)
Sen. Cardin (D - MD)

Sen. Coleman (R - MN)

Sen. Collins (R - ME)

Sen. Corker (R - TN)

Sen. Dodd (D - CT)

Sen. Dole (R - NC)

Sen. Durbin (D - IL)

Sen. Feinstein (D - CA)

Sen. Hagel (R - NE)

Sen. Isakson (R - GA)

Sen. Kerry (D - MA)

Sen. Leahy (D - VT)

Sen. Levin (D - MI)

Sen. Lugar (R- IN)

Sen. Martinez (R - FL)
Sen. Menendez (D - NJ)
Sen. Mikulski (D - MD)

Sen. Obama (D - IL)

Sen. Smith (R - OR)

Sen. Snowe (R - ME)

Sen. Sununu (R - NH)

Sen. Voinovich (R - OH)

Biden Introduces the Amendment.

Check out the clip here.

I’ll transcribe some of his words here momentarily.

Also, you can scroll back through the videos Senator Biden gave to ONE members for ONE Action’s “On The Record” campaign below.

Amendment Update

OK. Biden is finally on the floor to talk about the Biden-Lugar Amendment to restore $4.1 billion to the international affairs budget. You can watch on C-Span 2 or online.

Also, the list of co-sponsors continues to grow. If you don’t see both of your state’s senators below, call them - at 202-224-3121 - now.

Sen. Biden (D - DE)
Sen. Brown (D - OH)
Sen. Burr (R - NC)
Sen. Coleman (R - MN)
Sen. Collins (R - ME)
Sen. Corker (R - TN)
Sen. Dodd (D - CT)
Sen. Dole (R - NC)
Sen. Durbin (D - IL)
Sen. Feinstein (D - CA)
Sen. Hagel (R - NE)
Sen. Isakson (R - GA)
Sen. Kerry (D - MA)
Sen. Leahy (D - VT)
Sen. Levin (D - MI)
Sen. Lugar (R- IN)
Sen. Martinez (R - FL)
Sen. Menendez (D - NJ)
Sen. Obama (D - IL)
Sen. Smith (R - OR)
Sen. Snowe (R - ME)
Sen. Sununu (R - NH)
Sen. Voinovich (R - OH)

Debating the Amendment

Senator Biden is supposed to speak on the Senate floor momentarily on the Biden-Lugar Amendment.

You can watch live on TV on C-SPAN 2 or live online here.

Alert: Game-Changing Moment for 2009 Budget

Late last night, Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) introduced a new amendment. It would restore the $2.6 billion we have been working toward and add an additional $1.5 billion to the international affairs budget. This funding would bring the Senate in line with what President Bush requested earlier this year, and would be a strong boost for America’s lifesaving work around the globe.

Please call your senator today (202-224-3121) and tell them:

-You are constituent and a ONE member

- You want them to support the Biden-Lugar amendment to restore $4.1 billion to the international affairs budget, to match the president’s budget request.

The sponsors of the original $2.6b amendment - Senators Feinstein (D-CA), Smith (R-OR), Durbin (D-IL), Sununu (R-NH), Dodd (D-CT) and Coleman (R-MN) - have turned their support to this new effort as well. It is quickly building the steam that it will need to pass.

More senators will be signing throughout the day. Check back to the ONE Blog for the most up-to-date list of senators signed on so far. We only have a few hours to make calls and save billions of dollars in critical poverty-fighting funding.

Dropping Off Letters to Sen. Gregg

Just now, ONE member Melissa Skinner dropped off over 50 letters to Sen. Gregg’s Office from “UNH for ONE” urging him for more funds for the international affairs budget.

Check out the video:

After, Melissa talks about leaving a message for Sen. Gregg, Melissa urges all ONE members to take action today by calling their Senators’ offices and urging them to support a maximize increase for the 2009 international affairs budget.

-Matthew Bartlett

UNH Springs Into Action- Again

Last week, “UNH for ONE” set up tables at the University of New Hampshire and asked their fellow students to sign letters to NH Senator Judd Gregg, asking him for a robust international affairs budget. They collected over 50 letters that I will deliver to Senator Gregg’s Office later today.

“UNH for ONE” is now phone banking on campus to thank NH Senator Sununu for signing onto the “Smith-Feinstein Amendment” and calling Senator Gregg’s Office to ask that he support the amendment that would restore over 2.6 billion dollars to the international affairs budget.

On relatively short notice, “UNH for ONE” was able to spring into action to help save critical funds for the poorest of the poor. Please call your senators today and make sure your name is on ONE’s petition.

-Matthew Bartlett

Take Action: Save the Budget!

On Friday, we sent around a petition to the Senate asking them not to slash 4 billion dollars from the international affairs budget. Over the weekend we managed to gather over 54,000 signatures, but if we hope to convince our senators that we can’t roll back the amount we give to the fight against poverty, we’re going to need many more senators to sign on.

If you, or someone you know, hasn’t signed the petition calling on the Senate to restore this vital funding, please sign now and send it to your friends as well.

-Weldon Kennedy