Last Week

• In a speech on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid demonstrated the power and effectiveness of AAEI's strategy:

"[The] way forward is being forged today in Congress, with the help and advice of Democrats and Republicans, civilian experts and retired generals, as well as the good judgment of the American people, who have made their voices heard loud and clear.   We are at a critical point in the Iraq war and in the Iraq debate here at home."

AAEI, with terrific leadership from National Security Network, VoteVets, USAction, MoveOn, SEIU and others, brings those experts and generals to Congress, amplifies the voices of the American people, "loud and clear."

• Campus Progress, MoveOn, United States Student Association and Democracy Matters are sponsoring Iraq Action Camp, an opportunity for students from across the country to travel to Washington DC, discuss the issues with activists and experts, learn valuable organizing skills, and work to bring the troops home. Iraq Action Camp video
  
• Local partners continued to bring their demands for a safe end to the war directly to their legislators, in the states and in Washington.
  • Colorado (the continuing story of the empty suits)
  • West Virginia
  • Michigan

What's Next

• The president is expected to veto the supplemental this week on Tuesday, May 1 - the same day four years ago that he stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier and declared Mission Accomplished.  All 25 AAEI states are poised to hold press conferences, massive public rallies and push their perspective out into the media.
  
• To mark the anniversary of "Mission Accomplished" and oppose the likely veto, AAEI partner Americans United has launched an ad calling on President Bush to sign the bill that Congress sends him. The ad will air on CNN, Fox and local Washington broadcast through Tuesday. View the ad.
  
• On Saturday, Floridians Against Escalation will hold a rally outside a commencement address by President Bush, Arizonans Against the Escalation will time a rally to coincide with Senator McCain’s press tour, and Maine Against the Escalation will be joined by former Rep. Tom Andrews to kick off two petition drives in Portland and Bangor, asking Snowe and Collins to take a responsible stand for Mainers and begin to end this war.

Last Week

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met with Iraq veterans and military family members from AAEI groups. Four of the participants were grassroots members of USAction's network: Dale Hutchison and Aidan Delgado with Florida Consumer Action Network, Deborah Grimm with West Virginia Citizen Action Group, and Susan Dinsdale with Iowa Citizen Action Network. AP article
• MoveOn.org and VoteVets.org launched VideoVets, an internet campaign to collect video testimonials from veterans and military families. Oliver Stone will turn the highest-rated video into a television ad.  http://pol.moveon.org/VideoVets
• AAEI partner Americans United launched ads aimed at 6 incumbents who voted against legislation to safely end the war.
  • Bono (R-CA)
  • Heller (R-NV)
  • Johnson (R-IL)
  • Kuhl (R-NY)
  • Walsh (R-NY)
  • Wilson (R-NM)
• CQ Weekly profiled AAEI’s role in bringing a new dimension to the peace movement. Read the article (password/membership required)

"Freshman Democrat Heath Shuler of North Carolina still had not decided how he would vote. Then he talked to retired Brig. Gen. John Johns. … Johns, a catalyst in that decision, is part of a new kind of anti-war movement — an alliance that includes liberal activists, veterans' organizations, and political moderates who are gaining momentum and influence in Washington as the Iraq conflict grinds into its fifth year. The movement has won some tactical victories with careful coordination and sophisticated legislative strategies."

• Local partners continued to bring their demands for a safe end to the war directly to their legislators. Indiana Montana Colorado (scroll down)

What's Next

• With a presidential veto of the legislation to safely end the war expected in the next two weeks, AAEI groups are planning press events and rallies.
• Members of Congress will receive thousands of contacts from their constituents through a call-in program.

Last Week

• AAEI member group MoveOn.org held a Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Iraq with seven Democratic presidential candidates. Read highlights or listen to the whole event
• After AAEI and Progress Ohio delivered the Ohio National Guard Readiness Report to his office, Sen. Voinovich joined Gov. Strickland in publicly questioning the president's Iraq strategy. Columbus Dispatch
• With field support from USAction, AAEI members confronted their legislators about safely ending the war. 
  • Minnesota (video)
  • West Virginia (op-ed)

What's Next

• AAEI member group Americans United will begin airing ads in six districts emphasizing the need to safely end the war. Targeted districts include:
  • Bono (R-CA)
  • Heller (R-NV)
  • Johnson (R-IL)
  • Kuhl (R-RY)
  • Walsh (R-NY)
  • Wilson (R-NM)           
• Automated phone calls recorded by Iraq War veterans will begin in 31 targeted House districts. Audio files of the calls will be posted at www.noiraqescalation.com.
• Following the example from Ohio, AAEI groups will continue to press legislators on their states' National Guard deployments.

Last Week

• Ads by Americans United for Change and AAEI targeted Senators Collins, McConnell and Sununu for their support of the escalation.
  • Collins ad
  • McConnell ad
    • Watch McConnell forced to respond on Fox News
  • Sununu ad
• AAEI state partners slammed legislators for voting in support of escalation.
  • McCain in Arizona
  • Collins in Maine
  • Specter in PA (scroll down)

Congressional Recess – This Week and Next Week
Organized in the field by USAction affiliates, AAEI is busy across the country, using the Congressional recess to deliver a strong message to legislators in their home districts.

• Iraq veterans will be visiting members of Congress in their district offices in AZ, CO, FL, IA, IL, IN, ME, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WI, and WV to discuss the members’ votes on the Iraq supplemental.
• Reports on National Guard readiness will be released in AZ, CO, MI, NH, NM, OH, and OR. View already released reports. 
• AAEI and partner organizations will hold town hall meetings in CO, FL, MI, NJ, NM, NY, and PA.
• Door-to-door canvasses will kick-off in CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MA, ME, MN NY, OR, PA, WA, and WI. 
• We will continue to mobilize citizens to call their legislators – to date more than 70,000 calls have been made.