Major NYC antiwar march to target Senator Clinton Protest demands cut-off of war funding

An Open Letter to all 535 members of Congress

Dear Members of Congress,

END THE WAR NOW
YOU HAVE THE POWER
VOTE NO! TO MORE WAR FUNDING

On February 17, “VOTE NO WAR FUNDS DAY,” we will be rallying around the country to let you know that this time, we’ll be watching how you vote on this critical issue.

Last November the people voted to change the leadership of Congress so that it could do what the President is unwilling to do-- to end the war now. As Sen. Russ Feingold said recently at a Senate Hearing on Congressional war powers, “Congress has the power to stop the war if it wants to." Now the people have given you the mandate to do that.

Soon you will be asked to vote your approval of more funds to pay for the war. A few of you have already indicated that you will not approve another dollar for war. All of you must to do the same. The next war funding vote will be every bit as important as the vote by the 109th Congress to authorize the war in October 2002.

If you vote no to more war funding the troops will come home, lives will be saved and this nightmare will come to an end. If you approve more funds for war, then more U.S. soldiers will die, more soldiers will be maimed for life, and the war will go on and on. If you approve more war funds, then no one can claim that this is solely the President’s war, or only one political party’s war; it will be Congress’s war.

It’s not enough to vote for symbolic, non-binding resolutions that only oppose the escalation of the war. It’s not enough to cross-examine and criticize generals and the President’s cabinet secretaries in Congressional hearings. It will not suffice to say that you oppose the war, but that you’re voting for more war funding to support the troops. The real support that the troops and their families need is for you to act decisively, cut off the war funding and bring everyone home alive.

Activists from across the country have designated Sat., Feb. 17, “VOTE NO WAR FUNDS DAY.” On that day, thousands of peace-loving people will rally and march in their communities to tell Congress that when it comes time to vote on more funds for war, the people will be watching and waiting.

Many of those participating in the Feb. 17 protests across the country will bring with them some of the bills that they can’t afford to pay. People will be bringing their medical, utility, food, and rent bills; their student loan debts; and their credit card bills, because more and more people are being forced to use credit cards to pay for basic necessities. The reason for bringing all of these bills to the protest is to remind Congress, as it considers its vote on the new war funding request, of the growing ranks of the poor that desperately need the money that has been wasted on this war to help them in their daily struggle to survive.

Sign the Open Letter to Congress

Major NYC antiwar march to target Senator Clinton Protest demands cut-off of war funding

Open letter to Congress says Non-Binding Resolutions won't stop war

On February 17, thousands of protesters will assemble in Times Square NYC at 1:00 pm and then march to the NYC offices of New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer. The two senators have offices across the street from each other on 48th Street and 3rd Avenue.

The message of the march called by the antiwar coalition, the Troops Out Now Coalition, is that Senators Clinton and Schumer and their fellow members of Congress must vote no to President Bush's request for more funds for the war in Iraq.

An open letter to all 535 members of the House and Senate, signed by more than 2000 activists, states, "Symbolic, non-binding resolutions that only oppose the escalation of the war, such as the one that the House will be voting on next week, and the resolution before the Senate last week, are not going to end the war."

The letter goes on to say, "if you vote no to more war funding the troops will come home, lives will be saved and this nightmare will come to an end."

In addition to NYC, February 17th protests demanding a cut-off of war funding or planned for other cities across the country including Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston, Raleigh, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

(Following is a copy of the Open Letter to Congress with a partial list of Signers)

An Open Letter to all 535 members of Congress

Dear House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, and all Members Of Congress,

Non -Binding Resolutions Won't Stop the War Stop the War: Vote No to More War Funding

On Saturday, February 17, thousands will rally at Times Square in New York City at 1:00 pm and march to the offices of Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Chuck Schumer to demand that they vote NO to more war funding.

Symbolic, non-binding resolutions that only oppose the escalation of the war, such as the one that the House will be voting on next week, and the resolution before the Senate last week, are not going to end the war.

Last November the people voted to change the leadership of Congress so that it could do what the President is unwilling to do -- to end the war now. As Sen. Russ Feingold said recently at a Senate Hearing on Congress's war powers, "Congress has the power to stop the war if it wants to." Now the people have given you the mandate to do that.

Soon you will be asked to vote your approval of President Bush's request for $245 billion more to pay for the war. A few of you have already indicated that you will not approve another dollar for war. All of you must to do the same. The next war funding vote will be every bit as important as the vote by the 109th Congress to authorize the war in October 2002.

If you vote no to more war funding the troops will come home, lives will be saved and this nightmare will come to an end. If you approve more funds for war, then more U.S. soldiers will die, more soldiers will be maimed for life, and the war will go on and on. If you approve more war funds, then no one can claim that this is solely the President's war, or only one political party's war; it will be Congress's war.

It will not suffice to say that you oppose the war, but that you're voting for more war funding to support the troops. The real support that the troops and their families need is for you to act decisively, cut off the war funding and bring everyone home alive.

Activists from across the country have designated Sat., Feb. 17, "VOTE NO WAR FUNDS DAY". On that day, thousands of peace-loving people will rally and march in their communities to tell Congress that when it comes time to vote on more funds for war, the people will be watching and waiting.

Partial list of signatures

Brenda Stokely, co-convener, New York City Labor Against the War* Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General Larry Holmes, Troops Out Now Coalition Teresa Guttierez, May 1 Immigrant Rights Coalition* Sharon Black, Million Worker March LeiLani Dowell, FIST - Fight Imperialism Stand Together Joseph Parko, founding member, Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition*, Atlanta, GA Elliot Markson, Veterans For Peace*, Brooklyn, NY Mona Parsons, Military Families Speak Out*, Mount Vernon, OH Julie Levine, Steering Committee, Topanga Peace Alliance*, CA Manik Mukherjee, AIAIF, All India Anti-imperialist Forum, Calcutta, India The Most Rev. Filipe Teixeira, Ofsjc, Diocesan Bishop, Catholic Church Of The Americas*, Brockton, MA Louis Lafortune, Member: County Council, Green Party Santa Cruz California*, Santa Cruz, CA Ardeshir Ommani, Chair, American-Iranian Friendship Committee (AIFC), Armonk, NY Paul "Zool" Zulkowitz, Green Party Peace Action Comm (GPAX)*, Woodmere, NY Ivy Nightscales, Shop Steward, SEIU*, Seattle, WA Amelia Core Jenkins, Code Pink*, Dallas, TX Ruth Valdez, Chair Social Action Comm., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Of Santa Cruz*, Freedom, CA Leslie Feinberg, Co-Chair LGBT Caucus National Writers Union* Steve Gillis, Vice President USWA Local 8751 Boston School Bus Drivers and Monitors Minister Malik Shabazz-el Bey, President-General, New Marcus Garvey Movement-Black Panther Nation, Detroit, MI Paul Kangas, co-chair, Thc Troops Home By Christmas, San Francisco, CA Ronald Kuykendall, Veterans For Peace*, Asheville, NC Hasan Tarique Chowdhury, Bangladesh Peace Council*, Dhaka, Bangladesh Anthony Ehrlich, West Volusians For Peace And Justice*, Barberville, FL Mark Bradshaw-Miller, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church*, Saint Louis, MO Paul Gattone, Executive Vice-President, National Lawyers Guild*, Tucson, AZ Mattie Thomas, Admin Asst., Move On*, Brooklyn, NY Jerry Messick, AFSCME*, Norman, OK Sylvia Zisman, Bklyn Parents For Peace*, Bklyn, NY Action Center For Justice, Charlotte, NC Ad Hoc Washington Heights Counter Recruitment, New York, NY All India Anti-Imperialist Forum, Calcutta, India Alliance For Democracy, Mendocoast Chapter, Albion, CA American-Iranian Friendship Committee (AIFC), Armonk, NY Catholic Peace Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA Center For Nonviolent Alternatives, Fort Ashby, WV Chamorro Nation, Merizo Citizens For Justice In The Middle East, Fairway, KS Codepink Willits, Willits, CA Doctors Of The World Greek Delegation, Athens, Greece Florida Keys Peace Alliance, Key West, FL Fraternidade Luterana Independente - Ecumênica : Frateli, São Paulo - Sp, Brazil Free Iraq Now, Anaheim, CA Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition Nyc, Ozone Park, NY International Federation Of Hawkers And Urban Poor & National Hawker Federation, Kolkata, India Jackson Action, Jackson, MS Jersey City Peace Movement, Jersey City, NJ Justice For Palestinians, San Jose, CA Labor Council For Latin American Advancement San Francisco Chapter, San Francisco, CA Liberty Underground Of Virginia (luv), Hampton, VA Military Families Seapk Out - Mn, Minneapolis, MN Military Families Speak Out, Mount Vernon, OH Montrose Peace Activitists, La Canada, CA New Marcus Garvey Movement-Black Panther Nation, Detroit, MI No Du Hiroshima Project, Hiroshima, Japan Pand-Artists For Peace, Espoo, Finland Pax Christi Naples, Naples, FL Philadelphia Committee To Free The Five, Philadelphia, PA Progressive Democrats Of America, Petaluma, CA Saratoga Peace Alliance, Saratoga Springs, NY Students And Youth Against Racism, State College, PA Thc Troops Home By Christmas, San Francisco, CA The People's Coup, Missoula, MT Topanga Peace Alliance, Topanga, CA Troops Out Now Coalition, Boston, MA UAH College Democrats/UAH Charger Dems, Huntsville, AL Veterans Against Nuclear Arms, Vancouver, BC, Canada Wage Peace, Jacksonville, FL Western Mass IAC/Troops Out Now!, Northampton, MA Western Massachusetts Women's International League For Peace & Freedom, Greenfield, MA WILPF, Aptos, CA Women's Int. League For Peace & Freedom Vancovuer Branch,Canadian Section, Burnaby, BC, Canada Alex Abasi, Los Angeles, CA Shahriar Abbassi, Lynchburg, VA Marrisha Abbot, Boulder Creek, CA Catherine Abbott, Orange, CA Babatunde Abdullah, Memeber- Minister, Nation Of Islam*, Atlanta, GA Becky Adams, Sylva, NC Carrie Adams, Berkeley, CA Elizabeth Adams, Convenor, Western Massachusetts Women's International League For Peace & Freedom*, Greenfield, MA Stan Adams, Richmond, VA Julia Adkins, Charlotte, NC Linda Aguirre, board member, Peace Action Of San Mateo*, San Mateo, CA Mohammed Ahmed, Qus, Egypt Fatima Al-hayani, Toledo, OH Mandana Alaudini, San Francisco, CA Kamran Alavi, Tracy, CA Ahmed Ali, Cairo, Egypt Edward Avery-Natale, Temple University*, Philadelphia, PA Joanne Axtell, Duluth, MN Lynn Azar, Honaunau, HI Patricia Baeten, Green Bay, WI Jack Balkwill, Chairman, Liberty Underground Of Virginia (LUV), Hampton, VA Susan K. Baritell, Secretary, Progressive Democrats Sonoma County*, Petaluma, CA Marguerite Battaglia-Evans, Board of Trustee Member/ Founder, Elmwood Village Charter School*, Buffalo, NY Catherine Bauer, Seattle., WA Wendy Baum, Buffalo, NY Linda Hunt Beckman, Neighborhood Networks*, Philadelphia, PA Lynn Beckman, Colorado Springs, CO Bardia Behabadi, Pasadena, CA Hawraa Berjawi, No for War, Bierut, LA, Lebanon June Berk, Ny, NY Adam Boettcher, San Francisco, CA Katherine Bommarito, Legislative Committee, Afge 3354*, St Louis, MO Lee Booth, Ypsilanti, MI William Boteler, Program Assistant, Natural Resources Council Of America*, Washington, DC Marla Bottesch, Norridgewock, ME Ed Boudreau, Mesa, AZ Dina Boyer, San Francisco, CA Jonathan Boyne, Honolulu, HI Howard Bozorgmehri, Saugus, CA Susan Bradford, Delaware Water Gap, PA Joseph Bradley, Coordinator, Catholic Peace Fellowship*, Philadelphia, PA Sandra Brady, Timberlake, NC Paul Brailsford, Veterans For Peace*, Ipswich, MA Marie Louise Bratt, Endicott, NY Benjamin Brotman, End the War Now, Bala Cynwyd, PA Brenda Brown, Placitas, NM Marilyn Burkhardt, Hebo, OR Claire Cafaro, Saratoga Peace Alliance*, Saratoga Springs, NY Harry Carey, student, California State University Los Angeles*, Los Angeles, CA Jason Carter, Burlington College*, Plainwell, MI Robert J. Carton, Phd, Averill Park, NY Louis Cazeau, Wrexham, United Kingdom Keely Chow, Member, UAH College Democrats/UAH Charger Dems, Huntsville, AL Sharon Clark, Troops Out Now Coalition, Boston, MA Judy Corwin, Livermore, CO Demelza Costa, Dr, Sweet Home, OR Nelson Magalhães Costa Filho, Paróquia Luterana de São Francisco de Assis, Fraternidade Luterana Independente - Ecumênica : Frateli, São Paulo - Sp, Brazil Portia Cox, Student*, Davis, CA Arthur Daniels, United Federation Of Teachers*, Wellington, FL Elsie Dean, Corresponding Secretary, Women's Int. League For Peace & Freedom Vancovuer Branch,canadian Section, Burnaby, BC, Canada Gwendolyn Debrow, Co-Chair, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition Nyc, Ozone Park, NY David Dixon, Coordinator, Action Center For Justice, Charlotte, NC Catherine Donaghy, volunteer/organizer, Western Mass IAC/Troops Out Now!, Northampton, MA Joyce Donche, Mother & Concerned Citizen*, Bosque Farms, NM Viela Du Pont Al-kayyali, San Bruno, CA Francine Ducoat, Boca Raton, FL Anne Dunlap, United Church Of Christ Seminarian*, Denver, CO John Dwyer, Pax Christi Naples, Naples, FL Joseph Edwards, Shipman, VA Paul Edwards, Unit Executive Officer, Canadian Union Of Public Employees*, Toronto, ON, Canada Tatiana Efthyvoulou, Ann Arbor, MI Elizabeth Egan, Haddon Heights, NJ Peter Ehrhorn, Kailua, HI Mike Eilenfeldt, member, Union @Cooper Union*, New York, NY Mennat Allah Elnaggar, Alexandria, AK, Egypt Craig Etchison, Center For Nonviolent Alternatives, Fort Ashby, WV Erica Etelson, Berkeley, CA Val Farmer, Students For A Democratic Society*, Everett, WA Sam Feldman, Political Director, Democracy For America Miami Dade*, Miami Beach, FL Mary Lou Finley, Peace And Freedom Party*, San Diego, CA CJ Fitts, Coalition For Peace Action*, Newportville, PA Sandra Fitzelle, London, ON, Canada Walter Five, Priest, Ecclesia Catholicae Gnostica*, Houston, TX Sara Flounders, International Action Center, Jersey City, NJ Phyllis Flowers, member, Code Pink, Willits, CA Sylvia Forsyth, Unitarian Universalist, Aptos, CA Dan Fraizer, Springfield, MA Beth Friedlan, Political Activist, Brandywine Peace Community*, Philadelphia, PA Mary Fran Gebhard, Justice and Peace Coordinator, St Bede Monastery*, Eau Claire, WI Shalini Gera, Friends Of South Asia*, Hayward, CA Larry Gerber, Lake Worth, FL Ayesha Gill, Oakland, CA Susan Gill, San Anselmo, CA Molly Green, Santa Cruz, CA Rhea Green, Ukiah, CA A.Jim Grimm, Veterans for Peace*, Clawson, MI Kristin Grossman, Lawrencee, KS Chet Guinn, Peace & Justice Advocate, Methodist Federation For Social Action*, Des Moines, IA Jean Hagedorn, Social Justice Coordinator, Sisters Of Humility*, Des Moines, IA Rick Hanson, Military Families Seapk Out - Mn, Minneapolis, MN Mary Hassler, ILWU*, San Francisco, CA Jean Herrmann, Elgin, IL Caroline Herzenberg, Chicago, IL Elaine Herzog, Thousand Oaks, CA Laurie Hesed, Pawnee Rock, KS Claire Hess Goldstien, Norwalk, CA David Hoskins, organizer, FIST, Washington, DC Ismael Hossein-zadeh, Professor of Economics, Drake University*, Des Moines, IA Jan Howell, Florida Keys Peace Alliance*, Key West, FL Kimberly Huff, MFSO*, Fullerton, CA Tara Hui, San Francisco, CA Mary Hunt, Hamden, CT Daisy Hurley, Randallstown, MD William Iannaccone, Private Investigator/Author/Litigant, National Lawyers Guild*, Buffalo, NY Ali Ibreighith, Anaheim, CA Brenda Iijima, Brooklyn, NY Janet Johnson, Arnold, MO Virginia Johnson, Morning View, KY Lindsay Johnston, Kuopio, Finland Beatrice Kay Jones, Democaratic Committeewoman Monroe 2, Military Families Speak Out*, Mechanicsburg, PA Fred Kahn, Buddhists For Peace*, Winter Park, FL Seth Kahn, West Chester, PA Mohammad Kashmiri, Field Representative, SEIU Local 790*, Oakland, CA Kamel Kilani, Blakehurst, Australia Andrew Kimes, Cotati, CA Regina Laird, Long Beach, CA Dustin Langley, Navy Veteran, Jersey City, NJ Gerard Langlois, Jacksonville, FL Adrienne Leasa, Spring City, PA Mary T. Legge, Member, Congregations Of St. Joseph*, Flourtown, PA Marisha Leiblum, Student Trustee, UMASS Amherst*, Pelham, MA Bruce Leier, Minneapolis, MN Leah Levine, Sacramento, CA Builder Levy, UFT*, New York, NY Teresa Lewis, Gilbert, AZ Jerimarie Liesegang, Queers Without Borders*, Hartford, CT Mary Lilly, Tiffin, OH Dominica Lo Bianco, Member, Sisters Of St. Francis, Philadelphia*, Aston, PA Baldassarre Locatelli, Cottesloe, Australia Maria L. Lofchie, Brunswick, ME Freddie Long, member, Code Pink, Willits, CA Thomas Long, Professor Emeritus, East Carolina University*, Greenville, NC Eli Loomis, Graduate Student, University Of Montana*, Missoula, MT Doug Love, Treasurer, Prince George's Peace And Justice Coalition*, Greenbelt, MD Nancy S. Lovejoy, Wilbraham, MA Stephanie Low, New York, NY Luke Lundemo, Organizer, Jackson Action, Jackson, MS Stephany Lyman, Instructor, Univ Of New Orleans*, New Orleans, LA Kathleen Lyons, Director of Religious Education, Sisters Of Notre Dame*, Zephyrhills, FL Laura Mabry, South Bend, IN Kim Marlen, San Pablo, CA Susan Maroko, New Buffalo, MI Claudette Marrom, South Ohio, NS, Canada Yarrow Marron, Sandy Cove, NS, Canada Jeffrey Martin, President, Students And Youth Against Racism*, State College, PA Ron Matason, Veterans For Peace, Ch 17*, State College, PA Patricia Mcclellan, Pastor, St. Columba Of Iona Church*, San Pablo, CA Richard Mcconney, Ocean Grove, NJ Robin Mccubbin, Professor, San Diego, CA Bonnie Mcfadden, Maui Peace Action*, Makawao, HI Emily Mcfarlane, Chapel Hill, NC Richard Mercouris, Veterans For Peace*, San Leandro, CA Kathleen Merletti, Pittsburgh, PA Robert J Missirlian, Veterans For Peace*, Royal Oak, MI John Monteverde, Veterans for Peace*, Albuquerque, NM Webb Nichols, Owner, Watertown, MA John O. Niles,jr., Veterans For Peace*, Chelsea, MA Erik-Anders Nilsson, Director, Jersey City Peace Movement, Jersey City, NJ Waleed Nooh, no for more war, Cairo, Egypt Dorothy Norosavage, Toms River, NJ Donna Norton, Progressive Democrats Of America, Petaluma, CA Stephen Paulmier, Chair, Philadelphia Committee To Free The Five, Philadelphia, PA Beth Paxson, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, Portland, OR Corinna Proffitt, Chino Hills, CA Joseph Ramsey, Somerville, MA Jill Ransom, Reno, NV Margaret Rapp, Ad Hoc Washington Heights Counter Recruitment, New York, NY Michael Riordan, isabled American Veterans*, Bolton, CT Richard R. Rivard, Member, Pax Christi Usa*, Revere, MA Joanne Robson, Omro, WI Silvia Romero, Student, Stanford University*, Palo Alto, CA Avner Eliyahu Romm, Cape Town, South Africa Richard & Carolyn Rosenstein, Codepink, Progressive Democrats*, Los Angeles, CA Jean Rupertus, Health Care Director, Sisters Of St. Francis Of Philadelpia*, Glen Riddle, PA, United Kingdom Steve Saelzler, Veterans For Peace; Uaw, Brownstown, MI Jukka Sammalvuo, Kuopio, Finland Joyce Samuels, Louisville, KY Glen Sandberg, Treasurer, S. Miss United For Peace*, Gulfport, MS Matthew Sandofsky, Los Angeles, CA Randi Scheurer, MFSO*, Lindenhurst, IL Isabel De Sena, Professor, Sarah Lawrence College*, Jackson Heights, NY Edward Shaffer, Board Member, Veterans Against Nuclear Arms, Vancouver, BC, Canada Alli Shaloum, New York, NY Mary Shanley, New York City, NY Janine Sotomayor, RN, Veterans For Peace*, Blanchard, OK David Southern, Long Beach, CA Kathy Spain, Ashland, OR Karin Spak, Yatesville, PA Jane Spann, San Francisco, CA Walter Spencer, Rio Rancho, NM Rachel Tellis, Member, Pda*, Dumfries, VA Sanders Terkell, Veterans For Peace, New York, NY Wendy Theriault, Nashua, NH Sally Thompson, San Francisco, CA Kenneth Trauger, retired clergy, United Church Of Christ*, Lancaster, PA Dejan Trbojevic, PhD, Flanders, NY Donna Treloar, Kalamazoo, MI Nguyen Trung, Seaside, OR Barbara Vickers, Los Angeles, CA Patricio Villagomez, Chatsworth, CA Timothy Villard, Pittsford, NY Carlos Villarreal, Executive Director, National Lawyers Guild*, San Francisco, CA Norma Villegas, San Diego, CA Donna Wallach, Justice For Palestinians, San Jose, CA Cindy Waltershausen, De Soto, WI Anne Wangh, Nyc, NY Suzanne Ward, Camas, WA Victoria Ward, Santa Barbara, CA Nancy Weber, Saratoga Peace Alliance, Saratoga Springs, NY Susan Zlabis, Homewood, IL Lucille Zorich, Northridge, CA William Zorumski, Taos, NM Martine Zundmanis, Silver Spring, MD Dave Zunkel, Los Angeles, CA Bennet Zurofsky, Attorney, Reitman Parsonnet, PC*, Maplewood, NJ

Troops Out Now Coalition
55 W. 17th St. #5C
NY NY 10011
646-354-8056
www.TroopsOutNow.org

Media Contact: Dustin Langley 646-354-8056