CALLING ON CONGRESS TO REDIRECT MILITARY SPENDING TO DOMESTIC PRIORITIES

WHEREAS, every member of the US Conference of Mayors and the Americans they represent, support our brave men and women in uniform and their families;

WHEREAS, the drawdown of troops should be done in a measured way that does not destabilize the region and that can accelerate the transfer of responsibility to regional authorities;

WHEREAS, the severity of the ongoing economic crisis has created budget shortfalls at all levels of government and requires us to re-examine our national spending priorities; and

WHEREAS, the people of the United States are collectively paying approximately $126 billion dollars per year to wage war in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, 6,024 members of the US armed forces have died in these wars; and at least 120,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since the coalition attacks began.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors supports efforts to speed up the ending of these wars; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors calls on the President and U.S. Congress to end the wars as soon as strategically possible and bring these war dollars home to meet vital human needs, promote job creation, rebuild our infrastructure, aid municipal and state governments, and develop a new economy based upon renewable, sustainable energy and reduce the federal debt.

Adopted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June, 2011.

Suggested Next Steps:

1. Email a copy of the resolution to your congressional delegation and the president.
2. Share the online campaign with your Facebook community.
3. Tweet about the campaign: @whitehouse: Mayors endorse @CODEPINKalert resolution to end #wars & bring $$ home to needs of our #cities http://j.mp/jsmmYc #p2
4. Schedule a meeting with your mayor to discuss the resolution passed and ask your mayor to personally use the resolution to advance the needs of your community in Washington.
5. Take a copy of the Mayors' War Dollars Home Resolution (pdf) to your members of Congress. The pdf includes the full text of the resolution, talking points, and a copy of the press release from the mayors' conference.
6. Write letters to the editor congratulating the mayors for following the advice of their constituents and passing the resolution. Consider mentioning your personal involvement in the campaign and/or CODEPINK's leadership.