Nov-L: HR 3072, a bill to revive federal parole - what you c
Subject: Nov-L: HR 3072, a bill to revive federal parole - what you can do
Dear Friends,
The U.S. House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee has received a parole
bill for review and action. Introduced on June 27th by Rep. Danny Davis
(D-IL), H.R. 3072 is long-awaited legislation To Revive The System Of Parole
For Federal Prisoners.
We want the Judiciary Committee to know there is already significant public
support for the bill, and we can present that today. More than 108,000
people have signed our Petition for Relief, evidence of substantial, growing
public approval for earned, early release principles. Please sign, if you
haven't done so -- http://www.november.org/parole/sign.html
Judiciary Committee members will initially be calculating potential House of
Representative's support for H.R. 3072, and, as of today, there are no
co-sponsors. A bill is certain to be tabled early (which kills the bill)
unless there is show of public and congressional solidarity demanding
action. It is the hard work of people like you, your ability to communicate,
that causes a proposed bill to move forward through the legislative process.
It's time to TAKE ACTION NOW. Send a letter to your U.S. Representative
asking her or him to co-sponsor H.R. 3072. To do this quickly, copy the
sample letter below into a traditional letter and mail it. To find your
legislator and email the letter with ease, go to http://www.vote-smart.org,
and enter your zip code. All contact information will pop up on the screen.
While at Vote Smart, you can copy the message, edit it into your own words,
and email it to your Representative. The mailing address is convenient to
use, but don't forget, first, to prepare your message to be mailed. A sample
letter is below.
Wait a week, and then call your Representative's office. A receptionist will
answer, and to this person, say that a constituent is calling to urge
Representative ____ to support an important bill. At that time, you will be
connected to a legislative aide, your member of Congress (though unlikely),
or an answering machine. We've provided a sample telephone message below,
too. Feel free to leave it on an answering machine, if that is all you get
to talk to.
People who hold elected positions in government actually do notice, count
and use citizen communications. Remember, your call is meant to bolster and
encourage your member of Congress to support a return to parole. Politeness
always works better than an angry rant. Try not to argue if you get a live
voice. If speaking to an answering machine, the best move may be to
carefully read the sample text message below. End with a warm 'thank you;'
ask for a response, and you're done.
If your elected representative is a member of the Judiciary Committee, your
personal contact with s/he carries increased importance, and we want to hear
from any November Coalition members who live in the districts of Judiciary
Committee members. Please email nora@november.org if you are one of those
people. We've included the list of Judiciary members below as well.
Save this post, and share it with your family and friends.
In Struggle,
Nora
**
Sample Letter to your United States Representative:
Dear Honorable __________:
I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor H.R. 3072, a bill To Revive The System
Of Parole For Federal Prisoners. The bill makes fiscal, social and moral
sense.
Most of the prisoners in federal custody are non-violent drug offenders. It
is illogical to spend tax dollars on long imprisonment when other means have
proven far more effective in solving the social problems of drug abuse and
addiction. State leaders across the U.S. are moving ahead on their own to
reform failed sentencing, drug, and parole policies.
Enactment of H.R. 3072 would provide prisoners with an incentive to maintain
exemplary behavior in prison. A humane philosophy of earned, early release
would foster incentives toward cooperation, study, and learning skills that
would begin creating a safer environment for staff and prisoners alike, not
to mention a more successful re-entry.
With hope for the future, and families reuniting earlier, the impact and
social costs of incarceration would be lessened. High costs of imprisonment
-- more than $10 billion annually for nonviolent drug offenders alone --
could be dramatically reduced. Inhumane prison overcrowding would be
relieved, along with the immediate need to build expensive, additional
prisons.
Please co-sponsor H.R. 3072 to build a safer society by promoting
rehabilitation, shorter incarceration times for deserving prisoners, and
more appropriate use of public funds to strengthen effective social
programs.
Sincerely,
(Your name and complete contact information)
**
Sample Telephone Call
Hello, my name is (First and Last name), and I am a constituent living in
(city). I'm calling to urge you to support H.R. 3072, a bill to revive
Federal Parole. Most of the prisoners in federal custody are non-violent
drug offenders. It doesn't make economic sense to spend tax dollars on long
imprisonment when cheaper means have proved far more effective in solving
the social and public health problems of drug abuse and addiction.
Please co-sponsor H.R. 3072 to build a safer society by promoting
rehabilitation, shorter incarceration times for deserving prisoners, and
more appropriate use of public funds for cost-effective social programs.
My phone number is (_______). Thank you.
**
The House Judiciary Committee: 109th Congress, 1st Session
Note, all mailing addresses use: Washington, D.C. 20515
Website: http://judiciary.house.gov/
Membership: http://judiciary.house.gov/CommitteeMembership.aspx
Committee Chairman: Hon. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., (R-WI, 5th District)
2449 Rayburn House Office Building
mailto:sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov
Ranking Member: Hon. John Conyers, Jr., (D-MI, 14th District)
mailto:John.Conyers@mail.house.gov
Rep. Spencer T. Bachus (R-AL, 6th District), 442 Cannon House Office
Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-CA, 28th District), 2221 Rayburn House Office
Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/berman/contact/
Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA, 9th District), 2187 Rayburn House Office Building
mailto:ninthnet@mail.house.gov
Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT, 3rd District), 118 Cannon House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/cannon/email.htm
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH, 1st District), 129 Cannon House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC, 6th District), 2468 Rayburn House Office Building
mailto:howard.coble@mail.house.gov
Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI, 14th District), 2426 Rayburn House Office
Building
mailto:John.Conyers@mail.house.gov
Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA, 10th District), 2454 Rayburn House Office
Building
mailto:william.delahunt@mail.house.gov
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL, 24th District), 323 Cannon House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ, 6th District), 424 Cannon House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA, 4th District), 307 Cannon House Office Building
http://www.house.gov/forbes/zipauth.htm
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ, 2nd District), 1237 Longworth House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Elton W. Gallegly (R-CA, 24th District), 2427 Rayburn House Office
Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX, 1st District), 508 Cannon House Office Building
Web: http://gohmert.house.gov/contact_louie.htm
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA, 6th District), 2240 Rayburn House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Mark Green (R-WI, 8th District), 1314 Longworth House Office Building
mailto:mark.green@mail.house.gov
Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-IL, 8th District), 1214 Longworth House Office
Building
mailto:john.hostettler@mail.house.gov
Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-IL, 6th District), 2110 Rayburn House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/hyde/get_address2.htm
Rep. Robert D. Inglis (R-SC, 4th District), 330 Cannon House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Darrell E. Issa (R-CA, 49th District), 211 Cannon House Office Building
Web: http://issa.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX, 18th District), 2435 Rayburn House Office
Building
Web:
http://www.jacksonlee.house.gov/feedback.cfm?campaign=jacksonlee&type=Let%27
s%20Talk
Rep. William L. Jenkins (R-TN, 1st District), 1207 Longworth House Office
Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Richard Keller (R-FL, 8th District), 419 Cannon House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Steve King (R-IA, 5th District), 1432 Longworth House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA, 16th District), 102 Cannon House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/lofgren/emailform.shtml
Daniel E. Lungren (R-CA, 3rd District), 2448 Rayburn House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/lungren/talkto.htm
Martin T. Meehan (D-MA, 5th District), 2229 Rayburn House Office Building
mailto:martin.meehan@mail.house.gov
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY, 8th District), 2334 Rayburn House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/nadler/emailform.shtml
Michael Pence (R-IN, 6th District), 1605 Longworth House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/formpence/IMA/contact.htm
Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA, 39th District), 1007 Longworth House Office Building
Web: http://www.lindasanchez.house.gov/index.cfm?section=contact
Adam B. Schiff (D-CA, 29th District), 326 Cannon House Office Building
Web: http://schiff.house.gov/HoR/CA29/Contact+Information/Contact+Form.htm
Robert C. Scott (D-VA, 3rd District), 2464 Rayburn House Office Building
mailto:bobby.scott@mail.house.gov
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI, 5th District), 2449 Rayburn House Office
Building
mailto:sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov
Lamar S. Smith (R-TX, 21st District), 2231 Rayburn House Office Building
Web: http://lamarsmith.house.gov/contact.asp
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD, 8th District), 1419 Longworth House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Maxine Waters (D-CA, 35th District), 2344 Rayburn House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/waters/IMA/issue.htm
Mel Watt (D-NC, 12th District), 2236 Rayburn House Office Building
Use http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Anthony D. Weiner (D-NY, 9th District), 1122 Longworth House Office Building
mailto:weiner@mail.house.gov
Robert Wexler (D-FL, 19th District), 213 Cannon House Office Building
Web: http://www.house.gov/wexler/emailform.htm
--
Nora Callahan, Executive Director
November Coalition
282 West Astor
Colville, WA 99114
(509) 684-1550 (voice and fax)
nora@november.org
http://www.november.org
