Political Action
Hey, anyone in Chapel Hill want to help (very indirectly) me get a job?
So the House Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations has marked up a FY 2009 budget including funding for about 1,061 new positions at the Department of State. If this funding remains part of the bill that comes out of the full Appropriations committee, then passes the House, and then is agreed to by the Senate, it seems not unlikely that I'd end up getting one of those positions. Each one of those steps is a long shot, but I've learned from the political action unit here at ASHA that Congresspeople really do listen to letters from their constituents.
Rep. David Price (D-NC), representing North Carolina's 4th District including Chapel Hill and Durham, is on the Appropriations committee. I met him once while working for the DTH, and he has a good record on foreign affairs. If you vote in his district, it might help to take just one minute to go to http://price.house.gov/contact/contact_form.shtml and send him a message along the lines of the following:
Dear Rep. Price,
As a concerned citizen, I strongly believe that effective diplomacy and engagement with the rest of the world is not only important to maintain America's place in the world, but of vital necessity to secure the national interest. I was very happy to see that the FY 2009 Appropriations bill as approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations includes funding for approximately 1,061 new positions in the Department of State, which has been woefully understaffed for several years. I sincerely hope that this funding will remain in the bill that is passed by the full Appropriations committee. Given your excellent record on foreign policy, I am confident that you will work hard to maintain this level of funding for such vitally needed resources. Without this minimal level of increased staffing, the Department would not be able to maintain effective relations with our important allies; with it, I feel confident that the next administration will be able to solve many problems, from dismantling Iran's nuclear weapons program to coordinating worldwide efforts to fix the economy. Thank you very much for your support of this important provision.
So the House Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations has marked up a FY 2009 budget including funding for about 1,061 new positions at the Department of State. If this funding remains part of the bill that comes out of the full Appropriations committee, then passes the House, and then is agreed to by the Senate, it seems not unlikely that I'd end up getting one of those positions. Each one of those steps is a long shot, but I've learned from the political action unit here at ASHA that Congresspeople really do listen to letters from their constituents.
Rep. David Price (D-NC), representing North Carolina's 4th District including Chapel Hill and Durham, is on the Appropriations committee. I met him once while working for the DTH, and he has a good record on foreign affairs. If you vote in his district, it might help to take just one minute to go to http://price.house.gov/contact/contact_form.shtml and send him a message along the lines of the following:
Dear Rep. Price,
As a concerned citizen, I strongly believe that effective diplomacy and engagement with the rest of the world is not only important to maintain America's place in the world, but of vital necessity to secure the national interest. I was very happy to see that the FY 2009 Appropriations bill as approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations includes funding for approximately 1,061 new positions in the Department of State, which has been woefully understaffed for several years. I sincerely hope that this funding will remain in the bill that is passed by the full Appropriations committee. Given your excellent record on foreign policy, I am confident that you will work hard to maintain this level of funding for such vitally needed resources. Without this minimal level of increased staffing, the Department would not be able to maintain effective relations with our important allies; with it, I feel confident that the next administration will be able to solve many problems, from dismantling Iran's nuclear weapons program to coordinating worldwide efforts to fix the economy. Thank you very much for your support of this important provision.