Citizen Lobbying for Peace and Justice: The Friends Committee on National Legislation

By Diane Randall

From my office window across the street from the United States Senate offices on Capitol Hill, I watch the ins and outs of as lobbyists and elected officials go about their daily business here in Washington, DC.  At the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), we work directly in the business of influencing policymakers.  But our lobbying is in the interest of our heart and soul’s yearning for a better world as we work to convince lawmakers to support legislation that advances peace and justice.

Founded 71 years ago by Quakers and governed by a committee of 180 Quakers from around the country, FCNL’s goal is to engage citizen advocates to communicate with their representatives and senators on legislation that offers pragmatic and effective ways to solve big problems facing our country and our world.  We lobby to prevent and end war; to develop peacebuilding capacity of the US government; to acknowledge and act on the moral imperative of climate disruption; to address the economic inequalities that contribute to injustice.

As the first faith-based and as the largest peace lobby in Washington, FCNL has advocated for the Peace Corps, for civil rights legislation, for the Americans with Disabilities Act, for treaties to reduce nuclear weapons and support human rights, for a federal budget that reduces profligate Pentagon spending and promotes peoples’ needs, like health care and housing and for sustainable energy policies that won’t destroy our planet.  Being in Washington puts us on the front row of decision-making, but it’s the engagement of ordinary citizens across the country whose voices can have an influence on their Members of Congress—whether the Members agree with them or not— that makes FCNL’s lobby for peace, justice and a sustainable environment even more effective.

In fact, we believe that it is essential for people through the United States who want peace to join with us by talking to or e-mailing their elected officials about possibilities for peace.   We make it easy for citizens to talk to Congress by sending action alerts that provide a link to an action page with background information and a draft letter you can send to your elected officials. It takes just a few minutes to use your voice for peace!

We also encourage people to come to Washington to lobby with us!  In late November, over 430 people from 43 states joined FCNL in Washington DC for a lobby day when they fanned out in meetings on both the House and Senate side. FCNL works on many issues, and this fall we focused on asking Members of Congress to issue statements in support of diplomacy to secure an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.  Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and an opportunity to begin resetting the adversarial relationship between the United States and Iran is a significant step toward peace. FCNL’s network of citizen advocates will continue to advocate for diplomacy in the months ahead.

I hope you’ll visit FCNL’s website to sign up for our action alerts, find out more about what you can do to be an engaged citizen and check out these recent opportunities to use your voice for peace and justice:

Call to Conscience on Climate Disruption - Congressional action is essential to catalyzing the necessary national and global solutions to climate disruption - to learn how you can take action, click here.

15 NGOs Sign Letter In Support of Civilian Protection in Iraq and Syria -  to learn how you can take action, click here.

Police Militarization - Send a Message: Your members of Congress need to hear that weapons of war shouldn't be used on Main Street -  to learn how you can take action, click here.

Diane Randall is the Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Diane leads FCNL’s staff to effectively educate and lobby for the policies and legislative priorities established by FCNL’s General Committee. A lifelong advocate for peace and social justice, Diane is a fierce proponent for citizen engagement that advances policies and practices to create a better society for all. To Read Diane’s full bio, click here.