We, the military families of Military Families Speak Out - Washington state chapter  thank you, Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles for having our backs with initiating your Petition to Congress from Washington state opposing sending more troops to Iraq.   Respect to you Senator.

“Our state has lost 67 sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brother and sisters there. We’ve spent more than $8.6 billion since the outbreak of hostilities. In very painful and very direct ways, Iraq is close to us.”

 (from her website) April 20, 2007

Kohl-Welles receives legislator of the year honor

OLYMPIA – For her state-level work against the Iraq War and her introduction of Senate Joint Memorial 8003, requesting the U.S. Congress to refrain from funding an escalation of the American presence in Iraq and to require the president to seek congressional approval prior to any escalation, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, was one of three state legislators in the country to receive the “Legislator of the Year” award from the Progressive States Network at its April 19 gala in Washington, D.C.

Also honored were U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Democratic Party activist Deborah Rappaport for their efforts at the national level.

Kohl-Welles also participated in a news conference with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and U.S. Sens. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, on efforts by state legislatures requesting Congress and the president to end the war in Iraq.

According to the Progressive States Network, Kohl-Welles is being recognized for her courageous leadership in bringing forward her petition to Congress from Washington state opposing sending more troops to Iraq.

“During the past four years, it has become quite clear that the president’s schoolyard bully approach to foreign policy is an abysmal failure,” Kohl-Welles said. “The war in Iraq has cost us too much, in lives and dollars, and I stand with the majority of Washingtonians and my constituents in the 36th Legislative District who have been outspoken in their opposition to the war and in calling for an end to this debacle.”

SJM 8003 received a public hearing in the Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee last month. Families of service members who died in action and former soldiers joined representatives from several organizations in testifying in support of the memorial.

In her testimony, Kohl-Welles spoke to the nexus between the state of Washington and the war effort.

“Our state has lost 67 sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brother and sisters there. We’ve spent more than $8.6 billion since the outbreak of hostilities. In very painful and very direct ways, Iraq is close to us.”

 more on Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles and also note the 29 other states that have joined an Anti-Escalation Campaign  

excerpt is from David Sirota's blog

I’m finally back home in Montana from a week-long trip on the East Coast where, among other things, I attended the Progressive States Network’s first annual gala (you may have seen it replayed on C-SPAN this weekend).

 The event followed a press conference with state legislators and U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to trumpet the 29 states that have joined the Progressive States Network’s Anti-Escalation Campaign by introducing or passing resolutions demanding President Bush stop escalating the war in Iraq.                          

           photo is of Washington State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles accepts Progressive States Network award for her Iraq resolution

  Click on this link to go to this page and send message to your Legislator    

     Tell Your Legislator: Stop the Escalation

We have only a matter of time to prevent this escalation. Fortunately, brave state legislators across the country are leading the charge — demanding that Congress take strong action to prevent President Bush from escalating this war. Fortunately, here in Washington, Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles has introduced a resolution demanding a change in policy. Now we just need more support. Use the form below to ask your legislators to join Senator Kohl-Welles in this act of courage. A resolution passing the legislature will send an incredibly strong signal to our members of Congress that they have a responsibility to our troops and to the American people to prevent this rash action. Please, feel free to customize the message.   April 24, 2007 Subject: States have a unique role to play in the escalation debate. Any attempt to escalate the war poses grave dangers to the National Guard -- a key emergency responder to natural diasters for state governments. This proposed escalation is opposed by military experts who know it threatens our military and will do nothing to end the civil war in Iraq. Here in Washington, Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles is introducing a resolution opposing the escalation. As a constituent, I’d encourage you to sign on with this resolution. We can make a difference. Thank you, Tracking State Action; Iraq

above entry posted by Lietta Ruger

Posted by SwanDeer Project at 12:26 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 24 April 2007 2:02 PM PDT

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