**UPDATED Feb 2014 **
In December 2013, Congress passed the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included an authorization of more than $80 million for efforts to help end LRA violence and bring Joseph Kony to justice. See the “What did we accomplish” section below for more details. Below is a rundown of the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to help you better understand exactly what we’re lobbying for, the progress we’ve made, and what we need to do now.
WHAT IS IC|CITIZEN?
January through December 2013, the Invisible Children Citizen team* mobilized activists across the country to help make sure Congress stays committed to ending the LRA crisis. Our lobbying efforts focused mainly on the 2014 budget (or “appropriations”) process, urging members of Congress to continue funding efforts to end LRA violence and support affected communities until we have achieved zero LRA. Without these resources from Congress, the work of the U.S. advisors and other crucial efforts to address the LRA simply won’t continue, which would jeopardize all of the incredible progress we have made so far.
WHAT DID CITIZEN LOBBY FOR THIS YEAR?
Led by our Citizen team, activists across the country worked hard to influence Congress’ decisions on three budget-related bills: the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA), the 2014 defense budget bill, and the 2014 State and Foreign Operations (or foreign aid) budget bill. Members of Congress recently made final decisions on each of these bills and we’re thrilled to update you on what our Citizen activists helped achieve.
What is the NDAA?
Every year, Congress passes a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sets guidelines and spending budget for the programs and activities of the U.S. military in the coming year and authorizes how much more will be spent on those programs and activities. The work that the U.S. advisors are doing in central Africa to locate and apprehend top LRA commanders, and to encourage LRA fighters to defect, are activities covered within the NDAA, which is why we want to make sure next year’s NDAA includes funding authorizations that will allow these efforts to continue.
What DID WE LOBBY FOR?
IC Citizen activists urged members of Congress on the Armed Services Committees in the House and Senate to include funding authorizations in the 2014 NDAA for efforts to end LRA violence and bring top LRA commanders to justice. Specifically, we asked Congress to include a $50 million authorization for logistical support to regional efforts focused on the LRA, and an additional funding authorization for intelligence-gathering equipment to help the U.S. advisors locate and arrest top LRA commanders.
What have IC Citizen activists been doing to influence the defense budget?
Like any other piece of legislation, the NDAA has gone through several decision-making stages in Congress before passing into law. In each of these stages, members of Congress have the opportunity to add, remove, or slightly adjust things in the bill, depending on what they believe should be a priority — and what the American people care about. So, in an effort to make sure that funding authorizations for U.S. counter-LRA efforts were included in the final 2014 NDAA, our Citizen team mobilized activists across the country to call, write, and meet with members of Congress during each of these stages, until the final decisions were made.
And rather than trying to influence every member of Congress in Washington, we focused our attention on a few dozen key members of Congress whose support matters most because they sit on the Armed Services Committees in the House and Senate, which craft the NDAA. It’s all about working smarter, not harder, people!
What DID WE ACCOMPLISH?
Our Citizen activists really hit a homerun on this one! Remember, our goal was to get a $50 million authorization for logistics support to regional efforts to address the LRA, and an additional funding authorization for intelligence-gathering equipment. Well, we got it! Congress authorized the $50 million for logistical support to the African Union – not just for the year 2014, but all the way through 2017. Congress also authorized an additional $30 million for intelligence-gathering equipment that is needed to help locate and arrest top LRA commanders.
What’s next?
It’s very important that we now take the time to thank our members of Congress for deciding to invest in efforts to end the LRA crisis. It doesn’t matter if you were a part of the lobbying efforts or not. Everyone should take a couple minutes right now to call, email, tweet or write your representatives in Washington and thank them for supporting these incredible funding authorizations – especially if your member of Congress sits on the Armed Services Committee in the House or Senate.
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
If you’re interested in learning more about our Citizen Advocacy efforts and ways that you can be involved please email our Citizen team at [email protected].
OTHER QUESTIONS THAT MAY BE ON YOUR MIND
How will the funds from these authorizations be used?
This funding could go toward intelligence-gathering equipment to help locate Kony and other top commanders and helicopters to help the U.S. advisors and regional forces move more quickly to protect civilians and track down LRA leaders.
will the funds from these authorizations go directly to the Ugandan government?
With only a few small exceptions for things like communications equipment, the funds we advocate for will not go to the Ugandan government or military. The majority of the funds enable our government to hire contractors, who fly the helicopters that supply regional forces and who operate the tools used to monitor movements and locations of Kony’s forces.
* The Invisible Children Citizen team oversees our political advocacy efforts to help keep U.S. policymakers committed to ending LRA violence. Follow us on Twitter @IC_Citizen or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to get further involved.
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