Sample Tweets: Protect Our Afghan Allies

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Want to make your voice heard in support of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program? We've drafted sample tweets and a letter to your Senator to help you reach your legislators during this critical fight.

 

Appropriations Committee Members

 

Name

Party

State

Twitter Handle

Richard Shelby (Chair)

Republican

Alabama

@SenShelby

Mitch McConnell

Republican

Kentucky

@SenateMajLdr

Lamar Alexander

Republican

Tennessee

@SenAlexander

Susan Collins

Republican

Maine

@SenatorCollins

Lisa Murkowski

Republican

Alaska

@lisamurkowski

Lindsey Graham

Republican

South Carolina

@GrahamBlog

Roy Blunt

Republican

Missouri

@RoyBlunt

Jerry Moran

Republican

Kansas

@JerryMoran

John Hoeven

Republican

North Dakota

@SenJohnHoeven

John Boozman

Republican

Arkansas

@JohnBoozman

Shelley Moore-Capito

Republican

West Virginia

@SenCapito

James Lankford

Republican

Oklahoma

@SenatorLankford

Steve Daines

Republican

Montana

@SteveDaines

John Kennedy

Republican

Louisiana

@SenJohnKennedy

Marco Rubio

Republican

Florida

@marcorubio

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican

Mississippi

@SenHydeSmith

Patrick Leahy (Vice Chair)

Democrat

Vermont

@SenatorLeahy

Patty Murray

Democrat

Washington

@PattyMurray

Dianne Feinstein

Democrat

California

@SenFeinstein

Richard Durbin

Democrat

Illinois

@senatordurbin

Jack Reed

Democrat

Rhode Island

@SenJackReed

Jon Tester

Democrat

Montana

@SenatorTester

Tom Udall

Democrat

New Mexico

@SenatorTomUdall

Jeanne Shaheen

Democrat

New Hampshire

@SenatorShaheen

Jeff Merkley

Democrat

Oregon

@SenJeffMerkley

Christopher Coons

Democrat

Delaware

@ChrisCoons

Brian Schatz

Democrat

Hawaii

@brianschatz

Tammy Baldwin

Democrat

Wisconsin

@SenatorBaldwin

Chris Murphy

Democrat

Connecticut

@ChrisMurphyCT

Joe Manchin

Democrat

West Virginia

@Sen_JoeManchin

Chris Van Hollen

Democrat

Maryland

@ChrisVanHollen

Sample tweets targeting Senator Shelby, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee

I served in Afghanistan alongside brave Afghan interpreters and translators. They love this country and need your help to reach safety. Please stand up for our Afghan partners and authorize more visas. #SaveOurAllies @Vets4AmerIdeals

As a [branch/deployment] veteran, I’m asking you to stand up for our brave Afghan allies. Please appropriate additional Afghan SIVs. #SaveOurAllies @Vets4AmerIdeals

Sample tweets targeting Senators 

I’m a constituent and [branch] veteran. I served alongside brave Afghans. They love this country and need your help to reach safety. Ask @AppropsGOP @SenateApprops @senshelby to stand up for our Afghan partners. #SaveOurAllies @Vets4AmerIdeals

I’m a constituent and [branch/deployment] veteran. Our Afghan allies need your help. Please call on @AppropsGOP @SenateApprops @senshelby to authorize 4k additional Afghan SIVs. #SaveOurAllies @Vets4AmerIdeals

As a constituent, a [branch/deployment] veteran and member of @Vets4AmerIdeals, I’m asking you to #SaveOurAllies. Please call on your colleagues @AppropsGOP @SenateApprops @senshelby to authorize 4k additional Afghan SIVs.  

As a constituent, a [branch/deployment] veteran and member of @Vets4AmerIdeals, I’m asking you to appropriate 4,000 additional Afghan Special Immigrant Visas. #SaveOurAllies.  

I’m a proud [insert state] resident and [branch/deployment] veteran. We must keep our word to our Afghan allies under threat. I hope you will stand with @vets4amerideals and secure 4,000 additional Afghan Special Immigrant Visas. #SaveOurAllies

Sample Snail-Mail Letter to Your Senator
 

Dear Senator,
I write as a veteran and concerned constituent to urge you: please support our Afghan wartime allies.

As you know, throughout U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan, thousands of locals have provided mission support as interpreters, translators, cultural advisors, logisticians, and as contractors for the U.S. embassy, USAID, and other agencies. In exchange for their service, the United States pledged to protect them through the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program, enacted in 2009.  

Many of our wartime allies who remain in Afghanistan have been targeted by insurgents as a result of their service to the United States and live in constant fear that they or their families will be hurt or killed. For many the SIV program is their lifeline.
If this program is not resourced, it could significantly undermine the United States’ credibility, the safety of our troops, and the seventeen years of sacrifice by thousands of Afghans on behalf of Americans.

This year’s Presidential Budget included a request for four thousand Afghan Special Immigrant Visas. Yet Congress thus far has failed to authorize any visas. In previous years they were included in the National Defense Authorization Act, but none were included in that bill this year.

Additionally, both the House and Senate State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee reports for Fiscal Year 2019 affirmed the critical role of the SIV program. The House version states: "The Committee notes the critical role of the SIV  program in assisting the United States mission in Afghanistan and urges the Committees of jurisdiction to review the needs of this program."

Now is the time to publicly express your support for this program. Please work with your colleagues to find a way to allocate a minimum of 4,000 additional Afghan SIVs through the appropriations process.

I hope you will do what is in our strategic interest and honor our promise.
Respectfully,
Your Name