Sample Tweets: Protect Our Afghan Allies
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