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June 30, 2015

Grassroots Groups Representing Millions of Americans Urge Congress to Support an Iran Deal

Grassroots-Release
  
**Updated to reflect additional signers
 
Washington, DC – NIAC Action signed a letter sent today by grassroots organizations representing millions of Americans urging Congress to support a strong final nuclear deal with Iran.
 
“Every single poll shows that the American public supports an Iran deal and yet Congress seems hellbent on voting to kill it,” said NIAC Action Executive Director Jamal Abdi. “We may not be able to match the millions of dollars being spent by those opposed to any agreement, but we can make sure lawmakers hear from enough constituents to think twice about their decision and actually cast their vote based on a deal’s substance.”
 
The forty-two organizations who signed the letter – which include NIAC Action, MoveOn.org, Win Without War, CREDO, Avaaz, and Friends Committee on National Legislation – pledged to organize in lawmakers’ districts and states to ensure that lawmakers hear the voices of Americans who support a deal loud and clear.
 
The grassroots organizations urge that lawmakers vote to approve a final deal and vote to uphold a Presidential veto should such action be necessary to protect an agreement. Supporters of a deal will need either 41 votes in the Senate or 218 votes in the House to block a resolution of disapproval, and 34 votes in the Senate or 146 votes in the House to uphold a Presidential veto of such a resolution.
 
Negotiators from the U.S., Iran, and UN powers remain hard at work in Vienna to nail down the final details of a comprehensive nuclear deal. While June 30th was the initial deadline for an agreement, the real deadline is July 9th when President Obama must submit a nuclear deal to Congress to avoid a prolonged review process. By all indications, there is positive momentum to reaching an agreement by that later deadline. 
 
Text of the letter is below:
 
June 30, 2015
 
To: Members of the U.S. Congress:
 
The following organizations, representing millions of Americans, urge you to support the strong nuclear deal being negotiated currently between world powers and Iran, to vote in favor of an agreement when it comes before Congress and to commit to vote to uphold a Presidential veto should Congress vote against the agreement.
 
The United States and its partners in the P5+1 expect to secure a final deal with Iran to limit its nuclear program in the coming weeks. Congress may vote on a deal as soon as next month. Your vote will determine whether the U.S. secures peace and cuts off Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon, or rejects diplomacy in favor of an unconstrained Iranian nuclear program and a new push for war.
 
This will be among the most consequential national security votes taken by Congress since the decision to authorize the invasion of Iraq. 
 
The American public overwhelmingly supports a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear standoff with Iran and does not want another war. We do not want to see the critical progress that American diplomacy has achieved over the past two years be derailed by some in Congress who prefer military adventurism over diplomatic solutions. 
 
Our organizations will be working in states and Congressional districts across the country to ensure that you and your colleagues hear from your constituents on this critical issue and will hold you accountable for your vote. We hope you will consider this matter carefully and vote for peace. 
 
Sincerely,
 
American Family Voices
American Friends Service Committee
American Values Network
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Peace Now
Avaaz
Center for International Policy
Church of the Brethren, Office of Public Witness
Citizens for Global Solutions
CODEPINK
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Council for a Livable World
CREDO
Daily Kos
Democracy for America
Friends Committee on National Legislation

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ
Global Zero
Historians Against the War
Institute for Policy Studies
Jewish Voice for Peace
Just Foreign Policy
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
MoveOn.Org
National Iranian American Council
National Priorities Project
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Pax Christi International
Peace Action
Peace Action West
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Progressive Democrats of America
Sojourners
U.S. Labor Against the War
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United for Peace and Justice
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
USAction
Win Without War
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