Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL): House Foreign Affairs Committee Votes to Authorize a 'Civilian Response Corps'
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2008
1:38 PM
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CONTACT: Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Ann Vaughan, 202-903-2528, ann@fcnl.org
or Maureen Brookes, 202-903-2530, maureen@fcnl.org
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House Foreign Affairs Committee Votes to Authorize a 'Civilian Response Corps'
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WASHINGTON, DC - February 27 - A key congressional committee today approved legislation that would strengthen the U.S. government’s capability to respond quickly to emerging crises around the world, prevent and resolve violent conflicts, and rebuild war-torn countries, the Friends Committee on National Legislation said today.
Today, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed by unanimous consent the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act (HR 1084), which would authorize the creation of standby groups of civilian specialists with diverse skills and the capability to rapidly deploy in a crisis to prevent weak states from collapsing or rebuild war-torn states.
“This legislation is a critical first step toward changing the way the US engages the world,” explained Ann Vaughan, a lobbyist for conflict prevention with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a 64 year old Quaker lobby. “Many of the problems in the world today cannot be solved by military force. Problems such as economic disparity and the lack of a functioning, legitimate government can’t be solved by the military. Yet U.S. policymakers lack a corps of civilian experts to send to crisis torn areas to help countries help themselves and provide basic services to their citizens. This legislation addresses that need.”
“We hope the full House will act quickly to pass the bill,” added Vaughan. "Today’s vote was a first step towards increasing U.S. non-military tools to respond to crisis and conflicts.”
The Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest registered religious lobby in Washington, is a non-partisan Quaker lobby in the public interest. FCNL works with a nationwide network of tens of thousands of people from every state in the U.S. to advocate for social and economic justice, peace, and good government. More information: http://www.fcnl.org
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