COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of October 18, 2013

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week of October 18, 2013

Senate candidate whispered:   At Grover Norquist’s>>was a person seeking the R party nomination for US Senate …we had a brief chat.  “I agree” was the response to ending federal drug prohibition.  Small steps.

Spreading the message: Congresswoman Duckworth in her wheel chair (war vet w/o legs) paused after she paid for lunch to read my COP jacket which was hung over a chair for all to read. She nodded and kept going.

Worth 3 minutes:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKPAn7uRcVY  ”Why are so many violent criminals going free?”

At the bottom is a letter from one R office explaining why he could not meet this week.  Shut down related. NOTE:  almost all offices stayed open and staff was working.

Solid week on the Hill w/ a total of 15 presentations.

This week’s stats:

• 1409 Presentations to Congressional staffers..13 this week
• 46 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 02 this week

I need your help >>Reminder:  have you sent your Congressman a letter in support of HR 1523?  Sample here:

Dear Congressman XXXXXX

I hope and trust you will become a co-sponsor of Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013: HR 1523

I hope we can agree that the 10^th Amendment should be employed in many more areas.  Our state should be allowed to set its own path regarding Industrial Hemp, Medicinal Use and Personal Use of Marijuana.  Highly-trained federal agents are needed to find the terrorists that attack us at every opportunity, not fly around in helicopters looking for a green plant.

Moreover, the federal government currently wastes about 4 billion dollars looking for a green plant and its users.   The Congress is also missing about a billion dollars in lost tax revenue.   I challenge you to tell me one, substantive advantage of our prohibition approach.  We all know the disadvantages (funds The Taliban, Mexican Drug Cartels, kids hurt selling, less money to education, easier for kids to buy pot than alcohol, etc).

And please, no wishy-washy letter that says thanks for your views.  Take a position.  Silence equals you will vote no & thus help The Taliban buy weapons which kill our troops in Afghanistan.

Sincerely,

COP stats since inception: August 2009

• 42 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.  this week
• 63 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
• 16 major conferences attended..  this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)  this week
• 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
• 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
• 34 Radio Interviews..  this week
• 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
• 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
• Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders.   Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
• Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year.   All contributions are tax-deductible.  30 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year.   Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition.  COP provides that voice.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  Go to:

• www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
• Citizens Opposing Prohibition
• POB 543
• Buckeystown, MD 21717

I am unable to check or respond to your message at this time.  If this is an urgent matter, please call (202) 225-4561 for further assistance.

Under Public Law 113-6, enacted on March 26, 2013, current legal funding authority for government operations expired at midnight on September 30, 2013.

The Office of Congressman Peter Roskam has furloughed all employees, except those specifically provided for by law as necessary to maintain legislative operations and insure the Constitutionally-mandated representation of our district.

Congressman Roskam has been a strong proponent of keeping the government open and operating.  He has been listening to his constituents and the American people, who unambiguously believe their government has a responsibility to provide essential services, from defense and homeland security, to overseeing the banking system, operating the national power grid, and administering safety net programs.

This week, Congressman Roskam joined his colleagues in the House in passing a bill to fully fund the government.  Unfortunately at this time, pending Senate action to adopt the House-passed Continuing Resolution, the federal government is operating under a partial shutdown.

Under federal law, the Obama Administration has broad authority to make determinations about which federal agencies and programs can continue to operate at this time.

We ask for your patience as we work to extend government funding authority and restore operations.  Congressman Roskam’s offices will remain open and continue to serve constituents to the best of our ability.