CIR - National phone campaign – 29th April, 2010 to 14th May, 2010

[pappu]

As the CIR bill outline is getting introduced today, we all need to do our share in making our voice heard. Our issues are real and affect about a million people patiently waiting in line for past several years. We are high-skilled immigrants who have followed all the rules and contribute significantly to the innovation and economy of this county. Our strength is our grassroots efforts, so let us all call our lawmakers and ask them to take immediate action on the immigration bill.

Call your Legislators:

Immigration Voice is organizing a nationwide call-the-lawmakers drive. We request members to call each and every senator and congress member. This drive will precede the ‘Advocacy Day(s)’ in Washington, DC and ‘Meet the lawmaker’ drive in local districts. Members can use this phone call conversation with their local lawmaker offices to follow-up with lawmakers when they meet during the break just after the Memorial day.

Don’t miss this opportunity:

This is the perfect time to call the lawmakers. The bill needs a push via support from people like us and all lawmakers needs to be encouraged and urged to help us. There are indications that there will be lot of activity on immigration issues in both House and Senate after the Memorial day. We need to make those activities go in our favor and not die like the CIR bill in 2006 & 2007. Thus it is important to starting calling lawmakers, starting from the Senate members. In order to capitalize on this opportunity, it is very important that everyone calls every lawmaker of this country. The similar next opportunity will be in 2013. We can participate now or we will all have ourselves to blame.

When:
This campaign starts today at 4:00 PM EST on 29th April, 2010) (Today) and will run until the end of next week. All IV members are encouraged to make multiple phone calls whenever they find some time during the day.

Who:

This is the order in which we would prefer that members call. Call all the senators listed here, even if they are not from your state.

This is the list of offices where there is maximum potential to swing votes either because they are new in the US senate or because they may be reconsidering their position on CIR if the bill has stricter provisions in it.


TIER I: LIST OF KEY SENATORS FOR CIR

Senator Scott Brown (R-Massachusetts)
(202) 224-4543

Senator Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire)
(202) 224-3324

Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana)
(202) 224-4814

Senator Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming)
(202) 224-3424

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)
(202) 224-5972

Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada)
(202) 224-6244

Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah)
(202) 224-5251

Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas)
(202) 224-2934

Senator John Kyl (R-Texas)
(202) 224-4521

Senator Mitch Mcconnell (R-Kentuky)
(202) 224-2541

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota)
(202) 224-3244

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri)
(202) 224-6154

Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana)
(202) 224-2644

Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia)
(202) 224-4024

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island)
(202) 224-2921



What you could say to the Senator offices listed above:

When you call:
Be courteous. Tell the lawmaker office that:

--------------------------------------------
I am a high skilled immigrant and a member of Immigration Voice. I fully support the proposed comprehensive immigration reform proposal released a few days back.

I am calling to express my support for the high skilled provisions to resolve the current green card backlogs of the doctors, engineers, research scientist and professors etc. This group of highly skilled immigrants stimulates every part of the economy participating in creating economic prosperity, innovation and entrepreneurship for creating more jobs in America.

I strongly urge the Senator to please support this proposal. If it is possible, could you please share the position of the Senator on the recently released (last week) Comprehensive Immigration Reform proposal?

Thank you and I am counting on the Senator’s support for this very important issue of national importance. Please convey regards to the Senator.
--------------------------------------------
If you belong to the constituency (State) of the lawmaker, then tell them that you belong to their district/state and are calling to seek their help. If you are talking to a Senator office then tell them you are anxiously waiting for a Senators support for the immigration bill.

Then ask: What is the lawmaker’s position on immigration proposal? If the position is
- Supportive: Then thank the lawmaker office for it.

- If they oppose it: Then request them to support the high skilled green card provisions of the bill that will greatly help you. You sincerely hope that the lawmaker will reconsider his/her position and help you.

Be polite and persuasive in your message.

Question What if some Senators say they do not support amnesty. -

Answer "For last 10 years there has been no High-skilled immigration bill passed by the Congress. The world has changed in last 10 years. I understand that the Senator is a champion for creating more jobs in America. Employment based green cards will create jobs in America. I want to start my own company and hire people in America. But I cannot do that if I don't have a green card.

I would sincerely request you to please convey to the Senator if he would consider supporting some version of the immigration
giving more weight to green cards and creating jobs in America, or maybe the Senator could lead the effort for improving the proposal"





TIER II: LIST OF KEY SENATORS SPONSORING OR CO-SPONSORING CIR BILL

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nevada)
(202) 224-3542

Senator Dick Durbin (Illinois)
(202) 224-2152

Senator Chuck Schumer (New York)
(202) 224-6542

Senator Patrick Leahy (Vermont)
(202) 224-4242

Senator Dianne Feinstein (California)
(202) 224-3841

Senator Bob Menendez (New Jersey)
(202) 224-4744

Sen. Ben Cardin (Maryland)
(202) 224-4524

What:

When you call:
Be courteous. Tell the lawmaker office that:
--------------------------------------------
I am a high skilled immigrant and a member of Immigration Voice. I fully support the proposed comprehensive immigration reform proposal due to be introduced later in the day today.

Thank you for the Senator’s leadership on this very important issue of immigration. Please convey my gratitude, full support and regards to the Senator.
--------------------------------------------

Be polite and persuasive in your message.

Stick to the message and you will really make a big difference.

Please post the outcome of your call on this thread. For more information please contact IV.

Thank You,

Immigration Voice

[India_USA]

way to go pappu!
we will take this on definitely!!!!!!!!! And we will recognize ourselves as Immigration Voice members in our calls

[StarSun]

State chapter leaders and all other members, please contact me about the campaign.

[amitjoey]

We will start calling. Thanks. We should leave no stone unturned. No doubts. Just do it!!

[sandy_anand]

Pappu, thanks for the list. I wonder why Lindsey Graham's name is not on your list?

[geevikram]

Just called Senator Mitch McConnel's(R-KY) office. They were receptive to our message. Also, I was told that Senator is taking messages and has NOT taken a stand yet. Will post more if I call more people.

[jungalee43]

Can there be link for FAX for the guest members? I can get about 100 people to send fax. They are members of Indian community (many are citizens) and may not have time to make phone calls. But with simple provision to send fax at one time to all these senators, I am pretty sure I can get 100 people to send faxes.
Again the provision is required for guest members who are willing to write their address and phone number.

[IAF]

Let us do it team.

[greyhair]

Just called Scott Brown and Senator Greg. The person who picked up the phone in Scott Brown offcie noted my name and address. He said he will give my message to the Senator. The lady in Judd Gregg office said that Senator has not yet decided on the immigration proposal but she said the Senator appreciates the call. She did not ask my details but said that the Senator has supported immigration bills in the past. They both sounded very positive.

Printed out the post and I will continue to call all Senators.

[gcgonewild]

Pappu,

Just called all Senators

The Phone number of last few senators is wrong.

Please change 244 to 224.

[gcgonewild]

Pappu,

Just called all Senators

The Phone number of last few senators is wrong.

Please change 244 to 224.

[eastindia]

Can I call now? When will office close?

[StarSun]

You can find the list of all US Senators currently serving listed alphabetically along with phone numbers U.S. Senate: Senators Home

class - Article I, section 3 of the Constitution requires the Senate to be divided into three classes for purposes of elections. Senators are elected to six-year terms, and every two years the members of one class—approximately one-third of the Senators—face election or reelection. Terms for Senators in Class I expire in 2013, Class II in 2015, and Class III in 2011.

Lets get this moving!!!

[jungalee43]

Senator Scott Brown (R-Massachusetts) - left voice mail

Senator Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire) - left voice mail

Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) -left voice mail

Senator Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming) - left voice mail

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) - it was not on my print out. But would call right away.

Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada) - Spoke with staff. Could not escape noticing her "sigh" when I mentioned CIR. She asked if I was from Nevada. I said no. But still she patientely took my message. She said there was no official statement yet from the senator and would not tell his position.

Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah) - engage. Nothing happened.

Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) - You must call during office hours. Cannot leave voice mail.

Senator John Kyl (R-Texas) - left voice mail

Senator Mitch Mcconnell (R-Kentuky) - engage

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) - Voice mail

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) - Mail box full !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) - left voice mail

Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia) - left voice mail

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) - left voice mail. Here you hear prompt both in English as well as Spanish before you get the beep of the voice mail.

In every message I mentioned my name, address and phone numbers. Will call the Sen. Graham and sponsoring dems now. I will make another round of calls during office hours tomorrow.
And please the Fax link for guests. They should not be able to edit the mesasge. But must enter name and address. I can have at least 100 faxes sent.

[greyhair]

Link to the video of the Senate immigration

C-SPAN Video Player - Senate Majority Leader Reid & Democratic Members on Immigration Reform