Friends Committee On National Legislation

Our domestic and foreign policy programs are inextricably linked and designed to focus on the root causes and long-term consequences of federal policies that perpetrate injustice, inequality, economic disparity, disproportionate power, and violence both in the U.S. and internationally. These are issues that are systemic and can be addressed only through a commitment to strategic, pragmatic, and long-term nonpartisan advocacy. Our goal is a national U.S. community and a world community living together more peacefully and justly with greater care for each other and our shared planet.

FCNL is changing the paradigm of U.S. foreign policy by showing how our government can replace its history of racism and military force with a more ethical and humane path to address global crises and poverty. For example, FCNL co-founded and is coordinates the advocacy agenda of the Prevention and Projection Working Group, a coalition of 250 human rights, religious, humanitarian, anti-genocide, and peace organizations that consults regularly with government agencies to improve U.S. policies and civilian capacities to prevent violent conflict, avert mass atrocities, and protect civilians threatened by such crises. The PPWG is a powerful and respected voice that strengthens FCNL’s focus to move U.S. foreign policy away from its military stance.

Since its founding in 1943, our domestic policy advocacy has worked for changes to federal policies that institutionalize the oppression of Black people, Native peoples, other peoples of color, and women. Recent events in the U.S. have made this equity and justice work even more urgent, and our legislative priorities now specify that we “identify, expose, and work to eliminate racism, institutional racism, and other forms of systemic discrimination.” Our domestic policy programs have been strengthened to focus directly on this priority. For example, we expanded our energy and environmental portfolio to include environmental justice. Too many marginalized communities have been forced to bear the consequences of our country’s environmental degradation. We also created a new Election Integrity program. Our system needs minimum standards set by the federal government as a matter of racial justice as well as to secure our most fundamental rights. We have been actively advocating for reforms such as making election day a federal holiday, expanding the availability of early voting, and reinvigorating the Voting Rights Act.

Lawmakers place a high value on constituents with whom they have built relationships that are grounded in trust and respect, and this is the very essence of FCNL’s approach. We provide ongoing coaching and support to 167 130 Advocacy Teams, comprising close to 2,000 grassroots constituents from 44 states. Advocacy Team members develop compelling personal narratives about why change matters, and are trained to organize constituent visits and use media to reinforce their message. We also have a growing network of influential “grasstops” advocates who can leverage their personal relationships with members of Congress to affect change.

FCNL takes a non-partisan approach to lobbying that is committed to respect and relationship-building across political divides. Our guiding principle is to look deeper than the labels that break our country into closed groups. Because our lawmakers are making decisions about people’s lives, we must be ready to work with them, regardless of party or agreement on all issues. We meet both policymakers and advocates where they are and seek opportunities to work together where there is common ground. We listen deeply to understand the perspective of others. This means FCNL lobbyists and constituents can often get meetings with offices that are not open to talking with our more partisan colleagues.

FCNL’s power to make change in Washington is a result of the combination of careful lobbying on Capitol Hill and focused advocacy from people across the United States. In 2015, FCNL staff began working with constituents around the country to launch local Advocacy Teams that build deep relationships with their members of Congress. Today we have more than 130 Advocacy Teams across 44 states. For several years, they focused on ending endless wars by supporting Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13) in her efforts to support the repeal of the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (see “Accomplishments” section). Rep. Lee acknowledged FCNL’s work in remarks on MSNBC and later with Religion News Service: “FCNL is one of the most well-organized and strategic advocacy teams in Washington. Their advocates always speak with detailed knowledge and moral clarity. I have found them to be an invaluable ally in our shared efforts to end war and advance human rights and needs.”

FCNL is recognized as “toiling for years” to repeal the two post-9/11 war authorizations in our effort to stop the endless wars launched by the U.S. and to have Congress reclaim its responsibility to declare war rather than ceding it to the President. Our Washington staff and grassroots Advocacy Teams spent years working to build support to repeal this outdated and dangerous war authorization. Through our persistent advocacy we increased the number of House Republicans who voted in support of repeal from 14 in a 2019 vote to 49 just two years later. We also worked to increase bipartisan Senate support and now have 11 Republican cosponsors of the Senate 2002 AUMF repeal bill. A provision to repeal this authorization was recently included in House version the “must-pass” annual defense policy bill and the White House has issued a statement of support of this course.

The truce in Yemen is a step toward ending a terrible war that has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. FCNL lobbyists in Washington, working with thousands of Advocacy Team members around the country, are leading efforts to pass a War Powers Resolution (H.J. Res. 87/S.J. Res. 56) that would end U.S. support for the Saudi war in Yemen. Even before voting on the bill begins, the pressure generated by the growing list of cosponsors is helping move the peace process forward. FCNL has led efforts to end U.S. support for the Saudi war in Yemen since the war began in 2015. FCNL’s grassroots constituent Advocacy Teams across the country lobbied exclusively on this issue.

In 2022, President Biden signed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that expands tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Native perpetrators to include crimes of sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, sex trafficking, and assault of tribal justice personnel. More than four in five Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, often at the hands of a non-Native perpetrator. Most of these cases go uninvestigated and unprosecuted by the federal government. Restoring tribal criminal jurisdiction allows more tribes to implement their own public safety protections. Working as allies with tribal nations and tribal organizations, FCNL’s lobbyists and advocates around the country built bipartisan support for the reauthorization of this legislation.

What’s next: repealing the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force, returning the U.S. to the Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, cancelling the nuclear sea launched cruise missile program, banning landmines and cluster munitions, making permanent the full refundability of the Child Tax Credit, creating a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and other undocumented communities, enacting dedicated funding for community-based Violence Interrupters programs, passing the John R. Lewis Freedom to Vote Act.