Philadelphia, PA, USA - June 17, 2019; Tourist walk past a large chalk board, that reads How Will You Change The World, outside the historic Arch Street Friends Meeting House in Old City, Philadelphia, PA on June 17, 2019. During the high season large groups of tourists are drawn to the pre-colonial charm of Old City and the historic significance of Independence National Historical Park.
There are more than a thousand lobbying firms and 12,000 lobbyists registered to lobby the federal government in Washington D.C. They present their views and try to influence government on many issues. Those that attract the most lobbying interests relate to business, healthcare, energy, pharmaceuticals and communications.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation is not a lobbying group that spends large sums of money like some other lobbyists. However, the lobbying group representing Quakers is the nation’s oldest faith-based lobbying group having formed in 1943.
According to the FCNL, they meet with members of Congress or their staffs to discuss issues of peace, equality and simplicity and they do it while usually focusing on one issue.
Right now, the Friends Committee is lobbying for “preventing endless war through the repeal of two outstanding Authorizations for Use of Military Force” that were enacted after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the lead up to war in Iraq in 2002. The issue has taken on more urgency since tensions have increases recently between the U.S. and Iran.
On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we’re joined by Beth Reeves and Anthony Crocamo — advocates from the Friends Committee on National Legislation to discuss the issues important to Quakers and how they go about lobbying members of Congress.
