from Peace Action’s Kevin Martin
Good folks,
I hope you had a nice August. A lot is going on as Congress reconvened today and the UN General Assembly will do so next Tuesday.
Let's meet this Thursday, September 4 at 7 pm eastern time to discuss our advocacy, organizing and educational activities. Here are the Zoom coordinates:
Topic: CeaseFire Now Grassroots Network Zoom meeting
Time: Sep 4, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88108135462?pwd=YEKQzsh0QFBXtWt4yMPDWFKpKmMa2w.1
Meeting ID: 881 0813 5462 / Passcode: 271056
Also, save the date and mark your calendar, we'll have US Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), the House sponsor of the Block the Bombs to Israel Bill, HR 3565, join us for a mobilzation call Monday, September 15 at 7:30 pm. Zoom webinar registration for that will be coming soon.
Below is the info I sent last week, in case you missed it, with a few additions.
I spoke with staff for US Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), the House sponsor of HR 3565, the Block the Bombs to Israel bill, yesterday about coordinating outreach efforts to get a Senate companion bill, and as expected, Rep. Ramirez will engage in direct Member to Member outreach for this purpose when Congress reconvenes. In addition to the four meetings we've had with staff for Senators King, Murphy, Markey and Shaheen, I'm aware of outreach to at least five or six other offices, with more in the works, as well as grassroots action alerts supporting Block the Bombs sent out by various organizations.
National Days of Action to Block the Bombs to Israel - September 15 - 21 (the 21st is the International Day of Peace)
Most of the aspects of this proposal are captured on Peace Action's Block the Bombs to Israel webpage, and other links are below, but in short, following are the highlights:
-Kick-off mobilization call with US Rep. Delia Ramirez, September 15 @ 7:30 pm eastern time;
-Coordinated advocacy visits, protests, vigils or sit-ins, as applicable, at Congressional offices, with a special focus on the Senate, to build support for HR 3565, the Block the Bombs to Israel bill, and a potential Senate companion bill;
-Demonstrations at weapons contractors and other corporations benefitting from arming/supporting Israel's genocide;
-Action alerts in support of Block the Bombs bills (already ongoing, and the joint online action by 11 organizations is here);
-College/university/community teach-ins and/or webinars encouraging action ("actionars!);
-Social media promotion, possibly including selfie videos promoting Block the Bombs to Israel legislation;
-Local and possibly national media promotion of the National Week of Action.
Your organization can endorse Block the Bombs to Israel Days of Action here, if it hasn't already.
Of note, September 15 - 21 is also a Global Week of Action for Peace and Climate Justice, which could provide coalition-building opportunities.
Other links:
-80+ organizations signed an open letter to Congress on ending US military assistance to Israel due to its violation of US law
-Summer/fall Organizing toolkit, with oodles of resources
-Letters to the editor tips courtesy of New Hampshire Peace Action
-Lastly a great video of a town meeting in St. Louis where constituents gave what-for to US Rep. Wesley Bell, just back from the AIPAC funded trip to Israel. You will recall Rep. Bell, with massive AIPAC support, ousted former US Rep. Cori Bush, who introduced the first pro-ceasefire bill in Congress.
New information since last week:
Article on Block the Bombs in The Intercept
US Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) amendment to stop transfer of 2000 lb. bombs to Israel
US Rep Ro Khanna (D-CA) amendment stating there is no authorization for military attacks on Iran
Peace is Every Step,
Kevin Martin, President
Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund