Making a call to your Rep's DC office is one of hte most effective ways to pressure them from home!

Here's how to make quick call to your Rep or Senator

1. Call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you (if you don't know who your rep is, no problem! You can give them your ZIP code and they will put you through to your rep). 

2. Introduce yourself as a resident of their district and ask to speak to the staffer in charge of Foreign Affairs about U.S. funding in Central America. If you get through to the staffer, use the Call Script below (you can also use the script below to leave a message)

Call Script

Hello, my name is __________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. Could I speak with the person in charge of Foreign Affairs? [If they are unavailable, ask to leave the following as a message]

I am calling because I am extremely concerned about the current democratic and human rights crisis in El Salvador. As you have seen in the news, the Salvadoran government has suspended fundamental constitutional rights and is currently holding thousands of people in prison without charges and without the right to defense. 

This is only the latest move by the president of El Salvador to consolidate power and silence dissent. He also plans to DOUBLE the size of the Salvadoran military, which is a blatant violation of the 1992 Peace Accords and is using the police to persecute opposition forces. 

And yet, the U.S. continues to provide training, equipment, and support to both military and police. 

I am calling to encourage Rep/Senator _______ to take action to restrict military and security aid to El Salvador. The same should be true for Guatemala and Honduras where popular movements are calling for an end to militarization and repression. Will Rep/Senator _______________ advocate for withholding security aid to Central America in next year’s budget?

[If the rare case the person has questions and/or wants to discuss these issues further, tell them someone from CISPES will follow up. Let us know and we can set up a follow up meeting with that office.]

Voicemail Script: 

Hello, my name is ___________  and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. I am calling on you to take action to withhold military and security aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in next year’s budget. The president of El Salvador is violating international human rights standards and constitutional rights in El Salvador, including the right to due process, and is trying to bring the military back to the size it was during the civil war. Why is the United States helping him? I am calling on you to use the upcoming budget process to withhold military and security aid to Central America and stop fueling human rights abuses. Thank you.