NEW BILL TO CLOSE THE SOA/WHINSEC INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS - HR 3368

Representative James McGovern (MA) reintroduced the Latin America Military Training Review Act as HR 3368 on November 4, 2011 along with 21 other original co-sponsors. This legislation would suspend operations at the SOA/ WHINSEC, investigate torture manuals and human rights abuses associated with the school, and conduct an assessment of military training in Latin America.

Also, learn about how SOA Watch is taking the US Government to court, then tell your Rep how they can support transparency and democracy in the Americas by closing the SOA/WHINSEC!

Read more here.

SEND A MESSAGE TO YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER TODAY, URGING THEM TO SIGN ONTO HR 3368

APRIL DAYS OF ACTION IN DC - April 11-17, 2012

Get ready for our mobilization to DC in April of 2012! Call your member of Congress and set up a meeting with her/him during our lobby days (April 16-17) and bring your friends and community members with you!

Click here to let us know about your meeting with your Representative.

Remember that 2012 is election year, so let's push hard to get the candidates to address the issue of the SOA and militarization of our society. We can meet candidates on the trail, in town hall meetings, at debates, at the Republican and Democratic National Convention, and everywhere! Learn the skills you'll need to lobby hard during our April Days of Action.

Can't come to DC? Send a message to your Congress member and call them, urging them to sign onto HR 3368.

Read more here.

Letter to President Obama

On August 16, 2011 Sixty-nine Members of the House of Representatives, headed by Congressman Jim McGovern and Congressman John Lewis, sent a letter to President Obama asking him to issue an executive order to close the SOA/WHINSEC. (See a list of Congressional signatories and view a copy of the letter here)  This is one of many efforts that SOA Watch has employed to close the training school that has so many links to human rights violations across the hemisphere, and one of many efforts to curtail oppressive U.S. foreign policy in the Americas. We will also deliver over resolutions and statements in support of closing the school from labor, religious, and academic organizations along with over 10,000 signatures from citizens across the country in support of the closing of the SOA/WHINSEC, and demand that the president shut the school down!

See the list of organizations that have called for the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC.

There is still work to do! Will you help?

1. Call the White House to urge President Obama to respond to the August 2011 Congressional letter by closing the SOA/WHINSEC.

You can reach President Obama's office at: (202) 456-1111

Click here for a sample call script.

2. Identify your Representative (If you're not sure, you can find out here.) This site gives the phone number of your Representative's Washington DC office.  You can also call the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121 and ask for your Representative.

3. Where do they stand? Check to see if your Representative signed the letter to President Obama or has supported SOA Watch in the past.  See list of Congressional signatories and  cosponsors of HR2567 in the 111th Congress.

*You can find more information about your Representative's voting record, official positions and more at sites such as Project Vote Smart.

3. Let us know how it went! Be sure to call Alison Snow at the SOA Watch office in DC (202-234-3440), or send an email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) after your meeting, phone calls, or actions so that we may follow up with work at their offices here in DC!

1. copy of the August sign-on letter (download as PDF),

2. reasons for closing the SOA/WHINSEC.

3. talking points

4. tips to schedule and prepare for a meeting,

Other tactics include:

- asking for a meeting with your Representative or an Aide;
- writing letters to the editor;
- bird-dogging your Representative when they are in town, or in DC;
- doing a sit-in, die-in or other nonviolent direct action that grabs their attention! Escalating your tactics is a great way to organize more people, build alliances and bring more attention to your demands.

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As justice and peace activists, and specifically anti-militarization activists working to close down the SOA/WHINSEC, we have a duty to encourage our representatives to choose the right path.  An anti-militarization struggle, in our times, will NEVER be easy, but since we know that our actions today will lead to gains tomorrow, we must persevere and work on multiple fronts.  Our lobbying efforts should be interconnected with our mass mobilizing efforts, our research efforts, and efforts from Latin America to fight imperialism and intervention.

If you have any questions on the SOA Watch Lobbying Campaign, please call Alison Snow at 202-234-3440 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .