Introduction to WIntroduction to WiiLL and LL and WANDWAND

Budget Priorities, War, Women and Budget Priorities, War, Women and PeacePeace

Senator Nan Orrock, WiLL President

Senator Sandy Pappas, WiLL Vice President

Friday, February 14, 2014

WWiiLL StaffLL Staff

Senator Nan Orrock, GA Senator Sandy Pappas, MNWiLL President WiLL Vice President

Erin LinleyWiLL President’s Associate

Kimberly NionoProgram Associate

Adzi VokhiwaSenior Program Associate

What is WWhat is WiiLL?LL?

The Women Legislators' Lobby (WiLL) is a national nonpartisan network of women state legislators who work together to influence federal policy and budget priorities.

September 2013. WiLL Pacesetters are recognized at WiLL/WAND Conference in Washington, DC.

September 2013. WiLL/WAND Conference in Washington, DC.

October 2013. Arkansas delegation meets with U.S. Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) during the WiLL/WAND Conference in Washington, DC

October 2013. Colorado delegation meets with U.S. Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) during the WiLL/WAND Conference in Washington, DC

April 2012. Minnesota state legislators meet with Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-4)

December 2010. WiLL/WAND Media Training in Atlanta, GA

Our IssuesOur Issues

• Budget Priorities• Women, Peace, and Security• Nuclear Weapons

What does the budget look like?What does the budget look like?

Discretionary SpendingDiscretionary Spending

The United States spends more The United States spends more on its military than the on its military than the

next 13 nations next 13 nations combinedcombined

Tradeoffs – Pentagon spendingTradeoffs – Pentagon spending• Taxpayers in Minnesota's 4th Congressional

District will contribute $1.32 billion to the Department of Defense in FY 2014

• Instead, they could pay for:– 188,205 Head Start slots for children for 1 year OR– 171,250 military veterans receiving VA medical

care for 1 year OR– 19,478 elementary school teachers for 1 year

Tradeoffs – Nuclear WeaponsTradeoffs – Nuclear Weapons• Taxpayers in Minnesota’s 4th Congressional

District will contribute $48.28 million to nuclear weapons (and their related costs) in FY 2014

• Instead, they could pay for:– 16,649 children receiving healthcare for 1 year OR– 699 police/sheriff patrol officers for 1 year OR– 4,210 scholarships for university students for 1

year

Why does this matter?Why does this matter?

• State-federal connections• What are the actual needs of our

communities?

Women, Peace, and SecurityWomen, Peace, and Security

• Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is a policy agenda that: – promotes the role of women in preventing and

resolving violent conflict – protects women and girls from gender based

violence during war and crisis, and – advances the full and equal participation of

women in all efforts to create and maintain national and international peace and security.

U.N Security Council U.N Security Council Resolution 1325Resolution 1325

• In October 2000, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325 in recognition of the importance of including women in matters of peace and security.

• UN SCR 1325 recognizes that just and lasting world peace cannot be achieved without the full & equal participation of women in peacebuilding, peacemaking, peacekeeping and conflict prevention.

U.S. National Action PlanU.S. National Action Plan• On December 19, 2011 President Obama issued an

executive order establishing the first-ever National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

• The NAP states that the US will:– institutionalize a gender-responsive approach to its

diplomatic, development, and defense-related work in conflict affected environments, and

– work to increase women's rights and substantive participation in peace processes, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, transitional processes, and decision making institutions in conflict-affected environments." 

Women, Peace, and Security Women, Peace, and Security ActAct

• The WPS Act implements the United States National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (U.S. NAP) and extends its life beyond this administration

• In the U.S. Senate: introduced on January 16, 2014 by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), & Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

• In the Congress: introduced on July 31, 2013 by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) and 24 additional co-sponsors

War & Women in AfghanistanWar & Women in Afghanistan

• We strongly support the withdrawal of combat troops from Afghanistan

• In accordance with the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (U.S. NAP), we urge the President to outline a transition plan that asserts the role of women “as equal partners in all aspects of peace-building and conflict prevention”

• Achieving this goal is critical to our national and global security

Advancing Global Women’s Advancing Global Women’s LeadershipLeadership

• In partnership with the EastWest Institute’s Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention, 10 women state legislators participated in 3 exchanges with women Parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, & Tunisia.

May 2013. Women legislators from the U.S. meet with women parliamentarians in Ankara, Turkey.

Nuclear WeaponsNuclear Weapons

• Our nuclear weapons work focuses on reducing the overall size of our nuclear arsenal, reducing the amount of money spent on upkeep of nuclear weapons, and supporting treaties and other diplomatic efforts to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)Ban Treaty (CTBT)

• Ratifying the CTBT would institute a global ban on all nuclear weapons explosions on the earth’s surface, drastically reducing any chances of developing new nuclear weapons technologies & programs

• As of October 2013, CTBT has been signed by 183 nations & ratified by 161 including Russia and U.S. allies.

• The CTBT will not go into effect until it is ratified by 8 specific countries including the United States, China, India and Iran.

IranIran• Iran & the United States together with the UK, France,

Russia, China, and Germany (known as the P5+1) came to a “first step” agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

• The “first step” agreement is a prelude to a larger, more comprehensive deal to be worked out over in the coming months.

• The first step deal is not only good for nonproliferation, but it is fundamentally good for American national security.

– Without it, Iran would continue to spin its centrifuges and the prospect of war would be more acute.

– With it, the U.S. and Iran are one step closer to normalizing relations.

Communications Training Communications Training GoalsGoals

• Understanding values-based communications• Using social media strategically to communicate

issues & values• Incorporating story telling, your personal

narrative, or examples from your constituents/district in your communications

• How to personalize an op-ed template, how to write & get an op-ed published

• Public speaking, radio & television interview tips

Contact WContact WiiLLLLWiLL Washington, DC Office

322 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

202-544-5055 phone | 202-544-7612 fax | will@wand.org

www.willwand.org

Twitter: @WomenLegisLobby | Facebook: www.facebook.com/will.wand

WiLL President’s Office

250 Georgia Ave, Ste. 202, Atlanta, GA 30312

404-524-5999 phone | 404-524-7593 fax

Senator Nan Orrock, WiLL President – willpres@wand.org, 404-524-5999

Senator Sandy Pappas, WiLL Vice President – sandy@wand.org, 651-247-8698

Adzi Vokhiwa, Senior Program Associate – avokhiwa@wand.org, 202-544-5055 x 2603

Kimberly Niono, Program Associate – kniono@wand.org, 202-544-5055 x 2602

Erin Linley, WiLL President’s Associate – elinley@wand.org, 404-524-5999