The Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC) is supporting the latest American Latvian Association (ALA) Call to Action. If you are a registered voter in the United States, please take time to voice your concerns to your elected representatives on the current developments and coming legislation concerning the Baltic region.
The latest action items address both the White House and Congress on three main topics:
- Urging President Biden to reaffirm our support for Ukraine, and for our NATO allies before negotiations between the U.S. and Russia beginning on Jan. 10. See JBANC’s January 4 letter to President Biden here;
- Asking for robust security assistance for the Baltic countries and Ukraine via Defense, and State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) appropriations to deter Russian threats;
- Asking Senators to support S.3436, the “Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Implementation Act,” which gives Congress the power to review the President’s waivers for sanctions against Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
How can you voice your concerns?
- Find contact details of your Senators here or/and your Representative here. Subscribe to the Baltic Call to Action UNIT’s mailing list here to receive all the contact details together with ready- and tailor-made letter drafts for future campaigns.
- Feel free to select ready-made template letters from below and send them to your elected representatives via contacts you found.
- We always encourage taking the time to call the offices if you have the opportunity! It makes a difference.
Thank you for your time and support!
Dear Senator ____:
As your constituent and a Baltic American, there are several pressing issues that are personally important to me:
Please urge President Biden to reaffirm our support for Ukraine, Georgia, and our NATO allies before negotiations between the U.S. and Russia beginning on Jan. 10. I am incredibly concerned with the Kremlin’s recent public demands to withdraw the U.S. and NATO military presence from its former Soviet “sphere of influence.” This ultimatum underscores Putin’s revanchist ambitions and is a non-starter. I hope to hear strong U.S. support for Ukrainian territorial integrity in the upcoming negotiations, which is crucial for regional stability. We must engage with strength to ensure Moscow respects the sovereignty of our allies and partners.
Please provide robust security assistance for the Baltic countries and Ukraine via Defense and SFOPS appropriations to deter Russian threats. Final consideration of FY22 appropriations will be occurring soon. Priority appropriations include funding for the Baltic Security Initiative (the House authorized $175 million in the FY22 NDAA), defensive aid for Ukraine, and the European Deterrence Initiative. These measures will enable the U.S. and our allies to prepare for contingencies necessitated by Moscow’s aggression—especially the current dangerous military buildup near Ukraine.
Please support S.3436 – Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Implementation Act, which gives Congress the power to review the President’s waivers for sanctions against Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline. This would enable Congress to hold the Administration and the German government accountable for their agreement struck mid-last year, committing to taking action if Russia deploys energy as a weapon. NS2 would entrench Russian dominance of the European natural gas market, significantly strengthening Moscow’s political, economic, and military leverage.
Please work on a bipartisan basis for the above and other matters especially regarding our foreign policy.
Thank you for your service for our country.
Dear Representative_____:
I am your constituent with a personal connection to the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. I am very concerned about protecting American interests in the Baltics, especially in the face of Russia’s recent massive deployment of troops threatening Ukraine and NATO allies. As part of strategic deterrence of aggression from Moscow against our Baltic allies, please support the following requests.
Please urge President Biden to reaffirm our support for Ukraine, Georgia, and our NATO allies before negotiations between the U.S. and Russia beginning on Jan. 10. I am incredibly concerned with the Kremlin’s recent public demands to withdraw the U.S. and NATO military presence from its former Soviet “sphere of influence.” This ultimatum underscores Putin’s revanchist ambitions and is a non-starter. I hope to hear strong U.S. support for Ukrainian territorial integrity in the upcoming negotiations, which is crucial for regional stability. We must engage with strength to ensure Moscow respects the sovereignty of our allies and partners.
Please provide robust security assistance for the Baltic countries and Ukraine via Defense and SFOPS appropriations to deter Russian threats. Priority appropriations include funding for the Baltic Security Initiative (the House authorized $175 million in the FY22 NDAA), defensive aid for Ukraine, and the European Deterrence Initiative. These measures will enable the U.S. and our allies to prepare for contingencies necessitated by Moscow’s aggression—especially the current dangerous military buildup near Ukraine.
Please work on a bipartisan basis for the above and other matters especially regarding our foreign policy.
Thank you for your service for our country.
If you’re not already signed up, we encourage you to subscribe to the Baltic Call to Action UNIT – an email group to which ALA sends out calls to action on issues regarding Baltic American interests. Call to actions are supported by tailor- and ready-made letters to your specific elected representatives. Subscribe to the free service here and continue to be a superhero Baltic advocate!