Landmines, bombs, and other explosive hazards continue to claim thousands of innocent lives across more than 60 countries.
In Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, bombs dropped by the U.S. nearly 50 years ago continue to disrupt the daily life of families, and kill and injure innocent children simply playing outside or walking to school.
Together, we can put an end to these senseless deaths and allow communities to thrive. HALO's demining work transforms former battlefields into farms, homes, and hospitals, and allows children to safely attend school.
Please contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support global demining programs. With your help, we can create a mine-free world.
Dear Senator/Representative,
As your constituent, I'm writing to encourage your office to support State Department demining programs to remove explosive hazards in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia and address war legacy issues.
Nearly 50 years after the end of the Vietnam War, unexploded ordnance dropped by the United States during the Vietnam War era continues to maim and kill innocent men, women, and children in this region. Hundreds of thousands have already suffered injuries or death from these explosive hazards in the decades since the conflict. These deadly explosives also keep land out of productive use and prevent communities from building critical infrastructure.
The U.S. can and must do more to fulfill its responsibility to clean up its legacy ordnance. I hope I can count on your office to support increased funding for UXO removal and related humanitarian mine action programs in southeast Asia and address war legacy issues.
Specifically, I am asking you to support life-saving demining programs in the following ways:
- Please support $290 million for global Conventional Weapons Destruction (NADR-CWD) programs in the FY23 budget,
- Please support $80 million for demining programs in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia ($50 million for Laos), as included in the House FY23 budget draft,
- Please co-sponsor the Legacies of War Recognition & Unexploded Ordnance Removal Act (led by Reps. Speier & Chabot in the House and Sens. Baldwin & Moran in the Senate) that authorizes funding for demining programs in southeast Asia,
- Join the UXO/Demining Caucus by reaching out to the offices of co-chairs Reps. Jackie Speier or Bill Johnson.
With your help, this region can fully recover from conflict and thrive.
Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.
Sincerely,
[your name]
