KFIRE  http://KFIRE.us

Kentuckians For Immigration Reform and Enforcement

Joining with citizens and like-minded organizations across the country to combat illegal immigration through peaceful and lawful means.

"United we stand, divided we fall."

                                    KFIRE Pres. travels to DC with FIRE Coalition Partners!   
                                    July 9th, 2009 by Doug Roy, KFIRE President and State FC Director

                                      
On June 18th, I traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby our Elected Elite with leaders of the FIRE Coalition, Jason Mrochek and Jeff Lewis, and a soft spoken Virginian FC advocate named Kevin.  Jeff had planned our agenda on Capitol Hill with various Congressmen and caucus representatives, including the Immigration Caucus and the new Sovereignty Caucus. I made the appointments with the Kentucky Senators. (See pictures here in new window)

It was a jam packed day starting with a ride on the Metro train and breakfast at 8:30am in Longworth , office building for many  Congressmen including Ben Chandler. I received a Providential call from Chandler's office while eating breakfast. The young lady was returning a call from a message I'd left a couple weeks prior. An impromptu  meeting was planned at lunch time with Jim Creevy, Ben Chandler's Legislative Director, so now, even our lunch time was booked!

We began with a 9:30 appointment with Jeff's North Carolina representative, Walter Jones, in the Rayburn building. We had a good talk with the Congressman and discussed his bill HR 150,  the Illegal Alien Crime Reporting Act of 2009. We left for our appointment with Cong. Steve King at 10:30 in Longworth. We traveled via the underground tunnels connecting the office buildings. We saw the entrance for the "Congress only" subway that traveled directly to the Capitol. Upon arriving in Cong. King's office we noted the TV monitor showing the live proceedings in the House. Along with these monitors, each office had alarms denoting calls for votes, etc.

We waited for 15 minutes or more in Cong. King's office and were able to meet the Congressman responsible for the GAO study showing the horrific results of illegal alien crime that has caused the death of over 70,000 Americans since 9/11! The Congressman was kind enough to take a picture with us before going for a vote. We met with his Legislative Assistant, Cassie Nguyen, and discussed items currently on the table including a new update to the GAO study.

From there we traveled back to Rayburn for a meeting with Emily Sanders, the Director of the Immigration Caucus, in Congressman Brian Bilbray's office. Jeff and Emily were well acquainted from Jeff's previous visits to DC. Though Emily and most other experienced politicos we met with did not foresee an amnesty bill coming before 2010, I'm not so sure with this President's Blitzkrieg tactics. At each office, the soft spoken Virginian asked the effect of individual calls, emails, letters, and faxes to their Congressman and each in turn related the great effect and its significance.  Personally written letters, faxes, and emails seemed to have a powerful effect, slightly more than faxes sent through services such as Numbers USA, but all were effective. Phone calls were also powerful and some noted how  knowledgeable voters who didn't lose their temper were very effective.

It was now lunch time, but Jason and I (the Kentuckians) skipped lunch to meet Jim Creevy at Cong. Ben Chandler's office in Longworth.  Mr. Creevy noted how the Congressman opposes amnesty and is somewhat of an independent when he decides how to vote.  That didn't seem to ring true during the Cap and Trade vote where Chandler sold out Americans in lock step with the Democrat Pelosi to vote for that abominable bill.

Jeff explained during one of our walks how the majority party (now Democrats) get the best offices. When the leadership changes from the Repubs to the Dems, everybody moves! Of course, those with more seniority in each party get the best and biggest offices.

After our short chat with Jim Creevy we met up with our colleagues at 1pm in Cong. Doug Lamborn's office in the Cannon Building, where the newly formed Sovereignty Caucus Assistants, Kristine Michalson and Mallori McClure met with us. I attempted to explain how millions of illegal aliens skirting our laws and residing in our country has a significant effect on our national sovereignty. Several other dangerous treaties on the table were discussed along with an Obama appointee up for confirmation who was a bad dude. After a nice group photo we parted company with the young ladies. So many young people on the Hill.

Our next stop was at 2:30pm in the Russell senate office building on the Northeast side of the the Capitol, several blocks away. This was Sen. Mitch McConnell's office where we were to meet with Fred Karen, the Senator's Legal Counsel. It's a hot few blocks in the 90 and humid weather with a suit as we passed the Supreme Court building and the Library of Congress. I was carrying my camera and tripod, snapping pictures along the way, the official photographer of the group. Jeff was carrying a heavy brief case with his laptop and other paperwork. Kevin had a shoulder bag and Jason had his umbrella and a notepad. We almost lost Jason whose wife had become ill and been hospitalized that morning in Kentucky, but he stuck with us after learning she would be ok.

We spoke to Mr. Karen about the Senator's pro amnesty vote in 2007.  He had been on the side of the President, but the next time the vote came around his office was flooded with emails, faxes, and phone calls and the Senator saw the light. He assured us that McConnell would not sell us out again... I was not so assured. My appointment with Senator Jim Bunning was only 10 minutes away and I had to leave the others. I had the feeling that I might be able to meet the Senator in person and I didn't want to miss that.

I had to walk fast to the Hart building through the underground tunnel. It was about two blocks away. By the time I arrive (just in time), I was drenched with sweat. In walked the Senator with his assistant Ryan Hambleton.  We shook hands and proceeded into his office.  He wondered about the others who were with me and I noted they would be late. Unfortunately for them, none made it in time to meet the Senator.  I talked with him for over 40 minutes. He told me how he got into politics helping with other celebrities on the Nixon presidential campaign while pitching in Major League Baseball. (Senator Bunning is a hall of fame pitcher.) For most of his life, however, the Senator has been in politics serving the people and very little of his baseball career was evident besides two special bats hanging on his office wall. There were hundreds of pictures with dignitaries all over his office. The Senator was especially troubled by our Homeland Security who earlier in the year had arrested nearly 30 illegal aliens in Washington state, all with falsified documents. All had been let go the next day and three were given special working privilege! He was also very sad about the current state of our nation, noting how his grandchildren would never be able to pay the huge debt accumulated only in the last six months. I spoke to him of my concerns regarding illegal aliens as a contractor and, also, the need for judicial reform. He was very attentive, but concerned that little could be done by Republicans during the Democrat majority in the house and senate. This negative feeling was among most we visited with. That is why I'm convince that action through the state governments will be the most productive in the short term to curb illegal alien growth.

The high point of our conversation was when he talked about the 2007 Amnesty attempt.  He noted that he'd received more phone calls and faxes and emails than ever before in all his years in Washington. The numbers were staggering in our favor!  The Senator remembered the exact number of phone calls.  I believe it was about 26,000 with only 200 for amnesty or 99.3% opposing amnesty.  Each office where we asked about this particular vote, the answer was the same: overwhelming opposition by American's to amnesty. Before I left, after my timed tripod picture was snapped, the Senator cautioned me not to wear myself out.  He'd seen all the sweat soaking through my suit coat onto his finely finished conference table. I assured him I'd be alright. I was so glad to have met him. I'll be supporting him in the coming election as a man who votes a great deal of the time exactly like his constituents want.

I met up with my colleagues outside of the Senator's office and we proceeded to our last appointment two floors up in Senator David Vitter's office (Louisiana). We met there with Andrew Levert and two young aides, one from Louisiana and one from Texas.  Andrew fed all happenings through his political filter and it seems Obama's agenda does not even cross our agenda except as a stumbling block. I spoke with the tall Texan after the meeting and he was very vocal against illegal immigration with a true concern for his country.

In all I'd been to 8 offices, five Congressmen and three Senators and had collected nine cards, all with eagles embossed in gold in the upper left corner.  It had been a long, but exciting day on Capitol Hill. We had one more meeting with two men representing Voice of American Immigration Fraud Victims. We met in a lower level of the Metro Union Station. This was an amazing place full of Greek statues and architecture. After this final meeting we went upstairs to eat at the American Restaurant. The Capitol was  South of us and I could see it in the distance out our window. The huge Freedom bell was just outside in the square. After a nice meal and a bit of time to relax with the fellows, I was off to see the Capitol building.  Having come so far, I would feel bad if I left in the morning having failed to see the main place where the nation's business is conducted. So, in spite of some serious shin splints, I walked the three or four blocks to the Capitol, passing the amazing world's friendliest squirrels along the way.  Having visited in the late '70's, there were notable changes; cordoned off areas all around the building and guards every 50  yards. The security at the Capitol was very tight. I walked around to the back entry that faces the National Mall. This was a couple block walk, because the side walkways were cordoned off. A tourist group on Segways was listening to the guide telling about the Capitol. The sun was setting on the Capitol and I had a long walk to the Metro station. It was a very fulfilling day, but I had to get back to the Motel Six to rest a bit before getting up at 4 am to catch my plane.

I would encourage anyone to go visit their Representatives in Washington, D.C. The doors are open for all. Once you pass through security you can visit any office and let them know what you think.  They hear so much from the political elites, they really need to hear the voice of the common American and if they don't listen, why not work with other Americans to put forward and elect representatives that will truly represent us in Washington, D.C. and our home state? Join KFIRE  if you haven't already. Work with us to stop this illegal alien invasion and help bring our country back to its Christian roots.