Edition 28

Dear Friend,

As we enter the hot days of summer, my first re-election campaign is heating up as well! Although the Cactus Roots Connection has been coming to you every few months on this off-campaign year, now we will be picking up the pace and moving back to a bi-weekly publication.

For the many who have been giving their precious time and energy to the campaign already, thank you! To all of our strong supporters who send in the monetary gifts to make the campaign possible, thank you!  We know that together, we are making a real difference in people’s lives across the state and the country.

I want to highlight in this newsletter just a few of the Congressional activities that I have been able to do for Southern Arizona in Washington this month — as well as to highlight some of our exciting campaign activities.

I look forward to seeing you soon on June 7th – see the invitation below – or at another campaign event soon!

State of the District

I had the opportunity to deliver the second State of the District. The event was hosted by the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Cox Communications and SCF Arizona.

As your representative, I have been working hard to find common sense solutions to our complex problems.  I spoke about our strong progress in the field of solar energy, the serious problems that continue with the war in Iraq, our bipartisan work to produce the current economic stimulus package.

There are examples of success— from keeping the West Gate of Fort Huachuca open to the residents of Elgin to challenging the decisions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency that affected Marana – among many others.  If you have time, you can see a roundtable on the same subjects that appeared on Arizona Illustrated.

Our Safety as a Nation

This month, as a member of the House Armed Services committee, I spent four days on a bipartisan congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The purpose of the trip was to survey the progress of our ongoing operations in Afghanistan and to gauge the readiness of our forces to conduct counterinsurgency operations.

In Afghanistan, I had the opportunity to meet with Arizona troops, U.S. military commanders and Afghan government officials. I also traveled to Pakistan to meet with President Musharraf and other government leaders.

I feel strongly that we have neglected our mission in Afghanistan since the invasion of Iraq five years ago. We have allowed a war of choice to overshadow a war we had to fight. The result, according to our own government, is a rise in lawlessness and violence in Afghanistan.

On April 30th, the U.S. State Department released a report that terrorist attacks have increased dramatically in Afghanistan and Pakistan because al-Qaida has successfully rebuilt some of its pre-September 11 capabilities. According to the report, terrorist attacks between 2006 and 2007 doubled in Pakistan and jumped 16 percent in Afghanistan.

We cannot let this situation spiral out of control.  While I was in Afghanistan, terrorists tried to assassinate President Hamid Karzai, and the same week another attack killed 19 people and injured another 40. Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now.

Our delegation was briefed by U.S. Gen. Dan K. McNeill, commander of the International Security Assistance Force. One of my questions to him was about the training service members receive to succeed in their vital counterinsurgency efforts. This month I have submitted a bill to expand language and cultural competency training in our Armed Forces.  It became even clearer to me during this trip how critical these skills are on the front lines of the war on terrorism.  To defeat our enemies, we must know how they think. To build lasting friendships, we must be able to speak the same language and understand cultures very different from our own.  Please see my editorial about this legislation in the Green Valley News.

Cactus Roots Connectors: Walking for Mental Health Awareness

Our Cactus Roots Connectors continue to do important work.  This last month, our volunteers joined thousands of concerned citizens in more than 75 communities across the nation together for the Campaign for the Mind of America.  They walked together to raise money and awareness about our country’s need for a world-class treatment and recovery system for people with mental illness.  As the honorary co-chair for this event, I was particularly proud of our volunteers who participated in this walk for the National Alliance on Mentally Illness (NAMI). Fourteen volunteers gathered together and our team raised almost two thousand dollars for this important organization to promote research, education, and advocacy.

Campaign 2008: Time to Turn in the Signatures!

Around the district, everywhere I go I have been honored to find volunteers collecting signatures to put my name on the 2008 ballot.  The excitement is building around the district and it is time to bring that energy together and file for candidacy for re-election!

Please bring any petitions that you have to our campaign office together with a can of food for the Community Food Bank by May 22nd.  We know that this is a tough time for many folks around the district so besides turning in our own signatures, we want to help out the community as well.

If you have not signed the petition, now is the time! Come to our headquarters (4444 E. Grant Rd.), sign the petition and bring a can of food.  If you are living outside Pima County, call our office (520-512-0012) and we will let you know where the closest drop-off site is to your address.

Finally, I wanted an opportunity to say thank you and to spend time with all of you before we Arizonans search for cooler climes during the summer. To celebrate our filing, together with the campaign staff, I will be cooking hot dogs in your honor:

Please join us for the Signature Celebration for Giffords for Congress 2008 Re-election Campaign

Saturday, June 7th

12:00p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

IBEW Hall (750 S. Tucson Blvd.)

If you can attend, RSVP to 520.512.0012 or Jennifer@www.GiffordsforCongress.com

Together, we will have good food, a brief report from Washington and a chance to recognize the top ten signature gatherers for 2008 re-election campaign.

Come and join the fun!

May is Motorcycle Safety Month

Do you ride? Know someone who does? You can read about the bipartisan legislation that I have been working on to keep motorcyclists in our community safe.

We Need You at Campaign Headquarters!

As we move into this campaign season, I look forward to working together with you to keep change happening across our state and nation.    If you would like to help out the campaign, please drop by our campaign headquarters, 4444 E. Grant, any time and sign up.  We have work you can do from our office, on the street or at your home.  Together we are working for another victory on November 4th!

Sincerely yours,

Gabrielle Giffords