HELP SAVE OUR CONSULATE! 🇺🇸

It has been confirmed – both by sources within the State Department and press reports - that several U.S. consulates across Europe are slated to be shut down by the current administration. 

 

Our consulate in Strasbourg is on the list of those potentially facing closure. As concerned U.S. citizens and residents of Strasbourg and its surrounding region, we strongly oppose this decision and encourage all who may be affected to speak out against it.

 

Our primary avenue for recourse is through congressional intervention. You will find below a suggested template that can help guide a letter or call to your representatives in Congress. We have included key points that we believe will resonate with the current administration. As it is reportedly more impactful to call your congressional representatives, we encourage you to do so, if possible, and have provided instructions below.

 

We urge you to share this information with anyone who may be concerned and take action quickly as we know the decision about the proposed closures will soon be made by the administration. 

 

SUGGESTED LETTER/TALKING POINTS 

As a constituent of X County, I am writing to urge you to support the continued operation of the U.S. Consulate in Strasbourg, France in the face of the current administration’s reported intention to close it, as well as other U.S. consular facilities in Europe. The vital services the Consulate in Strasbourg provides to American citizens, as well as the city’s strategic importance cannot be overstated.

 

The Consulate provides essential services - such as passports and emergency assistance - to a vibrant community of thousands of American citizens, including both short- and long-term American residents, veterans, professionals, and students. The region is home to major American companies including Eli Lilly, Mars-Wrigley, Dow Chemical, and Thermo Fischer. As the second-largest university city in France, Strasbourg attracts thousands of American students each year. Notably, Strasbourg has been a sister city to Boston since 1960, with continuous beneficial exchanges of students, families, and businesses.

 

The Consulate is not just a critical resource for Americans, but also a crucial representation of the United States in a European capital city that plays a prominent role in global affairs. Strasbourg is a diplomatic hub, home to the European Parliament and other major European and international institutions. Both Russia and China have significant consular presence in the city; and China is currently constructing an immense new consulate. The American mission is a cost-effective demonstration of American power in a region where we cannot surrender influence. The closure of the U.S. consulate could not only jeopardize the welfare of American citizens and undermine U.S. influence but also provide advantages to our adversaries in the heart of Europe.

 

Given these vital factors, I respectfully request your support in ensuring that the U.S. Consulate in Strasbourg remains open and continues to serve as a cornerstone of American presence in this important city.

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Your support would be greatly appreciated by all of us who benefit from the Consulate's services and the enduring ties it helps to nurture between the United States, France, and Europe.

 

PHONING TIPS

YOU SHOULD MAKE SIX CALLS A DAY:

Two each (DC office and your local office) to your two senators and your one representative.

 

Every day, senior staff and the senator/congressman get a report of the three most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. Calls are also sorted by zip code and area code.  As an FYI, Republicans call their representatives much more than Democrats do.

• Ask for the staff member in charge of your topic.  If they are not there, or there is no one, speak to the person who answers the call.  Do not leave a message. 
• Give them your zip code. They are very interested if you live in a zip code that traditionally votes for them.
• Make it personal. "I voted for you in the last election and I'm worried/happy/whatever" or "I'm a teacher, and I am appalled by ——-," or "as a single mother" or "as a white, middle-class woman," or whatever.
• Focus, focus, focus.  Pick 1-2 specific things (per day) on which to focus. Remember, they make lists for their senator/congressman, and they will be focusing on that list. 
• Be clear on what you want — "I'm disappointed that the senator..." or "I want to thank the senator for their vote on... " or "I want the senator to know that voting in _____ way is the wrong decision for our state because... " Don't leave any ambiguity.

 

There are scripts to follow if you are not comfortable doing this on your own – such as Indivisible and the 5 Calls app. However, try not to use these verbatim.  Congress has already complained about scripted calls. Again, make it personal. 

WHEN

Friday, March 07, 2025 at 12:30 PM Paris Time

WHERE

US Consulate General, Strasbourg
France
Google map and directions

CONTACT

Barbara Wells