Dozens of activists are currently gathered in Oklahoma City (and have been for over 90 hours), trying to convince one senator to release his hold on a bill that could help bring peace to Uganda.

(copied and pasted from http://www.coburnsayyes.com/)

This is being handed out on the streets to passerby:

Dear Oklahomans,

Staying outside Senator Coburn’s office for 24 hours a day – especially when overnight temperatures dip below freezing – no doubt sounds a bit extreme, because it is! But please allow us to explain why we have chosen to be here instead of at our jobs or in school. It is for a worthy cause.

Right now, in central Africa, a terror group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is stealing children from their homes and families and forcing them to become child soldiers. They are attacking vulnerable communities, burning down churches, and maiming their victims. In the last year, this group has abducted and killed thousands of innocent people.

With leadership from our government, this violence is preventable. There is currently a bill in Congress – called the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067) – that seeks to spur such leadership. It has more bipartisan support than any legislation focused on Africa in America’s history (62 Senate cosponsors!), and Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma is one of its biggest champions.

But Senator Coburn is blocking the passage of this bill because it authorizes funding to help the victims of this violence without an “offset” that clarifies where the funds will come from. Let us be clear: this bill does not directly expand our budget or deficit, and Senator Coburn knows that. He also knows that attaching an offset to it would result in the bill's likely death. So he has decided to block the passage of this bill - supported by 99 other Senators - to make a purely symbolic point, even as the LRA continues its campaign of violence and terror.

All we want is to see Senator Coburn engage personally in finding a compromise that upholds his own principles and still addresses this urgent crisis. Because we feel so strongly about stopping this senseless violence, we are not going home until such a compromise is reached.

You can help us by writing or calling Senator Coburn to request that he allow this bill to pass, and by visiting www.coburnsayyes.com where you can find more information or make a tax-deductible donation to support this cause.

Thank you!

-Us

See more: http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/?p=5405

It's going well from my understanding. I have friends that have been there and are spreading the word around. 

I wish is was over already, I feel awful for all of the people who have been sleeping out on the streets for over a week now just to get this guy to talk to them and compromise. I have so much respect for their determination, it's inspiring. I can't believe it's been 202 hours already! I really hope at least a couple of people who traveled to OK for the video shoot this weekend will maybe take a detour down to OKC on their way home, but I understand that people have jobs and school to get back to and some of the have long drive ahead of them and can't spare the time to head over there.

I signed the petition.  Good luck to you all. :)  I would come by with snacks if I could... but being all the way in Minnesota puts a damper on that plan.

Um. This guy sounds like kind of a tool.

HE JUST RELEASED HIS HOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**UPDATE: A COMPROMISE WAS REACHED AT 3PM ET ON TUESDAY, MARCH 9th. Barring a hold placed on the newly amended bill text by a different Senator, it will pass the Senate later this week. Thank you to each person that played a role in this absolutely historic effort! Now, our focus will be on the House of Representatives, which needs to pass the bill as well before it is signed into law by the President.**

 So pleased! I hope this bill will pass the senate without issue! Well done everyone who played even the slightest part in changing this man's mind!

Awesome. :)

Yea!  A reporter from news on 6 here is heading to Uganda ro cover the story.