We Support, We Thank, We Act

1-800-Home is an initiative begun by US citizens overseas to advocate for a strong Foreign Service and to show appreciation specifically to our consular corps for helping Americans in trouble abroad.  Unfortunately, travelling is not a good experience for everyone. Some people fall seriously ill and need to be hospitalized or are victims of crime. The emotional distress of these terrible situations is compounded when they occur in a country with a foreign language.  More Americans have been travelling over the past decades yet cuts in the Foreign Service budget dating back decades plus the practices of both parties of appointing fewer career Foreign Service officers  is putting Americans at risk.  We believe it is time to reverse that trend and to strengthen our embassies.  1-800-Home members belong to both major parties and no parties. Political parties are not important.  Americans receiving consular services and assistance wherever they happen to be in the world is what matters.  We applaud bi-partisan support for the Foreign Service in Congress and particularly the new Senate Foreign Service Caucus founded by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland).

We believe in a Foreign Service that is strong in numbers, strong in budget and strong in career progression.  We also believe the members of the Foreign Service deserve our thanks and appreciation not because they do their jobs but because they chose a career in public service that helps keeps Americans safe. We are lucky to be citizens of a country that makes protecting citizens abroad a priority. We would like to see more of our fellow Americans to take visible pride in the fact that we have a government that always ‘has our back.’Our Consuls are our heroes. Let’s make sure that when disaster strikes abroad Americans have someone to call.