From Peace Action (http://www.peace-action.org/):
This week, the House of Representatives is voting on amendments to a defense appropriations bill, which provides us with an important opportunity to make significant improvements to U.S. foreign policy.
While big Pentagon spending bills like this one typically authorize or appropriate a wasteful and excessive amount of funds for the Pentagon, they are viewed by most members of Congress as “must pass” bills, which means that if positive amendments are attached to them, real progress can be made on issues that usually never come to a vote.
One of the most important opportunities is the chance to repeal the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which has been used nearly 40 times to justify military operations in 14 different countries. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), the soul vote in opposition to this overly broad and never-ending war authorization, has two amendments that would repeal the 2001 AUMF 240 days after the enactment of the appropriations bill, and prevent funds from being used for operations covered by the 2001 AUMF 240 days after enactment.
Please call the Capitol Switchboard today at 202-224-3121.* Ask for your Representative and then say: “I am a constituent and I want (REPRESENTATIVE’s NAME) to support amendments to the defense appropriations bill that reduce the outrageous Pentagon budget, stop all military support for the war on Yemen, and reclaim your constitutional authority to debate and vote on wars by sunsetting the 2001 war authorization. My name is _________ and I live at ___________. I would like a written response please.” (Note: some offices don’t count callers that don’t provide address information.)
*Or find direct dial information for your Representative at http://www.house.gov.
In Yemen, the U.S. has been supporting a vicious bombing campaign carried out by a Saudi-led military coalition. The coalition’s airstrikes have killed thousands of civilians by indiscriminately bombing schools, hospitals, marketplaces, and other vital infrastructure. Despite accusations of war crimes from the U.N. and human rights groups, the U.S. has been refueling the coalition’s warplanes and arming the coalition with advanced weaponry, effectively giving it the green light to continue killing civilians without fear of reprisal.
Thankfully, bipartisan opposition to the U.S. role in the war is growing. An amendment introduced by Rep. Davidson (R-OH) would prohibit the use of funds for military operations in Yemen outside the scope of the 2001 AUMF. An amendment introduced by Rep. Nolan (D-MN) would prohibit the use of funds for deploying U.S. troops to participate in Yemen’s civil war. And an amendment introduced by Rep. Amash (R-MI) would prevent the transfer of internationally banned cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia.
In Syria, the president has been stumbling into a larger conflict by targeting Syrian forces and their allies, despite no basis for such operations in U.S. or international law. That’s why an amendment introduced by Rep. Nolan (D-MN) would prohibit the use of funds for U.S. combat operations in Iraq and Syria without an AUMF that authorizes such operations. Another Nolan amendment would prohibit the use of funds for transferring arms to forces in Syria that are fighting the Syrian government.
Please call the Capitol Switchboard today at 202-224-3121. Ask for your Representative and then say: “I am a constituent and I want (REPRESENTATIVE’s NAME) to support amendments to the defense appropriations bill that reduce the outrageous Pentagon budget, stop all military support for the war on Yemen, and reclaim your constitutional authority to debate and vote on wars by sunsetting the 2001 war authorization. My name is _________ and I live at ___________. I would like a written response please.”
It’s critical that Congress hear from their constituents immediately as these votes could happen any day now. Even getting some of these amendments passed could have a big impact on the lives of millions, from our women and men in uniform, to innocent civilians in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere.
Thank you for standing with us.
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