Autocracy Enablers Watch: Paul Ryan Edition

In the dead of the night, at the direction of Speaker Ryan, the House Rules Committee stripped out the AUMF repeal amendment submitted by Rep. Barbara Lee (the amendment had won near unanimous GOP support as well as unanimous Democratic support in the House Appropriations Committee). He substituted in much weaker language submitted by Rep. Cole (language which had never been debated let alone voted on). This means there will not be any debate this legislative session on whether this President gets to have unlimited war making powers in the Middle East.

Rep. Barbara Lee has been a tireless leader in the House these nearly 16 years on this critically important Constitutional issue.  It’s important that we support and thank her for this important work. Please call and say:

I am appalled by Speaker Ryan’s undemocratic removal of your AUMF repeal amendment. The amendment had won near unanimous support from your GOP colleagues on the Appropriations Committee.  The Constitution grants Congress the power to authorize and regulate military activities and Presidents do not get blank checks for endless war. Thank you, Rep. Lee, for your continued leadership on this important issue. Please keep it up!

Rep. Barbara Lee (email): (510) 763-0370 DC: (202) 225-2661

Let’s ask Senator Dianne Feinstein to add similar language to the Senate Defense Appropriations Bill to ensure that it gets some debate in the Senate. Please call and say:

I’m very worried that the executive branch’s impulsive, undisciplined, and unreliable approach to foreign policy is leading to escalated U.S. involvement in conflict abroad without strategy or accountability. I want Sen. Feinstein to reassert Congress’s Constitutionally mandated role of authorizing and regulating the military by amending the defense appropriations bill to repeal the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (email): (415) 393-0707
DC: (202) 224-3841
LA: (310) 914-7300