Congress Should Safeguard Its Role in Warmaking Decisions

It only took a seven-minute debate to approve a new provision that would expand war around the globe—impacting our troops and our budget. Two weeks ago, after midnight, the House Armed Services Committee approved a new war provision in the defense authorization bill that would cede all future warmaking decisions to the president and expand war around the globe. Tell Congress to oppose the provision that provides the president unbounded war authority at great cost to the nation. Congress must be allowed to debate before this country asks our sons and daughters to deploy again. The House of Representatives will vote on the measure this week. We need your help to preserve Congress’ critical role in deciding when to go to war and to ensure that there can be a full debate on the best response when the United States faces threats. Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson has said that the Obama Administration needs no new war authority. The recent killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and the targeting of Anwar al-Alawki in Yemen, whom the government has accused of masterminding attempts to bomb cargo planes headed to the United States, demonstrate that the administration has the ability to fight terrorism now—without new legislation. Congress should not yield its constitutional responsibility regarding war powers to the president. Tell Congress to keep its role in warmaking decisions. This bill is up this week and we have very little time to act. Contact your representatives now!