Council for a Livable World urges a “yes” vote on the following amendments to be included in the House’s Defense Appropriations bill:
Rules #13. Quigley (IL), Blumenauer (OR), Garamendi (CA), Polis (CO), Smith, Adam (WA): Amendment # 13 to decrease funding for the Long Range Standoff Weapon by $75,802,000 and increase the spending reduction account by the same amount.
- The Long Range Standoff Weapon is a new nuclear-tipped cruise missile intended for use on the new B-21 strategic bomber.
- There is no need for this new missile. Without a new nuclear cruise missile, the United States would still maintain thousands of nuclear weapons on submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers that could deploy new and precise nuclear gravity bombs.
- The United States has conventional cruise missiles capabilities, like the new JASSM-ER and the Tomahawk cruise missile, to provide a standoff missile capability for our military operations.
- The weapon is estimated to cost $20 – $30 billion. These funds could be better spent meeting other defense or domestic priorities.
Rules #33. Mulvaney (SC): Amendment # 28 to prohibit Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funds found in Title IX from being used for anything other than a Contingency Operation as defined by United States Code.
- The OCO account is widely-recognized as a slush fund and has been used to circumvent the budget caps established by Congress.
- The reliance on OCO is unhealthy for both the budgeting process and our national security, as it attempts to fund long-term projects through inconsistent, year-by-year funding.
- This amendment would increase transparency and accountability in the defense appropriations process by restricting use of the OCO account to its mandated purpose.
Rules #40. Conyers (MI), Ellison (MN), Grijalva (AZ), Johnson, Hank (GA), McGovern (MA), Lieu (CA), Lee, Barbara (CA) Amendment #32 to block funds from being used to transfer or authorize the transfer of cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia.
- Even the most advanced U.S.-made cluster munitions, including the CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, leave behind unexploded ordnances, putting innocent civilian lives at risk.
- Saudi Arabia has employed U.S.-made cluster munitions in Yemen. The attacks have wounded civilians and dangerous unexploded ordnances have been verifiably observed.
- Due to humanitarian concerns, the Obama Administration has placed a hold on the U.S. transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. This amendment would back up that decision.
Rules #44. McGovern (MA), Jones (NC), Lee, Barbara (CA), Amash (MI), Garamendi (CA): Amendment #64 which states no funds may be obligated or spent for combat operations in Iraq or Syria unless an AUMF is enacted.
- The U.S. is heavily involved not only in supporting local forces but fighting – on the ground and in the air – the on-going wars in Iraq and Syria – with no authorization from Congress.
- Congress should not abdicate its constitutional authority to approve overseas fighting.
- Presidents of both parties have relied on outdated authority adopted in the wake of 9/11. Our current military engagements require a new AUMF which addresses the specific goals, tactics, and challenges produced by fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
