VOTE ALERT
COUNCIL FOR A LIVABLE WORLD
June 10, 2015
The Senate is slated to vote on numerous amendments to the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Bill throughout the week.
Some amendments reflect a responsible approach to defense spending and national security and are well-deserving of your support. Others reflect rash approaches to national defense and diplomacy, and should be opposed.
Below find our recommendations on amendments that may be considered.We plan to score these votes on the Council for a Livable World Legislative Scorecard.
Top five amendment recommendations:
Dismantlement of nuclear weapons – Cotton (R-Ark.) #1605 to limit the dismantlement of retired nuclear weapons. [Council for a Livable World position: Oppose]
Iran Sanctions – Kirk (R- Ill.) & Menendez (D- N.J.) #1710 to extend the Iran Sanctions Act until 2026. [Council for a Livable World position: Oppose]
Ukraine – Portman (R-Ohio) #1657 to authorize $300 million in lethal military assistance to Ukraine. [Council for a Livable World position: Oppose]
Nuclear Modernization Cost Estimate – Markey (D- Mass.) #1524 to require a 25-year cost estimate for the U.S. nuclear modernization program. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Ground Combat Troops in Iraq and Syria: Murphy (D-Conn.), Schatz (D-Hawaii), Udall (D-N.M.) , Blumenthal (D- Conn.) #1870 to prohibit the deployment of ground combat troops in Iraq and Syria. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Other amendment recommendations:
Nuclear Submarine Cost Estimate – Markey (D- Mass.) #1523 to require an updated cost estimate for the program to replace nuclear ballistic missile submarines. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Limits to Nuclear Cruise Missiles – Markey (D-Mass.) #1525 to prohibit funding for the development of a new air-launched nuclear cruise missile or the modernization of nuclear warheads for the missile. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Nuclear Missile Alert- Rubio (R-Fla.) #1864 to prohibit the reduction in alert of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles force. [Council for a Livable World position: Oppose]
AUMF – Merkley (D-Ore.) #1647 to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
AUMF – Cardin (D-Md.) #1692 to sunset the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force within three years. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Littoral Combat Ship: Baldwin (D-Wis.) #1946 to withhold 25% of allocations to the LCS program pending the completion of reports on its capabilities and modernization plan. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Audit the Pentagon: Sanders (I-Vt.) #1914 to improve the audit readiness of the Pentagon. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Iran Negotiations – Sessions (R-Ala.) amendment #1787 to establish a sense of the Senate that nuclear negotiations with Iran should not continue without the establishment of a robust inspections and verification system including access to military facilities and scientists. [Council for a Livable World position: Oppose]
Nonproliferation Funding – Rubio (R- Fla.) #1792 to prohibit the nuclear nonproliferation funding to Russia until it has complied with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Force Treaty, New START treaty, and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. [Council for a Livable World position: Oppose]
Defense Contracting Fraud – Sanders (I –Vt.) #1770 to require an annual report on defense contracting fraud. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Paying for War – Sanders (I –Vt.) #1824 to require that all funds authorized for Overseas Contingency Operations be paid for with new revenue. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
MEADS – Ayotte (R-N.H.) & Shaheen (D-N.H.) #1611 to bar funding for the Medium Extended Air Defense System. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Littoral Combat Ship – McCain (R- Ariz.) #1565 to require a capabilities assessment of the Littoral Combat Ship. [Council for a Livable World position: Support]
Sincerely,
Angela Canterbury, Executive Director
John Isaacs, Senior Fellow
Council for a Livable World
