Council for a Livable World

President Obama, and his national security Cabinet and staff, had better pay attention to the  incredibly close vote on the McGovern (D-Mass)-Jones (R-NC)Amendment. The Amendment to the Defense Department authorization (DOD) bill was a vote about …

(from the inestimable Kingston Reif)

Received far more total votes than any of the prior Tierney amendments to cut funding for missile defense

Received more GOP votes than any prior Tierney amendments to cut funding for missile defense in the past five years

Received far more Democratic votes than any prior Tierney amendments to cut funding for missile defense

Received these votes despite a GOP majority

Rep. Loretta Sanchez (C-CA) Missile Defense Amendment Result
FY 2012 Defense National Defense Authorization Act – To reduce funding for the ground-based mid-course system by $100 million
Amendment failed 184-234 (15 GOP Ayes; 16 DEM Nays), May 26, 2011
(GOP in Majority)

Tierney Missile Defense Amendment Results

FY 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill – To strike $80 million for the Kinetic Energy Interceptor
Failed 124-307 (14 GOP Ayes; 144 DEM Nays)
July 30, 2009
(DEMs in Majority)

FY 2009 National Defense Authorization Act – To reduce funding for the Missile Defense Agency by $966.2 million
Failed 122-292 (5 GOP Ayes, 111 DEM Nays)
May 22, 2008
(DEMs in Majority)

FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act – To reduce funding for the Missile Defense Agency by $1.084 billion
Failed 127-299 (3 GOP Ayes, 105 DEM Nays)
May 17, 2007
(DEMs in Majority)

FY 2007 National Defense Authorization Act – To reduce funding for the Missile Defense Agency by $4.747 billion
Failed 124-301 (6 GOP Ayes, 80 DEM Nays)
May 11, 2006
(GOP in Majority)

The House of Representatives is expected today or tomorrow to hold  the most important votes on bringing U.S. troops home from Afghanistan since the war began 10 years ago.

When President Obama sent 30,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan, he promised that the U.S. would begin withdrawal of those forces by July 2011 with all combat troops out by 2014.

The outcome of these House votes could influence the President’s decision in July on the first troop withdrawals and indicate rising congressional opposition to the large American troop presence in Afghanistan.

And with these votes, Congress has its best chance in a decade to bring the U.S. troops home.

The two key amendments, to be offered to the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Authorization bill, are:

McGovern (D-MA), Jones (R-NC), Loretta Sanchez (CA), Amash (R-MI), Lewis (D-GA), Paul (R-TX), Cicilline (D-RI) and Welch (D-VT) amendment requiring a plan and a timeframe for an accelerated transition of military operations from U.S. to Afghan authorities, and other provisions.

Chaffetz (R-UT) and Welch (D-VT) amendment requiring U.S. ground troops to withdraw from Afghanistan aside from those involved in small, targeted counter-terrorism operations.

Both amendments are expected to have substantial Republican support.

Last year, the greatest number of votes against the Afghanistan War came on July 1, 2010, when the House defeated 162-260 an amendment by McGovern and now retired Rep. David Obey (D-WI) to require a withdrawal timeline.

If the Republican-controlled House can produce more votes than last year’s Democratic-controlled House, it would be a clear indication of declining war support in both parties.

The U.S. war in Afghanistan is the longest in our history, surpassing even the Vietnam War. We are in a quagmire with no end in sight.