To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Congress: Act with Amash-Conyers to End the Endless War
Just Foreign Policy
Congress should seize key opportunities this week to end the endless war.
The House should:
- approve the Amash-Conyers amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] to bar the transfer of "manpad" shoulder-fired anti-aircraft weapons to insurgents in Syria;
- approve the Yoho amendment to the NDAA to bar the CIA from conducting drone strikes;
- repeal the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force [AUMF] by supporting the NDAA amendment proposed by Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff; and
- support the Welch-Jones-Mulvaney letter to oppose the transfer of manpads to Syria.
The Senate should block the nomination of David Barron to be a judge until the Administration releases secret memos written by Barron purporting to justify the use of drone strikes for assassination, as ordered by an appellate court.
Why is this important?
This week, Congress has key opportunities to move to end the endless state of war that the country has been in for more than a decade.
Reps. Justin Amash [R-MI] and John Conyers [D-MI] are introducing a bipartisan amendment on the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] that would bar the U.S. from transferring shoulder-fired anti-aircraft weapons (“manpads”) to insurgents in Syria. Transfer of these dangerous weapons, which could easily fall into the hands of anti-U.S. terrorists, would threaten civilian aircraft throughout the region and violate international agreements initiated by the U.S. The Obama Administration opposes the transfer of manpads to Syria; the Amash-Conyers amendment would codify the Administration’s position into law.
Rep. Ted Yoho [R-FL] has introduced an amendment to the NDAA which would bar the CIA from conducting drone strikes. This reform, which is supported by Human Rights Watch, among others, would force the government to disclose more information about the drone strike policy.
Reps. Barbara Lee [D-CA] and Adam Schiff [D-CA] intend to introduce an amendment to the NDAA which would repeal the 2001 AUMF. The broad 2001 AUMF, rushed through Congress in the days after the 9/11 attacks, has been used to justify a wide array of abuses in the “war on terror,” including torture, indefinite detention, and drone strikes outside of legal armed conflict against people who were not threatening the United States.
Reps. Peter Welch [D-VT], Walter Jones [R-NC], and Mick Mulvaney [R-SC] are circulating a letter to the White House in opposition to the supply of manpads to insurgents in Syria.
Senators Mark Udall [D-CO] and Rand Paul [R-KY] are demanding that the Administration publish secret memos written by David Barron purporting to justify the use of drone strikes outside a legal armed conflict, as ordered by an appellate court, before voting on Barron’s nomination as a judge. If other Senators back them, the Administration will be forced to share more information about the drone strike policy, information crucial for judging whether it is legal, ethical, and wise.
Urge your legislators in the House and Senate to press for these crucial reforms by signing our petition.