Congress Takes Steps Toward Peace

Congress Takes Steps Toward Peace

While both houses of Congress still lag dramatically behind the American and Iraqi people in support for ending the war, the past week has seen a sharp rise in Congressional willingness to talk about peace. The Republican leadership has been forced to hold public debates on the war; those debates and subsequent votes have forced Congress Members to go on the record on issues ranging from leaving Iraq this year, to constructing permanent military bases there, to sanctioning war crimes. The votes have either favored peace or moved significantly in that direction, have pulled unprecedented numbers of Democrats away from supporting the war, and have split the Republican party. Thursday or Friday will likely bring more votes in the Senate and another opportunity for us to push hard to end the killing.

Phone both of your Senators right now and demand an immediate end to the war: 202-224-3121.

On Tuesday in the House, Democrats (plus Bernie Sanders) took a stand against permanent bases in Iraq, voting 196-3 against them. The vote split the Republican party, which voted 180-47 with the Democrats. This measure has previously been passed by both houses, and has been removed by Republicans in conference committee (which is against the rules: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/12211 ). They may try the same dirty trick again, but they now know we are watching, and there are Republicans on record in opposition. Rep. Bill Young (R., Fla.) said on the floor Tuesday about permanent bases:

“It sends the wrong message. Not only to the people of Iraq, not only to the people of America, but to the people of other Muslim nations who might say, hey, are we next? Are we going to be occupied? Are we going to have American troops in our streets?”

By the way, here are the 50 Congress Members who voted in favor of permanent bases in Iraq:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/12170

The House approved, by voice vote, an amendment prohibiting the use of funds in contravention of laws or regulations promulgated to implement the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

And last Friday, the House voted on a Republican bill opposing any plan to withdraw from Iraq. While this criminal piece of legislation passed, 153 Congress Members voted against it, including one Independent and three Republicans. This is progress, but it still left 42 Democrats and 214 Republicans voting for war without limit. See who’s who here:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll288.xml

A searchable transcript of the debate is here:
http://www.truemajorityaction.org/iraqrecord/search

In the Senate last week, 54 Senators successfully blocked an amendment urging “regime change” in Iran. And we saw six Senators vote to end the Iraq War by December 31st, and 93 vote not to. Those six are more Senators than the American public has had with us prior to this point. There are now two proposals likely to be voted on in the Senate before the week is over. One would pull all troops out of Iraq by next summer. The other would begin pulling them out by the end of this year and finish pulling them out someday.

Phone both of your Senators right now and demand an immediate end to the war: 202-224-3121.

If one of your Senators is Feingold, Kennedy, Boxer, Kerry, Harkin, or Byrd, thank them for already having voted last week to end the war. Let every other Senator know what you think of their pro-war votes, particularly any former first lady who might be harboring presidential fantasies.

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Progress in House Judiciary Committee, Too

No, it’s not impeachment…not yet. But the Judiciary Committee has demanded that the White House and the Justice Department turn over information on the illegal NSA wiretapping program.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/12173

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Progress for Veterans

After Downing Street worked with the politcal band Anti-Flag to promote Congressman Jim McDermott’s bill to create a study of the effects on soldiers of depleted uranium.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/8592

The bill has passed the House and will be brought up in the Senate in the near future.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/11433

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The Real Solution: A Congress That Will Impeach

These Congressional candidates have been endorsed by www.ImpeachPAC.org which is giving each of them $5,000. They are all committed to moving on impeachment as soon as they take office. We can give them several thousand dollars more if we each send $25 to one or more of them. Give what you can. Your nation and the peace of the world depend on it:
http://www.actblue.com/page/impeachpac1

Jean Hay Bright, Maine Senate
http://www.actblue.com/page/impeachpac1