It’s the House of Representatives’ turn to vote on important war and peace issues as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) comes to the floor this week. This must-pass bill allows us to attach language that prevents a potential war with Iran and advances peace priorities.
Of over 400 amendments which will receive a vote, several key ones would reduce spending and set important policy. Our top priority amendment is the bipartisan effort by Reps. Khanna (D-CA) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL), which prohibits unauthorized military force against Iran. It is designated as floor #423.
In addition to that critical effort, we need to ask our congresspeople to:
- Support any measures to cut the wasteful and bloated Pentagon budget, including Reps. Khanna and Lee’s amendment to cut it by $16.8 billion (floor #49).
- Support amendments which would end endless war, including the Lee/Lewis/Amash amendment to repeal the 2002 AUMF (floor #424).
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Suspend sales of air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which both countries have used to kill thousands of men, women, and children in Yemen (amendments floor #438 by Rep. Malinowski and others; floor # 26 by Rep. Khanna; floor # 23 by Rep. Gabbard)
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Support diplomatic approaches to tensions with North Korea, including an end to the 69-year old Korean War (amendment floor #217 by Rep. Khanna)
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Block the deployment of troops to the southern border for the purpose of immigration-related activities and the use of DOD facilities to detain immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers (amendment floor #429 of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez)
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Vote No on final passage of the NDAA if it does not cut the bloated military budget, prevent war with Iran, and end US participation in the Saudi/UAE war on Yemen.
This is an opportunity for the Democratic controlled House to put President Trump on notice that he can’t start a war without a politically costly fight with Congress. We need to make sure that we get the type of Congressional opposition that was not there in the run-up to the Iraq war.
Progressives have real leverage in the House now because most Republicans are expected to vote no on the bill. Call (202) 224-3121 right now! Let your Representative know that you expect them to stand firmly for peace. Tell them to support amendments that oppose the Trump Administration’s threats of unconstitutional war and to vote against bloated Pentagon spending!
Here’s a script to help make things easy for you:
1) Call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121
2) Ask for your representative, and when connected say:
3) My name is ___________ and I am a constituent living at (your address). I’m calling to urge Representative___________ to support amendments to the NDAA that would reduce wasteful Pentagon spending, end our nation’s endless wars, and stop the Trump administration from starting an unconstitutional war with Iran. (List amendment numbers) I look forward to hearing why the representative does or does not support these steps I feel are important.
4) Let us know how it went! Send us an email at info@masspeaceaction.org or call us at 617-354-2169. We look forward to hearing from you.
