Senate Bill Descriptions

THE WAR IN IRAQ

1 BILLIONS FOR IRAQ WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED (RC #139)

Having given up on using funding as a leverage point to end the war in Iraq, the Senate voted for yet another supplemental funding bill with no strings attached. Not only did they approve the funding, they added additional money to the Bush administration's request so Congress would not have to take up the controversial issue again until the middle of 2009. Passed 70-26. Peace Action West opposed this legislation.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

2 US PLAYS NUCLEAR FAVORITES WITH INDIA (RC #211)

The Bush administration managed to push through a troubling piece of its legacy with the nuclear deal between India and the United States. The US should not have been allowed to sell nuclear technology to India because of longstanding rules against rewarding countries that have not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The administration managed to convince other countries to make a shortsighted exception to the rules for India, and Congress put nuclear trade with India ahead of years of protection from nuclear proliferation. Passed 86-13. Peace Action West opposed this legislation.

WASTEFUL WEAPONS SPENDING

3 THROWING MONEY INTO THE BLACK HOLE OF MISSILE DEFENSE (RC #198)

Despite its inability to work and its irrelevance to current security threats, Star Wars missile defense just won't go away. This amendment to the Defense Authorization Act, offered by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), would have increased the funding for this wasteful weapons system by $300 million. Failed 39-57. Peace Action West opposed this legislation.

TORTURE AND MILITARY AID

4 IMPROVING SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS BY BANNING TORTURE (RC #22)

Dismayed by revelations that the Bush administration approved the use of torture, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) offered a provision in the Intelligence Authorization bill banning eight torture techniques, including the brutal technique of waterboarding. Unfortunately, President Bush continued his flagrant disregard for human rights standards  and the rule of law, vetoing the bill. Passed 51-45. Peace Action West supported this legislation.

5 MORE MONEY FOR NON-MILITARY TOOLS (RC #83)

An effective foreign policy recognizes the importance of non-military tools in building relationships with the global community and maintaining US security. In his Fiscal Year 2009 budget, President Bush added $3.1 billion to the international affairs budget. When the bill went to the Senate Budget Committee, they not only cut the increase, but took out an additional $1 billion from current spending levels. Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar's (R-IN) amendment restored the $4.1 billion, to be spent on programs such as reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, nuclear nonproliferation, foreign assistance, fighting AIDS worldwide and promoting sustainable development. Passed 73-23. Peace Action West supported this legislation.