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House Bill Descriptions
CUTTING PENTAGON PORK

1  Cutting war spending to fund human needs (ROLL CALL #188)
Including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and nuclear weapons, the U.S. military budget has grown an astounding 78% since 2000. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) offered this alternative budget amendment that would have cut wasteful weapons systems and other unnecessary programs and ended the war in Iraq, then used the savings for programs like universal health care and reducing poverty. Peace Action West supported the bill. Failed, 84-338.

2   Robbing environmental cleanup to fund missile defense (RC #455)
It's bad enough to waste tax dollars on a weapons system that has never completed a realistic test and doesn't defend against 21st century threats. But Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) took bad to worse by offering this amendment to restore $1.2 billion that was cut from this boondoggle -- by robbing from environmental cleanup funds. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Failed, 171-244.

3   Cutting funding for planes the Pentagon doesn't want (RC #661)
To shed waste from the Defense budget, the Obama administration cut money for additional F-22 fighter jets -- obsolete planes designed to fight the Soviet Union. Under pressure from weapons companies with high-priced contracts at stake, the House Armed Services Committee added $368 million to the Defense Authorization bill for 12 additional F-22s, with a long-term cost of $2 billion. After the Senate responded to grassroots pressure and a veto threat from President Obama by cutting the funding, the House followed suit. Peace Action West supported the bill. Passed, 269-155.

U.S. RELATIONS WITH IRAN

4   Forcing a vote on harsh sanctions on Iran (RC #327)
At a highly charged moment right before the Iranian presidential election, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) pulled a surprise procedural move to scrap the vote on the State Department Authorization bill and replace it with a vote 
on broad sanctions on Iran. At the time, Congress was purposely refraining from a vote on the bill due to 
the administration's ongoing diplomatic outreach efforts. Peace Action West opposed the bill. 
Failed, 174-250.

5    Sanctions on Iran that won't work and will backfire (RC #975)
Despite little evidence that harsh sanctions punishing companies who sell petroleum to Iran would elicit positive changes from the Iranian government, Congress plowed ahead with passing this dangerous bill that would hurt the Iranian people. The vote came in the midst of the Obama administration's attempts to use diplomacy to resolve tensions with Iran over its nuclear program. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Passed, 412-12.

THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

6    Billions for a military-dominated approach in Afghanistan and Iraq (RC #265)
This supplemental funding bill provided $80 billion for the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on top of the money allocated 
in the Fiscal Year 2009 budget. Despite President Obama's stated commitment to building civilian capacity in Afghanistan, less than 10% of the funds were allocated for non-military tools. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Passed, 368-60.

7    Under pressure, House passes final version of war funding (RC #348)
After money for a loan to the International Monetary Fund 
was added to the supplemental bill, Republicans defected 
en masse. The administration and Democratic leadership 
put significant pressure on antiwar Democrats to change 
their votes on this final version and ensure its passage, 
despite their moral objections. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Passed, 226-202.

8    Calling for an exit strategy (RC #453)
As the Afghanistan war approached its eighth anniversary, 
the administration developed plans to send additional troops, 
but had not articulated a timeframe for the U.S. military presence or an exit plan. This amendment by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) would have required the Defense Secretary 
to present an Afghanistan exit strategy to Congress 
by December 31, 2009. Peace Action West supported the bill. Failed, 138-278.

WAR IN GAZA

9    One-sided support for Isreael's use of force in Gaza (RC #10)
According to renowned human rights investigator Richard Goldstone, both Israel and Hamas engaged in war crimes in the Gaza conflict. Goldstone's report documented Israel's indiscriminate use of firepower and deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in its attack on Gaza in 
late 2008 and early 2009. In the midst of this heated conflict, Congress passed this one-sided resolution tacitly approving 
of Israel's use of force at a time when most of the international community was calling for a ceasefire. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Passed, 390-5.

10    Condemning the Goldstone Report on Gaza (RC #838)
Judge Richard Goldstone, respected human rights investigator who led investigations in Rwanda, Yugoslavia and South Africa, issued a thorough and evenhanded report on Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, documenting war crimes on both sides of the conflict. The House passed this resolution dismissing the widely hailed report as "irredeemably biased and unworthy of further consideration," without accurately refuting any of its contents. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Passed, 344-36.

TORTURE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

11    Attempting to block the closure of Guantanamo Bay Prison (RC #361)
In response to President Obama's executive order to close the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) offered this amendment to prohibit the use of Department of Justice funds to carry out the order. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Failed, 212-213.

12    Transparency at the WHINSEC training facility (RC #454)
Rep. Jim McGovern's (D-MA) amendment requires public disclosure of the names of students and instructors at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (formerly known as the School of the Americas), a military training facility that produced former military dictator 
Manuel Noriega, and was linked to human rights abuses in Latin America. Peace Action West supported the bill. Passed, 224-190.

13    Blocking Guantanamo detainees from U.S. prisons (RC #783)
Republicans attempted a last minute procedural move to 
add language in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill 
to prevent the transfer of any Guantanamo detainee to the U.S. for prosecution or incarceration. This was another attempt to throw up roadblocks to improving the U.S. government's treatment of detainees and adherence to the rule of law. Peace Action West opposed the bill. 
Failed, 193-224.