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CUTTING PENTAGON PORK
1 The F-22 Boondoggle Battle (Roll Call #235)
Despite Obama's veto threat, the Senate Armed Services Committee added an extra $1.75 billion to the Defense bill
for seven Cold War F-22 fighter jets. In a closely watched
vote splitting both political parties, the amendment introduced by Sens. Levin (D-MI) and McCain (R-AZ) removed the extra funding. Peace Action West supported the bill. Passed, 58-40.
2 Cutting funds for unneeded C-17 aircraft (RC #312)
The Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee added
$2.5 billion to the Defense Appropriations bill for ten C-17 aircraft the Pentagon didn't want. This amendment by
Sen. McCain (R-AZ) would have cut the wasteful spending.
Peace Action West supported the bill. Failed, 30-68.
U.S. RELATIONS WITH IRAN
3 Penalizing businesses that work with Iran (RC #85)
Sen. Kyl's (R-AZ) amendment to the omnibus appropriations bill was another example of politicians undermining diplomacy with Iran by pushing for punitive measures.
It would have prohibited funding for contracts with companies with a "business presence" in Iran's
energy sector.
Peace Action West opposed the bill. Failed, 41-53.
THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
4 More money for war in Iraq and Afghanistan (RC #202)
The $91.3 billion supplemental funded the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without meaningful oversight or restrictions on the administration's Afghanistan strategy. The vast majority of the funding went to military tools, not civilian ones. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Passed, 86-3.
5 Final supplemental war funding vote (RC #210)
After the House and Senate passed more than $90 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2010, Congress loaded up the compromise version of the two bills, bringing total spending to $105 billion with no strings attached. Peace Action West opposed the bill.
Passed, 91-5.
6 Maneuvering for more troops in Afghanistan (RC #305)
In a move to pressure President Obama into rushing more troops to Afghanistan, Sen. McCain's (R-AZ) amendment would have mandated that Generals McChrystal and Petraeus testify to the Senate while Obama was reviewing his Afghanistan strategy. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Failed, 40-59.
TORTURE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
7 Blocking detainees from trial in civilian courts (RC #338)
The Senate tabled Sen. Graham's amendment (R-SC) to undermine the rule of law by prohibiting funds for prosecuting 9/11 attack suspects in civilian courts. A "yes" vote was in favor
of tabling this unhelpful amendment.
Peace Action West supported the bill. Passed, 54-45.
8 Keeping detainees in Guantanamo (RC#347)
The Senate tabled Sen. Inhofe's (R-OK) amendment to prohibit funding for U.S. facilities to incarcerate Guantanamo detainees. This amendment undermined efforts to close the detention facility. A "yes" vote was in favor of tabling the amendment.
Peace Action West supported the bill. Passed, 57-43.
MILITARY CONTRACTORS
9 Holding defense contractors accountable (RC #308)
Jamie Leigh Jones was sexually assaulted by coworkers while working for Kellogg, Brown and Root in Iraq and couldn't take her case to court due to a clause in her contract. Her case inspired Sen. Franken's (D-MN) amendment to prohibit government funding for contractors that keep employees from taking workplace cases of rape, sexual assault, and discrimination to court.
Peace Action West supported the bill. Passed, 68-30.
DIPLOMACY WITH NORTH KOREA
10 Re-declaring North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism (RC #239)
North Korea was taken off the list of state sponsors of terrorism after agreeing to allow access to their nuclear program in 2008.
The listing contributed to deadlock in negotiations.
Sen. Brownback's (R-KS) amendment proposed returning
North Korea to the list after its 2009 nuclear test. Peace Action West opposed the bill. Failed, 43-54.
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