“As our Pentagon spending reaches a trillion dollars a year, we’re facing an Executive that has grown too comfortable exercising unchecked, unconstitutional expansions of power. I introduced ten amendments to reorient our foreign policy, center human rights, and stop our complacency in advancing endless wars that only harm our reputation abroad and do nothing to make us any safer. I’ll keep fighting for a Pentagon budget that puts the American people first, not defense contractors.” says US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
The amendments introduced by Rep. Omar include:
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Omar #11 - Cuts $150 billion from the topline, with exemptions for Defense Health spending and troop pay/benefits. Coled by Rep. Pocan.
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Omar #46 - Strikes language establishing tech partnerships with Israel
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Omar #54 - Repeals the 127(e) program. Coled by Rep. Gosar.
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Omar #100 - Bans arms sales to any country engaged in transnational repression against U.S. citizens.
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Omar #106 - Repeals the Alien Enemies Act.
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Omar #162 - Requires a report on UAE foreign policy in specific countries in East and North Africa, including an assessment on whether U.S.-origin equipment sent to the UAE is being used for gross violations of human rights in those countries.
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Omar #164 - Repeals two different Syria sanctions statutes (Caesar and the Syria parts of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012).
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Omar #167 - Requires a strategy for providing direct support to Sudanese civil society, including the Emergency Response Rooms.
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Omar #169 - Repeals the War Reserve Stockpile Authority for Israel.
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Omar #1096 - Expresses the sense of Congress that a foreign terrorist organization designation is not an authorization for the use of military force.
The last of these items, #1096 notes eagerness to use military force as soon as there is a target. When Congress designates an organization as "terrorist", that is not an "Authorization for Military Force". We have such a lack of good faith and honesty in the executive branch very firm controls and restrictions are necessary, or the resource of the United States will be wildly squandered at whim, as we have already seen.
It is time for Congress to carry this project forward, however painful and time consuming it may be, or the intentions of all political factions of Congress will be distorted for the personal desires of the executive. The press release from Representative Omar is here