[GPSCC-chat] Fw: Message From Rep. Anna G. Eshoo
Caroline Yacoub
carolineyacoub at att.net
Sat Dec 24 20:45:25 PST 2011
I don't know about Zoe Lofgren. She isn't my representative. If you want to know
how she voted, look it up.
Caroline
________________________________
From: Brian Good <snug.bug at hotmail.com>
To: carolineyacoub at att.net; sosfbay-discuss at cagreens.org
Sent: Mon, December 19, 2011 10:43:50 PM
Subject: RE: [GPSCC-chat] Fw: Message From Rep. Anna G. Eshoo
Eshoo, Farr, Honda, Stark, Lee, Miller, Woolsey and Speier all voted against it.
Nancy Pelosi was the only Bay Area Congresscritter to vote for it.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll932.xml
________________________________
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:10:17 -0800
From: carolineyacoub at att.net
To: sosfbay-discuss at cagreens.org
Subject: [GPSCC-chat] Fw: Message From Rep. Anna G. Eshoo
I wrote to Anna Eshoo thanking her for her no vote on the defense authorization
bill. This was her reply. I thought you might be interested.
Caroline
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "ca14ima.pub at mail.house.gov" <ca14ima.pub at mail.house.gov>
To: carolineyacoub at att.net
Sent: Mon, December 19, 2011 3:06:48 PM
Subject: Message From Rep. Anna G. Eshoo
December 19, 2011
Dear Mrs. Yacoub ,
Thank you for contacting me about the National Defense Authorization Act,
legislation which sets defense policy and spending levels for the coming year.
On May 26 th I voted against the Ho use version of this legislation. O n
December 14 th I voted against the House-Senate Conference Report, but it
passed the House by a vote of 283-136.
The Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Authorization authorizes $670 billion for defense
activities, inclu ding personnel expenses, health care, weapons systems, and
base construction. I could not support the measure for several reasons.
In the most general sense, despite severe cutbacks throughout the government and
the lowest revenue levels in years, this legislation sets a defense spending
level that is twice as high as the rest of the world, combined. Although the
overall level is a reduction from last year, the reduction is primarily related
to our planned drawdown in Iraq. Congress has failed to make serious,
fundamental changes to defense spending. In order to be serious about fiscal
responsibility— and I believe we must be—Congress has to take a much harder
look at the defense budget than this legislation reflects.
The Defense Authorization also include s several provisions that I oppose and
consider a threat to our national security and civil liberties. Similar to past
pieces of legislation, the bill effectively blocks the closure of the Guantanamo
Bay detention facility in Cuba. As I' ve stated for many years, the
continuing use of this facility is strategically counterproductive and offensive
to our most closely-held American values. Insisting on its continuing use and
prohibiting the transfer of its inmates to regular prisons , as this legislation
does, is a step in exactly the wrong direction.
The Defense Authorization also contains unacceptable provisions related to the
treatment of detainees. Ignoring the views of the President, the Secretary of
Defense, the Director of the CIA, and the Director of the FBI, the Defense
Authorization includes mandatory military detention for many terrorism
suspects, including noncitizens captured within the U.S. The law permits
indefinite detention, circumventing suspects' habeas corpus rights. This policy
will thwart the efforts of our civilian law enforcement officers whose efforts
have protected our country from terrorism since 9/11 and raise serious
Constitutional issues. Although President Obama has indicated he will no longer
veto the bill, h uman rights groups, law enforcement , and the defense community
are united in their opposition to this policy, and I could not support it.
I will conti nue to be an active participant in the discussions concerning how
best to protect our country, our civil rights, and our fiscal responsibility,
and I appreciate your input into this critical conversation.
If you have any other questions or comments, let me hear from you. I value what
my constituents say to me, and always need your thoughts and benefit from your
ideas.
I've created an ongoing e-newsletter to keep constituents informed on a variety
of congressional issues and legislation. Many constituents tell me how much
they value reading it, and if you would like to as well, you can go to my
website at http://eshoo.house.gov and click on Sign Up for ENews. Your email
address will never be used by anyone except my office to communicate with you,
and your tax dollars will be conserved by using electronic communications rather
than traditional mailings.
Sincerely,
Anna G. Eshoo
Member of Congress
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