[GPSCC-chat] Letter From Congress To Obama Re: War Powers Authorization Needed Before Attacking Syria

[John Thielking]

This is the second letter, printed out at 4:30PM August 29, 2013 at Zoe Lofgren's office.


Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515

August 29, 2013

President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

We join you and the international
community in expressing unequivocal condemnation over the news that
chemical weapons were reportedly used by the government of Syria.

While we understand that as Commander
in Chief you have a constitutional obligation to protect our national
interests from direct attack, Congress has the constitutional
obligation and power to approve military force, even if the United
States or its direct interests (such as its embassies) have not been
attacked or threatened with an attack.  As such, we strongly urge you
to seek an affirmative decision of Congress prior to committing any
US military engagement to this complex crisis.

While the ongoing human rights
violations and continued loss of life are horrific, they should not
draw us into an unwise war --- especially without adhering to our own
constitutional requirements. We strongly support the work within the
United Nations Security Council to build international consensus
condemning the alleged use of chemical weapons and preparing an
appropriate response; we should also allow the UN inspectors the
space and time necessary to do their jobs, which are so crucial to
ensuring accountability.

As elected officials, we have a duty to
represent the will and priorities of our constituents, consistent
with the Constitution we all swore to uphold and defend. Before
weighing the use of military force, Congress must fully debate and
consider the facts and every alternative, as well as determine how
best to end the violence and protect civilians. We stand ready to
work with you.

Sincerely,

Barbara Lee, Member Of Congress 
Lois Capps, Member Of Congress 
Michael Honda, Member Of Congress 
Zoe Lofgren, Member Of Congress 
Jackie Speier, Member Of Congress 
John Lewis, Member Of Congress 
Robin Kelly, Member Of Congress 
Raul M. Grijalva, Member Of Congress 
Beter Welch, Member Of Congress 
Stephen F. Lynch, Member Of Congress 
Lloyd Doggett, Member Of Congress 
Janice Hahn, Member Of Congress 
Beto O'Rourke, Member Of Congress 
Peter Defazio, Member Of Congress 
Mark Pocan, Member Of Congress
Michael Michaud, Member Of Congress 
Chellie Pingree, Member Of Congress 
Nydia Velazquez, Member Of Congress 
Jared Huffman, Member Of Congress 
Sam Farr, Member Of Congress 
Tulsi Gabbard, Member Of Congress 
Rush Holt, Member Of Congress 
Jim McDermott, Member Of Congress 
Eddie Bernice Johnson, Member Of
Congress
George Miller, Member Of Congress 
Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Member Of
Congress 
Marcy Kaptur, Member Of Congress 
James P. McGovern, Member Of Congress 
Emanuel Cleaver, Member Of Congress 
Sheila Jackson-Lee, Member Of Congress 
Suzanne Bonamici, Member Of Congress 
Jose E Serrano, Member Of Congress 
Donna F Edwards, Member Of Congress 
Steve Cohen, Member Of Congress 
Alcee L. Hastings, Member Of Congress 
Danny K. Davis, Member of Congress 
Marcia L. Fudge, Member Of Congress 
Judy Chu, Member Of Congress 
Bobby Rush, Member Of Congress 
Dave Loebsack, Member of Congress 
Jan Schakowsky, Member Of Congress 
Yvette Clarke, Member Of Congress 
Rick Nolan, Member Of Congress 
Eleanor Holmes Norton, Member Of
Congress 
Charles Rangel, Member Of Congress 
Alan Lowenthal, Member Of Congress 
Donna M. Christensen, Member Of
Congress 
Carolyn Maloney, Member Of Congress 
Henry Waxman, Member Of Congress 
Diana Degette, Member Of Congress 
Keith Ellison, Member Of Congress 
Niki Tsongas, Member Of Congress 
John Yarmuth, Member Of Congress 
Julia Brownley, Member Of Congress 

(54 Members of Congress total)


________________________________
 From: John Thielking <pagesincolor at yahoo.com>
To: Donna Wallach <palestineis at dslextreme.com>; Greens Discussion List <sosfbay-discuss at cagreens.org> 
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 7:44 PM
Subject: [GPSCC-chat] Letter From Congress To Obama Re: War Powers	Authorization Needed Before Attacking Syria
 


This is a transcription of the letter from Congress to Obama as printed out at Zoe Lofgren's office Wednesday, August 28th, 2013 at 4:45PM PST.

John Thielking

*****************************************


Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515


August 28th, 2013


The President
The White House
Washington DC 20500

Dear Mr President,

We strongly urge you to consult and receive authorization from Congress before ordering the use of US military force in Syria. Your responsibility to do so is prescribed in the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973.

While the Founders wisely gave the Office of the President the authority to act in emergencies, they foresaw the need to ensure public debate -- and the active engagement of Congress -- prior to committing US military assets. Engaging our military in Syria when no direct threat to the United States exists and without prior congressional authorization would violate the separation of powers that is clearly delineated in the Constitution.

Mr. President, in the case of military operations in Libya you stated that authorization from Congress was not required because our military was not engaged in "hostilities." In addition, an April 1, 2011, memorandum to you from your Office of Legal Counsel concluded:

"...President Obama could rely on his constitutional  power to safeguard the national interest by directing the anticipated military operations in Libya --- which were limited in their nature, scope and duration --- without prior congressional authorization."

We view the precedent this option sets, where "national interest" is enough to engage in hostilities without congressional authorization, as unconstitutional. If the use of 221 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 704 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and 42 Predator Hellfire missiles expended in Libya does not constitute "hostilities", what does?

If you deem that military action in Syria is necessary, Congress can reconvene at your request.  We stand ready to come back into session, consider the facts before us, and share the
 burden of decisions made regarding US involvement in the quickly escalating Syrian conflict.

Sincerely,

Rep. Scott Rigell (VA-02)
Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05)
Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05)
Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05)
Rep. Tom McClintock (CA-04)
Rep. Tom Marino (PA-10)
Rep. Dan Benishek (MI-01)
Rep. Tom Rooney (FL-17)
Rep. Steve Pearce (NM-02)
Rep. Tim Griffin (AR-02)
Rep. Justin Amash (MI-03)
Rep. Raul Labrador (ID-01)
Rep. Joseph Pitts (PA-16)
Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-08)
Rep. John Campbell (CA-45)
Rep. Paul Gosat (AZ-04)
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03)
Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02)
Rep. Charles Boustany (LA-03)
Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01)
Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08)
Rep. Bill Posey (FL-08)
Rep. Randy Forbes (VA-04)
Rep. Phil Gingrey (GA-11)
Rep. David Roe (TN-01)
Rep. Mark Sanford (SC-01)
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (TN-02)
Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-08)
Rep.
 James Lankford (OK-05)
Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA-06)
Rep. Stephen Fincher (TN-08)
Rep. Trey Radel (FL-19)
Rep. Chris Stewart (UT-02)
Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS-02)
Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03)
Rep. David McKinley (WV-01)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
Rep. Joseph Heck (NV-03)
Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15)
Rep. Billy Long (MO-07)
Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14)
Rep Steven Palazzo (MS-04)
Rep. Kevin Yoder (KS-03)
Rep. Doug collins (GA-09)
Rep. Beto O'Rourke (TX-16)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19)
Rep Peter DeFargio (OR-04)
Rep. Kurt Schrder (OR-5)
Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12)
Rep. William Enyart (IL-12)
Rep. Timothy Walz (MN-01)
Rep. Christopher Gibson (NY-19)
Rep. Trey Gowdy (SC-04)
Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10)
Rep. Michael Capuano (MA-07)
Rep. Michael Simpson (ID-02)
Rep. Michael McCaul (TX-10)
Rep. Thomas E. Petri (WI-06)
Rep. Robert Pittenger (NC-09)
Rep. Walter Jones (NC-03)
Rep. Tom Latham
 (IA-03)
Rep. Richard Nolan (MN-08)
Rep. Jim McDermott (WA-07)
Rep. Kerry Bentivolico (MI-11)
Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-06)
Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-07)
Rep. Bruce Braley (LA-01)
Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09)
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-02)
Rep. Mark Amodei (NV-02)
Rep. Roger Williams (TX-25)
Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01)
Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02)
Rep. Sam Farr (CA-20)
Rep. Steve Daines (MT-At Large)
Rep. Robert Hurt (VA-05)
Rep. Steve Southerland, II (FL-2)
Rep. Michelle Bachmann (MN-06)
Rep. Ralph Hall (TX-04)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (TX-19)
Rep. Robert Wittman (VA-01)
Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-18)
Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-06)
Rep. Todd Rokita (IN-4)
Rep. David Loebsack (LA-02)
Rep. Scott Tipton (CO-03)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Rep. Sam Johnson (TX-03)
Rep. Tom Price (GA-06)
Rep. Mark Meadows (NC-11)
Rep. Paul Broun (GA-10)
Rep. Markwayne Mullin
 (OK-02)
Rep. Steve Stockman (TX-36)
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (WI-05)
Rep. Chris Collins (NY-27)
Rep. Diane Black (TN-06)
Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-10)
Rep. Peter Welch (VT)
Rep. Lou Barletta (PA-11)
Rep. Tim Murphy (PA-18)
Rep. Gregg Harper (MS-03)
Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04)
Rep. Ted S. Yoho (FL-03)
Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17)
Rep. Michael Burgess (TX-26)
Rep. Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Rep. Cory Gardner (CO-04)
Rep. Alan Nunnelee (MS-01)
Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08)
Rep. Charles Fleischmann (TN-03)
Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-07)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN-07)
Rep. Collin Peterson (MN-7) 

(116 Reps altogether)
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