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| June 3, 2011 |    |
| Weighing in on Libya | |||
This morning, I appeared on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” program to discuss the United States’ ongoing involvement with the NATO-led military mission in Libya. On March 19, 2011, the United States and its NATO allies launched Operation Odyssey Dawn, a military mission that was purported to establish a no-fly zone over major cities and air bases near the Libyan coast in order to prevent Libyan leader Colonel Muammar al Qadhafi from massacring his own people. However, the President authorized the use of military force without first seeking permission from Congress as required by law. The War Powers Resolution provides that the President may only legally authorize military action if there has been (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces. Absent any of these circumstances, the President is not authorized to use military force. Just days after the onset of military action, I had the opportunity to question Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as to where the President found the legal authority in the War Powers Act to launch a military operation in Libya. Secretary Gates failed not once, but twice, to point to any of the three explicit provisions authorizing military action and did not articulate clear mission goals or strategy. Since that time, the United States has transitioned leadership of the mission to NATO, but the cost of the action continues to mount—by roughly $2 million per day, according to Pentagon officials, while estimates of the cost of the initial operation range between $400 million and $1 billion. Aside from questions of legal authority, lack of mission focus, and the high monetary cost, I also have grave concerns regarding U.S. assistance to Libyan resistance forces that, according to reports, include in their ranks many of the same fighters that have attacked U.S. military personnel in places like Iraq. As a result, I supported Speaker Boehner’s resolution today that puts this Administration on notice. The resolution, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 257-156, (1) establishes that the President has not asked for congressional authorization, and that the Congress has not granted it; (2) reasserts Congress’ constitutional role on funding; (3) requires the president to provide within 14 days information on the mission that should have been provided from the start; and (4) reaffirms the vote we took last week that says there should be no troops on the ground. If the Administration fails to present to Congress the necessary information on the Libya mission within 14 days, then I believe Congress must exercise its subpoena power to compel Administration officials to provide answers on the future use of our military forces in Operation Odyssey Dawn, or remove all funding for the operation.
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| Building Unity Among Americans | |||
English is the official language of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Nigeria, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is not, however, the official language of the United States. In fact, the U.S. is one of less than a dozen countries in the world without an official language.
Requiring the use of English does not mean that our society does not value the preservation of cultural heritage. However, the ability to communicate in one standard language in the workplace, in our schools, and in official settings not only improves our efficiency as we carry out our daily activities, but it more importantly builds unity among citizens and creates a sense of national pride. That is why I have consistently advocated for making English the official language of the United States: English Language Unity Act I have cosponsored legislation, H.R. 997, which would establish English as our nation’s official language. This bill requires all official functions of the U.S. to be conducted in English, establishes a uniform language requirement for naturalization, and places an obligation on representatives of the federal government to encourage individuals to learn English. National Language Act I have also cosponsored a bill, H.R. 1164, that requires that all official business, including publications, income tax forms, informational materials and public ceremonies where an oath is administered, to be conducted in English. This bill also repeals bilingual voting requirements. Do you support making English the official language of the U.S.? Weigh in on my blog here. |
| Guaranteeing Pay for Military Families | |
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In a letter to congressional leaders on April 4, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner threatened that, “If Congress failed to increase the debt limit, a broad range of government payments would have to be stopped, limited or delayed, including military salaries." I believe that it is unacceptable to threaten withholding payments to our military service members and their families during negotiations over the debt limit. As a result, I am cosponsoring the Guarantee Paychecks for America’s Military Families Act (H.R. 1551). |
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| Click here to read the full bill. |
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Preserving our Nation by Upholding the Constitution
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| The Constitution creates a republican, representative form of government that is granted limited, enumerated powers in order to ensure that individual liberties and freedoms are jealously guarded. As a Member of Congress, I have a solemn duty to uphold these principles and to remain acutely aware of limitations to the government’s reach and power. In support of that effort, I have joined the Congressional Constitution Caucus, which is dedicated to preserving the true intent of our Founding Fathers. | |
| Follow this link to read about the caucus. |
| Strategy for Securing Our Border | |
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The preamble of our Constitution states that the primary responsibility of the federal government is to provide for the common defense. The first step in achieving this goal is to effectively secure our borders by preventing unlawful entries, illicit drugs and other contraband from entering our nation. I’ve recently cosponsored the Secure Border Act, which will require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a plan to gain operational control of our borders within five years. |
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| Follow this link to read the more about the bill. |
| Other News |
| June 2, 2011 |
| Shedding Light on the Consequences of Red Tape |
| June 1, 2011 |
| Reining in Government Regulation |
| June 1, 2011 |
| Question of the Week: Do you support raising the nation's debt ceiling without further spending cuts? |
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