Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I have amendment No. 34 at the desk, preprinted in the Congressional Record.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, my bipartisan amendment is straightforward. It is cosponsored by Congressman Broun of Georgia and Congressman Sanford of South Carolina. It will prohibit any funding in this bill pursuant to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force after December 31, 2014. This date is set as the official end of combat operations in Afghanistan. Furthermore, it gives the President and Congress sufficient time to determine what, if any, authorization would be needed to replace the 2001 AUMF. The fact of the matter is the world has changed dramatically in the aftermath of the horrific tragedy of September 11. On September 14, 2001, I could not vote for the resolution, an authorization that I knew would provide a blank check to wage war any time, anywhere, for any purpose, and for any length. Thirteen years later, this authorization is still on the books. According to the Congressional Research Service, there are over 30 known instances of the executive branch invoking authority to engage in hostilities or deploy Armed Forces under this AUMF. The report, which is on my Web site, lists 30 instances where the AUMF has been invoked by President Bush and President Obama, including to deploy troops in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Georgia, Yemen, justify detentions at Guantanamo Bay, and conduct military commissions, among many other uses, for which this resolution served as the legal justification for. No executive office, not President Bush, not President Obama, nor any future President can be handed such broad authority to wage war with no oversight. In fact, President Obama has stated that he looks forward to engaging Congress and the American people in efforts to refine and ultimately repeal the AUMF's mandate, and he will not sign laws designed to expand this mandate further. We need to take up the President's suggestion. There was very little debate on this resolution. I was here 12 years ago, and so year after year, I have introduced legislation to repeal this resolution. It is long past time for Congress to have a meaningful debate. I remember that night. There were five or six maybe on the floor, maybe a few more, and we had probably an hour's debate that evening. We need to have a real debate about our constitutional role in declaring war and our obligation to conduct rigorous oversight, accountability, and to demand transparency and accountability for the American people for their tax dollars. I ask Members to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member.

Ms. LEE of California. I want to thank the ranking member for his comments and for reasserting and reassuring Members that our constitutional role is extremely important in matters of war and peace. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, first of all, this amendment says we are not going to fund combat operations after December 31, 2014. That is what it says. That is what it will do. That is what the President has indicated. For the life of me I don't understand why the opposition really believes that there is a military solution in Afghanistan. We have been there 13 years. History shows that the United States military is not going to continue to have a military presence and support what has taken place in Afghanistan. It is now up to the Afghan government and people to secure their own future. Of course, we are not taking away any authority from the President. We have taken away our authority here, our constitutional duty and responsibility. We can't allow funding for combat operations beyond December 2014. The President has said that will not happen. So what in the world are we talking about by saying, yes, here is the money, we want you to continue funding these combat operations? He said they would end in December of 2014, so we should do what we need to do here in Congress. We should end it, we should not allow any more funding. If, in fact, the President believes, and if you believe, that we want to engage in more combat action and operations--which, of course, the American public I believe are telling us in no uncertain terms they are war-weary--but if you believe that, then come back to Congress and exercise your constitutional duty and responsibility, and vote for whatever it is that the President is asking for. This doesn't make any sense--13 years. Again, we sunset in the farm bill, the transportation bill. Here we have got an authority now and funding for the last 13 years. It doesn't make any sense. We want to do what the President has said he is going to do. This Congress needs to reassert itself and do our constitutional duty, engage in our constitutional authority and responsibility, and say in no uncertain terms: no funding for combat operations after December 31, 2014. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute now to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, in closing, let me just underscore the fact that combat operations will not solve the problems in Iraq. This amendment would not fund combat operations. We should not repeat these terrible mistakes of the past. Let me once again clarify. This amendment would not impact the ability of the United States personnel and our Embassy. We want to protect the United States personnel and Embassy. Secondly, it would not impact the President's ability to provide unmanned intelligence gathering and assistance. It would not impact the President's constitutional authority to protect U.S. citizens both at home and abroad. I urge for a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of her time.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. LEE of California. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva).

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I have amendment No. 31 at the desk, preprinted in the Congressional Record.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I rise today, remembering 12 years ago when I stood on this floor and offered an amendment with the same purpose as the amendments I offer this evening: to prevent a war with Iraq; to keep our young men and women--our troops--out of harm's way; and to be prudent with taxpayers' hard-earned dollars, as well as ensuring our national security. We are all familiar with the reports coming out of Iraq about the horrific sectarian violence taking place. We must not let history repeat itself. Calls to be dragged back into a war in Iraq must be rejected because the reality is there is no military solution in Iraq. I want to applaud the President for reiterating that again today and for making it clear that he does not want combat troops on the ground in Iraq. This amendment would not allow funding for combat operations. This is a sectarian war with longstanding roots that were inflamed, unfortunately, when we invaded Iraq in 2003. Any lasting solution must be political and take into account respect for the entire Iraqi population. The change Iraq needs must come from Iraqis, rejecting violence in favor of a peaceful democracy that represents all and respects the rights of all. Our job is to continue to promote and support regional and international engagement, recognition of human rights and political reforms, support for women and children, and religious freedom. Madam Chair, after more than a decade of war, thousands of American lives, and hundreds of billions of dollars, the American people are rightfully war weary. The American people are not interested in repeating the mistakes of the past. A recent poll found that 74 percent of the public is opposed to sending combat troops into Iraq. This amendment would not impact the President's ability to protect U.S. personnel or our Embassy. We must do that. It does not impact the President's ability to act if there is a direct or imminent threat to our national security. As the President cited in his recent notification to Congress, doing so would be consistent with his responsibilities to protect U.S. citizens both at home and abroad. Finally, it does not impact the President's ability to send assistance to gather intelligence or advisers and trainers. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, this amendment would simply prohibit funding for any operations or activities pursuant to the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq. Why is this amendment necessary? Well, more than 2 years since the United States troops withdrew from Iraq, the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force remains on the books. Two years ago, President Obama declared the war in Iraq as over. Just yesterday, according to press reports, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney stated that the 2002 AUMF is ``no longer used for any United States Government activities.'' Further, in our Appropriations Committee, our chairman confirmed that this bill does not contain any funding to implement the 2002 authorization. That is good news, and it should make supporting this amendment an easy thing to do for Members on both sides of the aisle. The American people need an affirmative vote that the war in Iraq that began over 11 years ago through the military operation--shock and awe, which took over 2,000 lives--has come to an end and none of their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. Some of us agree that it is well past time that we remove this authorization totally from the books, but on this appropriations bill, we only state very clearly that no funds may be obligated or expended for the authorization. Congress should never allow war-funding authorizations to remain on the books in perpetuity. We don't do this for the farm bill. We don't do this for the transportation bill. Madam Chair, we are all familiar with reports coming out of Iraq about the horrific sectarian violence taking place there. Once again, I want to applaud President Obama for reiterating again today that there is no military solution to the sectarian war there and also for his clear position that the United States is not going to be returning to combat in Iraq. This amendment does not limit the President's authority under the Constitution or War Powers Act to act if there is a direct or imminent threat to our national security. As the President cited in his recent letter to Congress, doing so would be consistent with his responsibilities to protect United States citizens both home and abroad. This amendment does not take away that authority. Further, this amendment fully allows for the protection of the United States Embassy and its personnel and would not impede any of those efforts by the United States military. Given that there is no funding in this bill for the 2002 AUMF, supporting this amendment is just plain common sense. The American people deserve this vote. It is long overdue. We should vote primarily also to ensure that our constitutional role is reasserted in war- making. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, just to clarify, all this amendment does is it would not fund the combat operations in Iraq. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for working with me on this very important amendment. This is a very simple amendment that would provide a $5 million increase to available funds for research, development, testing, and evaluation related to multiple sclerosis under the Defense Health Program. These funds would increase funding for multiple sclerosis research under DOD to $10 million. This amendment fulfills the request of $10 million for MS research that was included in a bipartisan letter signed by 78 Members of Congress earlier this year, including cochairs of the Congressional MS Caucus, Representative Michael Burgess and Representative Van Hollen, and I will include the Dear Colleague letter for the Record. Congress of the United States, Washington, DC, March 28, 2014. Hon. Rodney Frelinghuysen, Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC. Hon. Pete Visclosky, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Defense Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky: On behalf of all people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), we would like to thank you for your past support for funding MS research through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). As you know, MS is a chronic, unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. MS is generally diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, during the prime of an individual's life. Sadly, the cause of MS is still unknown and there is no cure. While we recognize the fiscal constraints the country faces, it is critical that we continue to fund this important research, which holds great promise for our military service members and all those who are affected by MS. We respectfully ask that you direct $10 million to fund the MS research program for Fiscal Year 2015. MS interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research are improving the possibility of a world free of MS. Currently, the FDA-approved treatments that are available to treat MS only slow the progression of the disease for a subset of the MS population. Of these available medical treatments, many are not effective for patients and cannot be tolerated by many others. Additionally, the cost of treating and living with MS is costly--approximately $69,000 annually. Many U.S. veterans have stories and symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Preliminary evidence suggests that some combat veterans could have an increased risk of developing MS. Over 23,000 veterans are being treated for MS through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A study in the Annals of Neurology identified 5,345 cases of ``service-connected'' MS among U.S. veterans. An epidemiologic study found a two-fold increase in MS between 1993 and 2000 in Kuwait, which suggests a potential environmental trigger for MS. The VA is currently funding two MS Centers of Excellence to provide clinical care and education for these veterans, but now physicians at these institutions are seeking funding to explore a potential link between MS and combat service. MS research has the potential to help all those living with MS, including our veterans. We ask that you support MS research by including $10 million in funding for the MS program within the, CDMRP in the Fiscal Year 2015 Defense Appropriations. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, Michael C. Burgess, M.D., Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., Andree Carson, Daniel W. Lipinski, James R. Langevin, Charles B. Rangel, Chris Van Hollen, Eliot L. Engel, Sander Levin, Yvette D. Clarke, John Yarmuth, Frederica S. Wilson. Peter DeFazio, Sheila Jackson Lee, Tony Cardenas, Christopher H. Smith, Mike Michaud, Ron Kind, Brad Schneider, Lloyd Doggett, Joe Courtney, Peter King, Jon Runyan, Alcee L. Hastings, Rick Larsen, Barbara Lee, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Danny K. Davis, Ann MacLane Kuster, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. Jan Schakowsky, Steve Israel, Michael Grimm, Carolyn McCarthy, Steve Cohen, Luis V. Gutieerrez, Tim Bishop, Gerald E. Connolly, Tim Murphy, Carol Shea-Porter, Stephen F. Lynch, Rush Holt, Chellie Pingree, David N. Cicilline, Bill Foster, Gloria Negrete McLeod, Jim McDermott, Elijah E. Cummings. John F. Tierney, Chaka Fattah, Dave Loebsack, Matt Cartwright, Juan Vargas, John Delaney, David Price, Jim Himes, Julia Brownley, Lois Frankel, Collin C. Peterson, Alan Grayson, Gregory W. Meeks, Spencer Bachus, John Garamendi, Robert A. Brady, Marc Veasey, Cheri Bustos. Mark Pocan, Elizabeth H. Esty, Ann Kirkpatrick, Susan A. Davis, Dan Kildee, Dan Benishek, M.D., Ben Ray Lujaan, Ron Barber, Grace Meng, Tim Walz, John Conyers, Jr., Mike Thompson.

Ms. LEE of California. There are 2 million people worldwide living with MS. This complicated and unpredictable neurological disease interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. MS is a chronic disease that can often be debilitating for those living with it, and the symptoms of MS are as diverse as the people it impacts. I am pleased to introduce this amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill, since MS has a significant impact on our armed services. Some 23,000 veterans are currently being treated for MS, with more than 5,000 cases having been identified as service connected. Because of increased research funding in MS, the first disease- modifying drugs became available for people living with MS 20 years ago. However, these drugs only work for a subset of the population, and many people living with MS still have no viable treatment options. Increased research funding could give scientists a better understanding of the disease, which could potentially unveil new therapies. I will close by adding that I understand, on a very personal level, the impact of this disease. My sister, Mildred, shows me every day what life is like to live with the disease, and I am consistently amazed by her strength and her bravery. She and the millions of people around the world living with MS are really a testament to the importance of making stronger investments to find a cure. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of my sister Mildred and on behalf of all of those living with MS, on behalf of the families and caregivers, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Ms. LEE of California. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I urge a ``yes'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable life of Mrs. Blanche Ione Jones, a loving and compassionate parent, sister, aunt and friend to many throughout the country, and particularly in Jackson and Detroit, Michigan. I am joined in this tribute by Representative John Conyers of Michigan. Mrs. Jones was a strong, kind and gentle woman who cared for others and deeply loved her family and community. With her passing on June 11, 2014, we look to her contributions to others, both big and small and remember her with great joy. Blanche Jones graduated from Jackson High School in Jackson, Michigan in 1949. She continued her education at Jackson Junior College and received the Associate of Arts Degree from Mercy College in Detroit, Michigan. Following graduation she became a dental hygienist for her cousin, Dr. Archie Millben, Sr., then the first and only African American dentist in Jackson, Michigan. In 1958 she met and married Mr. George W. Jones, Jr. and moved to Detroit. Blanche Jones demonstrated on a daily basis, her compassion and devotion to her late husband of 34 years and their children. She admired and was especially proud that her cousin, Dr. Ethelene Jones-Crockett, Michigan's first female African-American obstetrician and gynecologist--who was also the wife of former Congressman George W. Crockett, Jr.--delivered her youngest three children. Mrs. Jones devoted her career at Detroit Public Schools as a para- professional teaching assistant to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to receive a quality education. She was raised in the Church of Christ and remained an active member throughout her life teaching Bible class and serving on numerous committees. Mrs. Blanche Jones was a close confidant to my mother, Mildred Massey and me. Regardless of her health condition, she was always positive and upbeat. There was no question about her love and she generously shared it with everyone. Blanche Jones was a ``woman of distinction and grace''. She loved clothes and I will always remember wearing a white wool coat and hat that she loved. I shopped all over the country looking for one to give her and regrettably could not find one. I did give her a white wool jacket--and my hat. The twinkle in her eyes and her words of gratitude were reminders of her thankfulness for the small things in life. Blanche was a brilliant woman. She read, kept up on current events and politics and had her own very strong opinions about issues which we discussed many times. Her family describes her as the Chairwoman on BNN: the Blanche News Network. There is a tremendous void in my life now and I will miss her deeply. She touched the lives of many and leaves a legacy with her work and compassion that will long endure. In her memory, let us live our lives as Mrs. Blanche Jones did and would want us to do--as loving and supportive human beings. Today, California's 13th Congressional District joins Michigan's 13th Congressional District to salute and honor a remarkable woman, Mrs. Blanche Ione Jones. We will miss her tremendously and know that her legacy and spirit will live on forever.