Late last night, the House Rules Committee issued a list of amendments approved for floor debate on H.R. 1585, the fiscal year 2008 Department of Defense Authorization Act. The DeFazio-Paul-Hinchey-Lee amendment was included in the list and we expect a vote to come up on it sometime TODAY.

We urgently need you to send action alerts to your constituents and ask them to make phone calls TODAY.

Please send action alerts to your constituents, asking them to call their Representatives and urge them to vote “yes” on the DeFazio-Paul-Hinchey-Lee amendment. This amendment is intended to defend Congressional war-making powers.

The amendment clarifies that no previously enacted law authorizes military action against Iran. It also prohibits funding authorized by the FY’08 Defense Authorization bill or in any other act from being used to take military action against Iran without specific authorization from Congress unless there is a “national emergency created by an attack by Iran upon the United States, its territories or possessions or its armed forces.”

Again, please ask your members to call their Representatives to urge them to vote “yes” on the DeFazio-Paul-Hinchey-Lee amendment to H.R. 1585. We believe it is vital that Congress, and the American people they represent, play a primary role in determining the use of US military force.

Sincerely,
Carah Ong

Carah Ong
Iran Policy Analyst
Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation
322 Fourth Street NE
Washington DC 20002
Tel: (202) 546-0795 ext. 122
Fax: (202) 546-5142
Email: cong@armscontrolcenter.org
www.armscontrolcenter.org
http://irannuclearwatch.blogspot.com

H.L.C.
AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1585, AS REPORTED
OFFERED BY MR. DEFAZIO OF OREGON

At the appropriate place in title XII of the bill (relating
to matters relating to foreign nations), insert the
following new section:

1 SEC. 12 REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING THE USE OF MILI

2 TARY FORCE AGAINST IRAN.

3 (a) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—No provision of law

4 enacted before the date of the enactment of this Act shall

5 be construed to authorize the use of military force by the

6 United States against Iran.

7 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—Absent a national emergency

8 created by attack by Iran upon the United States, its terri

9tories or possessions, or its armed forces, no funds appro

10priated pursuant to an authorization of appropriations in

11 this Act or any other Act may be obligated or expended

12 to initiate the use of military force against Iran unless

13 the President receives authorization from Congress prior

14 to initiating the use of military force against Iran.