The House vote is a victory

Dear Laura,

On Thursday night, the House of Representatives approved $33 billion more for President Obama and the military to spend in Iraq and Afghanistan. This “supplemental” expenditure was folded into an “emergency” bill, along with programs of merit and some of the usual pork.
 
But the money for Afghanistan wasn’t handed to the president. Something unusual and heartening for progressives happened: Members of Congress put up a fight.

Check out the lists of the votes and see how your representative did. “Aye” votes deserve kudos and “thank you”s, and “noes” clarify the work we have cut out for us in the Brown Bag Lunch Vigils.
 
Two-thirds of House Democrats and nine Republicans voted for an amendment sponsored by Appropriations Committee chair Rep. David Obey (D-WI), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) that would have required the president to rapidly begin developing a plan for the safe, orderly and expeditious redeployment of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

One hundred and sixty-two members of the House voted “Aye” on the amendment, while 260 members opposed it. (See a complete list of the votes here.)
 
Significantly, 153 Democrats backed the amendment, while 98 opposed it. Nine Republicans backed the amendment, while 162 opposed it. Clearly, President Obama must turn to the Republicans—the so-called party of “no”—to fall in step behind him in supporting the war. An unequivocal majority of Democrats want to see an exit strategy developed.
 
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) presented an amendment to fully fund a withdrawal plan, and 100 far-seeing members of the House (93 Democrats, 7 Republicans) voted for it. (See a complete list of the Lee vote here.) Even more audacious is the vote for the amendment “to [strike] all military funding in the bill for the ongoing war in Afghanistan”: 25 members (including three Republicans) voted for the amendment and 22 Democrats voted “present”—an indication of sympathy with the proposal. (See the list here.)
 
While we have not reached the point where our Congress performs its function as the check and balance to the Executive Branch (and the Judicial, as well), the growing lack of support for the Afghanistan quagmire is straightening some spines among timid Democrats. These three amendments proposed definitive action to stop further escalation in this unwinnable war. 

No matter what the theme of the month is for the BBLVs, Healthcare NOT Warfare is never forgotten while these wars continue.

Peace,

Tim Carpenter, National Director