Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes training and equipping Syrians and Iraqis to fight ISIS, authorizes $63 billion for warfighting, and it does all this without a debate or a vote by Congress to authorize the use of military force in this conflict; instead, we are still relying on the obsolete 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force. This is an evasion of Congress' solemn constitutional responsibility to the American people to decide on the question of war and peace and not to leave that to the President alone. We were told that we would debate these issues after the election. Now, once again, we sidestep these questions. In the meantime, the President has begun a bombing campaign of Syria. I don't recall this Congress ever authorizing a bombing campaign in Syria. Again, these are questions for Congress, and we must assert our constitutional power to authorize or reject the use of force in Syria after a real debate. I, therefore, cannot acquiesce by voting for these funds. In addition, this bill continues the shameful prohibition on closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay or transferring its inmates to prisons in the United States. It is beyond shameful that we are holding prisoners, some of whom are alleged terrorists, for 13 years so far, without any charges or trial or prospect of trial. This violates every principle of human rights and every principle of American liberty.…”