[haw-info] Senate votes today on 2012 "Defense" Authorization Act (NDAA)--Update

Please forward widely and quickly!

Last night, the House of Representatives voted to support the highly controversial and dangerous 2012 Defense Authorization (NDAA) bill by a vote of 283-136. See Roll-Call

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-932

 

This bill contains $554 billion for the Pentagon base budget and another $115.5 for the wars. It also places the Congress in support of "indefinite detention"of terrorism suspects, without charges or opportunity for trial. For weeks President Obama had threatened to veto such legislation, but rescinded that threat yesterday when the Conference committee changed wording that seemed to limit his Executive authority. These changes do not provide any greater protection for individuals, who are suspected of terrorism.

 

See Congresswoman Barbara Lee's speech in opposition to the NDAA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VKvnJrJhYQ&feature=player_embedded

The Senate is scheduled to vote on the National Defense Authorization bill today. Please call your Senators NOW and ask them to vote against this appalling bill. Capitol switchboard 202-224-3121.

If you are having trouble getting through, check out direct line to your Senators' Washington offices.

 

Among the troubling features of this bill:

 

*It authorizes $554 billion for the Pentagon's huge base budget and $115.5 billion for continuing the wars.

at a time when funding for essential domestic needs is unavailable.

 

*It drops the Merkley language which had previously passed the Senate, requiring a plan for the accelerated withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan before 2014.

 

*It provides for the indefinite detention of people suspected of terrorism, without charges or trial and mandates military detention for a subset of terrorism suspects.

 

*It bars the transfer of detainees currently held in Guantanamo to the United States for any reason including trial.

*It requires draconian sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran directly threatening the economic well being of the Iranian people.

Senate vote is coming up fast ! Please call now and forward this message to friends: Capitol switchboard 202-224-3121.

 

And please share any feedback that you receive:

hiscze@aol.com

 

Carolyn Rusti Eisenberg

for the HAW Steering Committee