Congress' critical role in warmaking decisions

House of Representatives passed a new defense bill two weeks ago that strips Congress' critical role in warmaking decisions, and forces the armed forces to take on a new mission as judge, jury and jailor of all future foreign terrorism suspects. The Senate Armed Services Committee will decide whether to follow suit or change course starting this Wednesday.

Tell the Senate Armed Services Committee to protect Congress' role in deciding whether to go to war and limit the mission of our armed forces to prosecuting wars, not people. Not only are such choices smarter national security, they uphold the rule of law and American values.

The House version of the defense bill would:

Strip Congress of its critical role in warmaking decisions by ceding to the president unfettered authority to use military force anywhere in the world;
Force the military to become the judge, jury and jailor for all future foreign terrorism suspects, expanding the failed experiment at Guantanamo; and
Turn Guantanamo into the Hotel California where you get in but can never get out, even if you are innocent.

Sign the petition and tell the Senate Armed Services Committee to oppose any measures in the defense authorization bill that place politics over national security.