WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ahead of today's expected votes on amendments to H.R. 4365 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024, Demand Progress urges all representatives to vote YES on the following amendments made in order:
Amendment #131 – Gaetz (FL), Jacobs (CA), Tlaib (MI), Tokuda (HI), Massie (KY), McGovern (MA), Salinas (OR), Lee (CA), Garcia (IL): Prohibits funds made available by the bill from being used to transfer cluster munitions.
Amendment #151 – Crane (AZ), Miller (IL): None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to deploy United States Armed Forces to Ukraine.
Amendment #221 – Jayapal (WA), Davidson (OH), Moulton (MA), Garamendi (CA), McClintock (CA): Prohibits the use of funds to administer the unfunded priorities list.
The following statement can be attributed to Demand Progress Foreign Policy Advisor Cavan Kharrazian:
“Despite the Republican-dominated Rules Committee blocking several important amendments from receiving a vote, as the Committee did previously with the NDAA, we strongly urge members of Congress to vote in favor of these significant amendments to affirm congressional war powers, protect civilians in war zones, and combat defense spending waste.
“The continued use of cluster munitions is unacceptable, given their immediate and long-term damage to civilian populations. The U.S. should join the 110 other countries in the world, including nearly all our European allies, in banning the use, transfer, stockpiling and production of cluster munitions.
“The Constitution and War Powers Act are clear: Congress must proactively vote to deploy U.S. armed forces to engage in hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances. No such vote has occurred for Ukraine.
“The ‘unfunded priorities’ lists used by the Department of Defense have become wasteful tools that promote spending beyond the core defense priorities, bloat spending, and their use undermines transparency in the budgeting process. DOD Comptroller General Michael McCord agrees with repealing the requirement to submit this list, saying it is not an ‘effective way to illuminate our top joint priorities.’”