[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [National Security calendar] Feb. 12 update

[Morton K. Brussel]

FYI…From the Council for a Livable World

Begin forwarded message:

> Senate Democrats failed to garner the 60 votes needed last week to  
> invoke cloture allowing Republicans to block efforts to move debate  
> forward on a resolution criticizing President Bush’s escalation in  
> Iraq. The resolution – a revised version of Sen. John Warner’s (R- 
> VA) resolution that was amended to attract bi-partisan support –  
> states that the Senate disagrees with President Bush's plan and  
> urges him to consider all other options for achieving his strategic  
> goals. The resolution also stated the Senate would not block  
> funding for troops in Iraq. The 49-47 vote against invoking cloture  
> included only two Republicans voting in favor: Senators Norm  
> Coleman (R-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME), both of whom are likely to  
> face tough reelection campaigns next year.
> The House is expected to vote on a resolution criticizing President  
> Bush’s escalation in Iraq at the end of this week. The vote will  
> come after three days of debate which is likely to be intense and  
> highly publicized. Each Member will receive five minutes of  
> speaking time on the floor, to debate a resolution introduced by  
> Reps. Ike Skelton (D-MO) and Tom Lantos (D-CA). House Majority  
> Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) stated yesterday that Republicans would  
> “not necessarily” be permitted to offer an alternative proposal  
> this week, but that a Republican alternative would be voted on 30  
> to 45 days from now.
>
> New legislation continues to be introduced at a fast rate on both  
> Iraq and Iran .   Click here to see a list of current Congressional  
> legislative initiatives on Iraq.
>
>
> KEY NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS IN 2006-7
>
> IRAQ
> On January 10, President Bush announced a troop escalation in Iraq.  
> Republican Senators Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Olympia Snowe of  
> Maine joined Democratic Senators Joseph Biden of Delaware and Carl  
> Levin of Michigan in cosponsoring a non-binding resolution  
> expressing opposition to the escalation last week (S.Con.Res. 2).  
> Legislation that would require a Congressional vote on whether more  
> troops be sent to Iraq was introduced in the Senate last week by  
> Senator Edward Kennedy (S.233) and in the House by Rep. Edward  
> Markey (HR 353).   Click here to see a list of current  
> Congressional legislative initiatives on Iraq.
>
> On January 24, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved by a  
> vote of 12 - 9 the Biden (D-DE) - Hagel (R-NE) - Levin (D-MI) -  
> Snowe (R-ME) resolution opposing the Bush Administration's decision  
> to send more American troops to Iraq. Republican Senator John  
> Warner of Virginia along with eight co-sponsors responded by  
> introducing a second, non-binding resolution (S.Con.Res. 4)  
> criticizing the escalation in Iraq. A revised version of Senator  
> Warner’s resolution – now numbered S.Con.Res. 7 -- was produced as  
> a compromise between the two competing resolutions. If Republicans  
> permit a debate to proceed on the Warner resolution, there are  
> likely to be votes on a series of amendments from the left and the  
> right on the Senate floor.
> On February 5, Senate Republicans blocked Democratic efforts to  
> invoke cloture and move debate forward on a resolution criticizing  
> President Bush’s escalation in Iraq. The resolution – a revised  
> version of Sen. John Warner’s (R-VA) resolution that was amended to  
> attract bi-partisan support – states that the Senate disagrees with  
> President Bush's plan and urges him to consider all other options  
> for achieving his strategic goals.
> IRAN
> The Bush Administration has taken a number of actions that lead  
> many observers to believe that a military attack on Iran could take  
> place in the coming months.  A number of congressional measures  
> have been introduced to require prior congressional approval before  
> the U.S. launches any attack on Iran . Amendments to accomplish  
> this goal may be added to the Fiscal Year 2006 Supplemental  
> Appropriations Bill expected to be considered in March.   Click  
> here to see a list of current Congressional legislative initiatives  
> on Iran.
>
> IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION
> The House passed H.R. 1 299 – 128 in a bi-partisan vote on January  
> 9, with 68 Republicans voting in favor. The bill implements the as- 
> of-yet unpassed recommendations of the September 11 Commission.  It  
> also urges increased effectiveness of U.S. nonproliferation  
> programs, including the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, the  
> Global Threat Reduction Initiative and the Proliferation Security  
> Initiative, but does not provide any actual funding for these  
> programs.  The bill does, however, call for a non-proliferation  
> czar within the Executive Branch and eliminates some of the  
> conditions that hindered effective implementation of non- 
> proliferation programs.  Click here to see a copy of H.R. 1\

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