[Peace] Tammy Duckworth defense of voting for the Rubio bill - full

[Robert Naiman]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Senator Tammy Duckworth <correspondence at duckworth.senate.gov>
Date: Thu, Feb 7, 2019 at 12:39 PM
Subject: Responding to your message

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on S. 1, the
Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019. I
appreciate you taking the time to make me aware of your concerns on this
important matter.

As your Senator, I carefully consider all legislation that comes before the
Senate for a vote. I must weigh the intent and effects of the full
legislative package, as well as the merits of each component. The
Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act combined four
individual measures that would independently address: security aid to
Israel initiated under the Obama Administration; support for our Jordanian
allies’ fight against the Islamic State; sanctions against the Syrian
financial system; and State and local initiatives concerning the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Some votes are inherently more difficult than others, and no legislation is
perfect. While I strongly oppose the BDS movement, I have long had concerns
about the way the Combating BDS Act and similar legislation seeks to
address the movement. Specifically, I am concerned that the bill as drafted
could be interpreted to change longstanding U.S. policy towards Israeli
settlement activity and the implications the bill has on domestic freedom
of speech protections. The concerns regarding freedom of speech
implications are rightly being litigated before Federal courts and would be
subject to further debate and amendment in the House of Representatives, if
that chamber even takes up the bill. This bill does not protect a state or
local BDS law from being challenged in court by an individual on
constitutional grounds.

Ultimately however, my concerns with the Combating BDS Act did not outweigh
the remaining majority of this legislation, which represent important
measures to concretely support our allies and address serious national
security concerns. This legislation would preserve Obama Administration
international agreements that promote regional security through cooperation
with our allies. It would also give the Trump Administration more tools to
levy sanctions against human rights abusers in the Assad regime in Syria.
That is why I joined a bipartisan group of senators to pass this bill by a
vote of 77-23 on February 5, 2019.

National security challenges facing our country will only grow in
complexity and size in the coming years.  Whether countering the threat of
terrorism, combating the proliferation of nuclear weapons or simply working
together to respond to major global challenges, effective international
cooperation  is more important than ever in advancing our core security
interests overseas to make Americans safer at home.

Thank you again for contacting me on this important issue. If you would
like more information on my work in the Senate, please visit my website at
www.duckworth.senate.gov. You can access my voting record and see what I am
doing to address today’s most important issues. I hope that you will
continue to share your views and opinions with me and let me know whenever
I may be of assistance to you.

Sincerely,
<https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&cid=SenDuckworth&crop=15210QQQ22019500QQQ7202301QQQ7487121&report_id=Signature&redirect=http%3a%2f%2fduckworth.senate.gov&redir_log=800154790113193>
Tammy Duckworth
United States Senator
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