Overseas Conflict

Where I Stand

Our Constitution, a document I have sworn to protect and defend, explicitly states that our nation does not go to war without congressional approval. I believe in our Constitution, and I will continue the fight to prevent the president from waging war unilaterally. I took the president to federal court because he violated the Constitution and the War Powers Clause by going to war against the Libyan regime without authorization from the U. S. Congress. I have introduced legislation expressing the sense of Congress that it is an impeachable offense for any president to wage offensive war without prior Congressional approval. I will continue the fight to reign in the executive branch and restore power to the citizens of our nation.

Afghanistan

President Obama's decision to keep our troops in Afghanistan through 2014 is the wrong policy for the United States. We have accomplished our original goals to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice and to break up the Al Qaeda network.  Bin Laden is now dead and Al Qaeda has been dispersed.  Our continued presence in Afghanistan is not in the best interest of our nation.

America is spending $10 billion a month – over $120 billion a year - in Afghanistan. Forty-seven percent of that money is borrowed from the Chinese and other foreigners. America is sending that borrowed money overseas to prop up a corrupt leader in Afghanistan, who has said he would side with Pakistan over America. At a time when our nation is already over $15 trillion in debt, we simply cannot afford it.

Legislative Action in the 113th Congress

Sponsored Legislation

H.R. 125 - Congressional Oversight of Afghanistan Agreements Act of 2013 - 1) Requires the legal advisor to the secretary of state to provide Congress a report providing the constitutional justification for bypassing Congress in concluding an agreement on the future of the security relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan. 2) Expresses the sense of Congress that any bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Afghanistan that is not a treaty created under the stipulations of Article 2 of the Constitution or authorized by legislation does not hold the force of law. 3) Prohibits funds from being authorized or appropriated to carry out such an agreement.

H.R. 2176 - Would require prior authorization from Congress to carry out any activities under the United States - Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement.

H. Con. Res. 40 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the president's decision to use war power against Syria without prior congressional approval would constitute an impeachable offense.

H. Res. 210 - Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in remembrance of the victims and in honor of the veterans of the 1983 terrorist bombing of the United States Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.

H. Res. 323 - Would amend the rules of the House of Representatives to observe a moment of silence on the first legislative day of each month for those killed or wounded in Afghanistan.

Cosponsored Legislation

H.R. 200 - Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act - Would create U.S. policy to ensure that any funds appropriated for the armed forces in Afghanistan are used only for a withdrawal of American military personnel and Department of Defense contractor personnel.

H.R. 2008 - Stop Taxing American Assistance to Afghanistan Act - Would prohibit U.S. assistance for Afghanistan without a bilateral agreement providing that work performed by U.S. contractors is exempt from taxation by the government of Afghanistan.  

H.R. 2107 - No More Ghost Money Act - Would prohibit any federal government entity from paying a foreign government official for the purposes of bribery, coercion, or any illegal activity. Would also require the CIA to report to Congress on any money paid to the Afghan government on or after September 11, 2001.

H.R. 1238 - True Cost of War Act of 2013 - Would direct the president to provide Congress with an estimate through FY 2023 of the long-term cost of Operation New Dawn (the successor contingency operation to Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Operation Enduring Freedom. This would take into account expected troop levels, expected time of deployment, the number of contractors and private military security firms, the number of veterans seeking health care, the number of service members who have been killed or wounded, the cost of providing VA disability benefits and survivors’ benefits, the cost of withdrawal procedure, the cost of restoration of equipment, and the amount of money borrowed to pay for these operations and the interest on that borrowed money.

H.R. 2494 - Protecting Americans from the Proliferation of Weapons to Terrorists Act of 2013 - Would restrict funding for U.S. involvement in Syria without congressional authorization.

H.R. 2507 - War Powers Protection Act of 2013 - Would require a formal declaration of war before funding any U.S. involvement in Syria.

Signed Letters

Letter to Secretary of State John Kerry expressing disgust over U.S. aid to Egypt and Syrian rebels.

Letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner requesting hearings on the CIA's secret deliveries of cash to the government of Afghanistan.

Letters to President Obama, Speaker Boehner, and Minority Leader Pelosi speaking out against the unconsitutional use of military force in Syria without congressional authorization.