VoteVets Enthusiastically Backs “National Security Powers Act”
WASHINGTON, DC — VoteVets, the largest progressive group of veterans in America, is backing the National Security Powers Act, introduced by Senators Chris Murphy, Mike Lee, and Bernie Sanders, today. The bill would drastically shift war making powers back to Congress, where the framers intended they be. It would repeal the current War Powers Act, cancel all current war authorizations, and require explicit Congressional approval for military operations, require all future authorizations have an end date, and give Congress the power to approve or disapprove arms sales.
In a statement, Mary Kaszynski, Director of Government Relations for VoteVets, said in a statement:
“It is encouraging to see a bipartisan consensus forming in Congress that the way this nation wages war has veered far off course from the intention of the Founding Fathers, and must be recalibrated. The Constitution is clear – Congress has the power to declare war, not the executive. However, Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) have handed a blank check to presidents of both parties to send troops wherever they want, whenever they want, without a debate or a vote in Congress. We commend Senators Murphy, Lee, and Sanders for taking the initiative to bring war powers back where they belong, and restore accountability to the Commander in Chief, whoever he or she may be, in the future.”