Congresswoman Barbara Lee on Congressional Vote on Syria
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2013
Contact: Carrie Adams (202) 225-2661
Congresswoman Barbara Lee on Congressional Vote on Syria
Washington, D.C.— Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement today regarding the situation in Syria:
“I applaud the President for coming to Congress for a debate and ultimately, a vote. This is exactly the kind of presidential leadership that over 60 of my colleagues and I knew he would exhibit when we sent him a letter last week.
“The United States has compelling evidence that the Assad regime did use chemical weapons against his own people, and we must respond to this heinous act. However, I reject the idea that a military response is the only action we can take.
“There is no military solution to this complex civil war, and while we all agree that a negotiated settlement is necessary, I do not believe military action will further that goal. The dangers of a military strike and its unintended consequences are dire: the further loss of life, so called, “collateral damage,” the possibility of retaliation, escalation, further US involvement in the war, or even sparking a broader regional war.
“These grave consequences demand that we work with the international community and pursue all of the alternatives. That is why I will be voting “no” on any authorization for the use of force and precisely why I am working to advance non-military alternatives. We must hold the Assad regime accountable for these heinous acts while also working to further a negotiated political settlement to the crisis in Syria.”
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Follow Barbara Lee on Facebook and Twitter at @RepBarbaraLee. To learn more, visit lee.house.gov.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a former Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and currently serves as CPC Whip and Chair of the Task Force on Global Peace and Security.