Lee Leads Bipartisan Group in Call to Uphold Permanent Bases Ban
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) led a bipartisan group of 72 members of Congress in writing to members of the conference committee on the Defense appropriations bill, calling on them to protect language in the bill that prohibits the establishment of permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.
“One area where policymakers and experts across the political spectrum agree is that the United States should make clear that it does not seek a permanent military presence in Iraq,” the letter states. “A major factor fueling the insurgency in Iraq is the perception of many Iraqis that the United States has long term aims in their country.”
Both the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2007 Department of Defense appropriations bill contain provisions designed to prohibit permanent bases. Earlier this year, similar language was stripped out of the Emergency Iraq supplemental spending bill during the conference process, despite having been approved by both the House and Senate.
Republican Congressmen Phil English (Penn.), Jim Leach (Iowa) and Rob Simmons (Conn.) joined Lee, Tom Allen (Maine) and 67 other Democrats in signing the letter, which was sent to Representatives Bill Young and John Murtha, the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense.
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Text of the letter:
September 21, 2006
The Honorable C.W. Bill Young The Honorable John Murtha
Chairman, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Defense Subcommittee on Defense
Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C., 20515 Washington, D.C., 20515
Chairman Young and Ranking Member Murtha:
As you prepare for conference on the fiscal year 2007 (FY07) Department of Defense appropriations bill, we are writing to urge you to include in the final version, provisions prohibiting the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq.
The House-passed Department of Defense Appropriations bill contains a provision that would ensure that no funds in the bill would be used to enter into a base agreement with the government of Iraq. The Senate-passed version of the bill contains a similar provision in Section 8109, which prohibits funds to establish permanent military bases in Iraq or to exercise control over the oil infrastructure or oil resources of Iraq. With both chambers including similar provisions in their respective defense appropriations bills, and the House demonstrating its overwhelming support by a vote of 376-50 in favor of retaining the language in its version, we request that some form of this language be included in the conference report. Furthermore, we appreciate your statements in support of the House provision during debate on June 20, 2006.
One area where policymakers and experts across the political spectrum agree is that the United States should make clear that it does not seek a permanent military presence in Iraq. A major factor fueling the insurgency in Iraq is the perception of many Iraqis that the United States has long term aims in their country. General George Casey has testified that gradually lowering the visibility of U.S. troops will remove one of the elements fueling the insurgency.
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has testified that, “We have no desire to have our forces permanently in that country. We have no plans or no discussions under way to have permanent bases in that country.” Congress should join the Administration in affirming this principal. Enacting the “no permanent bases” provision in the defense appropriations bill will send a clear signal to the Iraqi people that we fully support their efforts to establish democracy and exercise sovereignty. By making our intentions crystal clear, we would reassure the world that Iraqis will choose their own destinies.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
Barbara Lee
Tom Allen
Neil Abercrombie
Tammy Baldwin
Xavier Becerra
Howard L. Berman
Timothy H. Bishop
Earl Blumenauer
G. K. Butterfield
Lois Capps
Julia Carson
Donna M. Christensen
William Lacy Clay
John Conyers Jr.
Joseph Crowley
Elijah E. Cummings
Danny K. Davis
Peter A. DeFazio
Lloyd Doggett
Phil English
Sam Farr
Chaka Fattah
Barney Frank
Raúl M. Grijalva
Luis V. Gutierrez
Jane Harman
Maurice D. Hinchey
Rush D. Holt
Michael M. Honda
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick
Ron Kind
Dennis J. Kucinich
Tom Lantos
John B. Larson
James A. Leach
John Lewis
Carolyn B. Maloney
Edward J. Markey
Doris O. Matsui
Betty McCollum
Jim McDermott
James P. McGovern
Martin T. Meehan
Gregory W. Meeks
Michael H. Michaud
Brad Miller
Gwen Moore
Jerrold Nadler
Grace F. Napolitano
James L. Oberstar
Major R. Owens
Ed Pastor
Donald M. Payne
Nancy Pelosi
David E. Price
Steven R. Rothman
Bobby L. Rush
Janice D. Schakowsky
Adam B. Schiff
Allyson Y. Schwartz
Robert C. Scott
Rob Simmons
Adam Smith
Hilda L. Solis
Pete Stark
Mike Thompson
John F. Tierney
Maxine Waters
Diane E. Watson
Henry A. Waxman
Lynn C. Woolsey
Mark Udall