Statement: NSRAA Would Rein In Runaway Presidential War Powers
Last Updated on November 29, 2021.
WASHINGTON — Win Without War Executive Director Stephen Miles released the following statement regarding the introduction of the National Security Reforms and Accountability Act (NSRAA) by Reps. McGovern and Meijer:
“The last two decades of war-first U.S. foreign policy have been disastrous. They have made not only us, but the entire world, less safe. And it is thanks, in part, to the systematic dismantling of checks and balances on the powers of the president.
“Going to war should be hard. Declaring a national emergency should be hard. Selling deadly weapons should be hard. These decisions don’t belong in the unrestrained hands of one person — regardless of that person’s party.
“By requiring affirmative congressional approval of key national security powers, the NSRAA would reinstate critical checks and balances that never should have been dismantled, and bring the powers of war one step closer to where they belong: the hands of the people.
“Billions of dollars in weapons sales to human rights abusers, despite overwhelming evidence that more weapons only fuels further violence; indefinite national emergencies used to justify racist border walls and deadly sanctions on entire populations; decades of endless global warfare that have immiserated millions while utterly failing to build peace or stability — these are the costs of a foreign policy made with few checks, and little accountability. It’s time to rein in the inordinate power of the imperial presidency.
“We applaud Reps. McGovern and Meijer for their leadership, and for recognizing what must be done for the sake of our security. We call on all members of the House who recognize that it’s time for change to lend their support to this bill, and on Committee leadership to hold a markup so that it can begin to advance through the legislative process.”
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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.