FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2018
CONTACT: T.C. Morrow, (202) 547-1920 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Faith Coalition Opposes the Corker-Kaine Expansion of Presidential War Powers in AUMF

WASHINGTON, DC –Senators Corker, Kaine, Flake, Coons, Young, and Nelson introduced a bill today that would remove almost all limits on the President's authority to use military force. In particular, it would authorize this and any future President to use force in any country, at any time, against any group he or she claimed was affiliated with ISIS, Al Qaeda, or the Taliban. The bill also mandates that Congress can only limit the President's ability to order the use of force with a 2/3 vote in both the House and Senate.

In response to this proposal, Rev. Ron Stief, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, released the following statement:

"Giving

the President virtually unlimited war powers is a congressional dereliction of duty. Our founders took the impact of war seriously and provided Congress, not the President, with the authority to declare war. During these dangerous times, these six Senators propose to abandon their Constitutional obligation to keep the authority for declaring war in the hands of the American people. We call on Congress to stand up for American values and against perpetual war by rejecting this immoral and unconstitutional bill."

 

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is a membership organization committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Since its formation in January 2006, more than 300 religious organizations have joined NRCAT, including representatives from the Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, Unitarian Universalist, Quaker, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Baha’i, Buddhist, and Sikh communities. Members include national denominations and faith groups, regional organizations and local congregations.
NRCAT.org    @NRCATtweets   facebook.com/nrcat

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