Coalition Urges Speaker to Allow Regular Order on ISIS

Press Release

Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) is leading a bipartisan coalition urging Speaker Boehner to schedule a full debate on President Obama's AUMF request to combat ISIS, as well as allowing an open amendment process. In a letter to Speaker Boehner, Congressman Jones and his colleagues note that Congress has a constitutional duty to debate matters of war. The letter notes that when the last authorization for the use of military force was brought to the House floor in 2002, the amendment process was severely restricted, allowing only two amendments in the nature of a substitute. The letter warns that restricting the ISIS AUMF debate to only two amendments would be a grave mistake. Congressman Jones issued the following statement:

"Congress must uphold its constitutional duty to authorize the use of our military, and considering the gravity of the question at hand, I urge Speaker Boehner to schedule a full debate and to allow an open amendment process on President Obama's AUMF request," said Congressman Jones. "We owe it to the troops, their families, and the taxpayers to fully debate and amend this bill. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that we have an open process during this debate."

Earlier this month, in anticipation of President Obama sending an AUMF request to Congress, Congressman Jones and Congressman McGovern sent a letter to Speaker Boehner urging him to schedule a full debate on the president's AUMF request.

Last September, when the president started conducting airstrikes against ISIS and arming Syrian rebels, Congressman Jones sent a letter to Speaker Boehner asking for a full debate on an authorization for the use of military force in the region.

Last July, Congressman Jones introduced H. Con. Res. 105 to prohibit the deployment of U.S. armed forces in a sustained combat role in Iraq without congressional authorization. The resolution passed with 370 votes.

Last August, Congressman Jones, Congressman McGovern, and Congresswoman Lee formed a bipartisan coalition to urge the House Foreign Relations Committee to draft an authorization regarding Iraq and Syria. They also urged Speaker Boehner to bring up the authorization for a debate and a vote before Congress recessed at the end of September.

Source