The House on Thursday easily passed the fiscal 2017 defense spending bill, but along the way defeated two Democratic proposals that would have forced Congress to authorize the war against the Islamic State.
The appropriations bill passed in a 282-138 vote that saw dozens of Democrats lend their support to the measure. It increases the number of troops by more than 50,000 and uses about $18 billion of the war fund for base priorities, the same funding mechanism used by House authorizers, but different from the plan on the Senate side.
The White House has threatened to veto the bill over both the funding mechanism and multiple provisions in the legislation, like extending restrictions on transfers of detainees out of Guantanamo Bay.
Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., both introduced amendments to the fiscal 2017 defense appropriations bill that would have required Congress to pass an Islamic State-specific authorization for the use of military force (AUMF).
Current operations against the terrorist group, which have stretched on for almost two years, are being conducted under previous authorizations from 2001 and 2002 that allowed operations against terrorism and in Iraq.
“Perhaps we lack the courage or perhaps we are satisfied to let these wars run along on automatic pilot, but our inaction is wrong,” McGovern said on the House floor.
McGovern’s amendment would have cut off money for combat operations at the end of this fiscal year if Congress does not pass a new AUMF by then.
Lee’s amendment would have given Congress even more time, until April 30, the same date funding for overseas operations is set to run out under the House funding structure.
“How many more days until we take the power to wage war and return it to the American people through Congress?” she said.
McGovern’s amendment failed on a 135-285 vote, while the House defeated Lee plan on a 146-274 vote.
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., who chairs the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee, urged the defeat of both amendments, and said the president needed the current authority to fight terrorism, and that the major policy change did not belong in a spending bill.
The House considered several other amendments on Thursday, including:
- One from Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., that would block funds from going to operations in Libya against targets other than the Islamic State and al Qaeda members, which failed in a voice vote.
- An amendment from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, that would have ended the “failed” program to train and equip Syrian rebels, which was defeated 135-283.
- A proposal from Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., that would reduce the entire defense budget, except for pay and healthcare accounts, by 1 percent, which failed 69-351.
- An amendment from Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., that would limit where military bands can play, emphasizing ceremonial and funeral functions, while restricting the social functions or dances they perform at. The proposal passed on a voice vote.
- An amendment from Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., that passed by voice vote and would prohibit the military from purchasing fuel or energy that came from Russia.
- A proposal that from Adrian Smith, R-Neb., that would require military cafeterias to have a meat option available to troops, which passed in a voice vote.
The House considered other amendments on Wednesday.
