Afghanistan: Congress Votes for Expedited Withdrawal
Nov 30, 2011
The National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes all military spending and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is presently on the Senate floor. Senator Merkley (OR) introduced an amendment requiring the Obama administration to develop a plan for an expedited withdrawal from Afghanistan prior to December 2014. The amendment passed by voice vote this evening.
UPDATE (11/29/2011): Our list of cosponsors for this amendment has recently changed. Due to last-minute changes on the Senate floor, Sen. Merkley offered a different version, with essentially the same intention as the previously listed amendment #1174. This alternative version, amendment #1257, had a different list of cosponsors.
Cosponsors:
Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR)
Sen. Max Baucus (MT)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH)
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (MD)
Sen. Kent Conrad (ND)
Sen. Richard Durbin (IL)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
Sen. Tom Harkin (IA)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT)
Sen. Mike Lee (UT)
Sen. Joe Manchin III (WV)
Sen. Rand Paul (KY)
Sen. John Rockefeller (WV)
Sen. Bernard Sanders (VT)
Sen. Charles Schumer (NY)
Sen. Tom Udall (NM)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Sen. Patty Murray (WA)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA)
Sen. Mark Begich (AK)
Updated: 11/29/2011, 5:00pm
Resolution on Afghanistan, Amendment No. 1257
SEC. 1230. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON TRANSITION OF MILITARY AND SECURITY OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.
SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the President should expedite the transition of the responsibility for military and security operations in Afghanistan to the Government of Afghanistan;
(2) the President should devise a plan based on inputs from military commanders, the diplomatic missions in the region, and appropriate members of the Cabinet, along with the consultation of Congress, for expediting the drawdown of United States combat troops in Afghanistan and accelerating the transfer of security authority to Afghan authorities prior to December 2014; and
(3) not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President should submit to Congress a plan with a timetable and completion date for the accelerated transition of all military and security operations in Afghanistan to the Government of Afghanistan.
See the amendment text here.
