Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin Asks Colleagues to Cosponsor Resolution on Executive Power and Abuses <http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/43188>
By David Swanson http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/43188 Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin has introduced <http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/baldwin2009>H. Res. 417, a resolution that raises the concerns of millions of Americans over recent crimes and abuses by high officials and dangerously expanding executive power. She has sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to her colleagues asking them to sign on. They should hear from you as well. Here's the letter: Dear Colleague: In January, President Barack Obama stood before the American people and took an oath of office to "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Along with this oath, it is my hope that he will take the actions detailed in the Executive Branch Accountability Act of 2009 (H. Res. 417), which I believe will help in his work to restore the public's faith in our government. Over the past several years, serious questions have been raised about the conduct of high ranking Bush/Cheney Administration officials in relation to some of the most basic elements of our democracy: respect for the rule of law, the principle of checks and balances, and the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights. The list of abuses of executive branch power is long, as are the Bush/Cheney Administration's attempts to impede congressional oversight. President Obama has already begun the work of reaffirming American values of justice and freedom. I commend him for issuing executive orders requiring that Guantanamo Bay detention facility be closed within one year and prohibiting any interrogation technique or approach that is not authorized by and listed in Army Field Manual. I am also heartened by his memorandum clarifying his intent to promote greater transparency in issuing presidential signing statements. However, part of President Obama's effort to renew America must include restoring executive branch accountability, and there are some important steps he can take to proactively prevent any further abuses of executive branch power by his or future administrations. I invite my colleagues to join me in calling on President Obama to reverse the damaging and illegal actions taken by the Bush/Cheney Administration and to collaborate with Congress to proactively prevent any further abuses of executive branch power. If you would like to cosponsor H. Res. 417 or have any questions, please contact.... Sincerely, Tammy Baldwin Member of Congress _______________________________________________ Media mailing list Post: [email protected] List info (to subscribe or unsubscribe): https://lists.mayfirst.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/media To Unsubscribe via email Send email to: [email protected] Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/cgi-bin/mailman/options/media/mark.miller%40nyu.edu To Subscribe via email Send email to: [email protected] You are subscribed as: [email protected] --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [email protected] OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
