Congressman Hints He Wants To Prohibit Funding For Ground Troops in Iraq
WASHINGTON -- Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) indicated on Thursday that he may move to prevent President Barack Obama from deploying U.S. ground troops against the Islamic State by introducing a funding bill to limit how the money appropriated for the military campaign can be used...
“Is there any debate between our two esteemed lawyers and general about the ability of Congress to use the purse to limit the use of ground troops?” Garamendi asked witnesses Benjamin Wittes, Robert Chesney and retired Gen. Jack Keane during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday. “For example, no money for infantry brigades, armored brigades, artillery, etc. but perhaps money for Special Forces and the like? Is there any doubt about the ability of Congress to limit using the purse?”
“No debate from me. I mean, you’ve done it before. The Congress stopped a war in Vietnam,” said Keane. “Congress no longer authorized our use of air power and that war ended. I think it’s the most powerful mechanism that you actually have.”
The precedent Keane referred to is the Case-Church Amendment, passed by Congress in June 1973, which cut off funds for military activity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia after a certain date without congressional approval. (The measure, however, was passed after the U.S. had already withdrawn its troops from Vietnam.)
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