December 3, 2011
Senators Bennett, Udall,
I am appalled to learn that you voted on December 1, 2011 to support S.1867, also known as the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. This bill, as I’m sure you’re aware, contains many provisions to keep our armed forces operating for the next year. Unfortunately, I’m sure you are also very aware that this bill includes provisions to hold US citizens indefinitely without access to the US legal system, which we absolutely must have the right to. I ask you today, why do you not respect the lives and rights of your constituents and fellow Americans? Establishing the prescient for a police state is absurd, and your vote paved the way for just that.
In case you are interested in my specific concerns, here are some parts of the bill you voted to pass that I believe are unjust and illegal:
Subtitle D—Detainee Matters
SEC. 1031. AFFIRMATION OF AUTHORITY OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES TO DETAIN COVERED PERSONS PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Congress affirms that the authority of the President to use all necessary and appropriate force pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40) includes the authority for the Armed Forces of the United States to detain covered persons (as defined in subsection (b)) pending disposition under the law of war.
(b) COVERED PERSONS.—A covered person under this section is any person as follows:
(1) A person who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored those responsible for those attacks.
(2) A person who was a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners, including any person who has committed a belligerent act or has directly supported such hostilities in aid of such enemy forces.
(c) DISPOSITION UNDER LAW OF WAR.—The disposition of a person under the law of war as described in subsection (a) may include the following:
(1) Detention under the law of war without trial until the end of the hostilities authorized by the Authorization for Use of Military Force.
Senator, I’m completely confused why you have voted to let the United States of America hold a US citizen without trial for an undetermined time? You have stripped our constitutional rights with this bill and you personally should be ashamed at your actions. With your vote on this bill you have done your Colorado constituents a great disservice.
You vote on this bill will directly influence my vote and campaign contributions in the 2014 and 2016 Senate elections.
Respectfully,
Matthew Kocsis
mkocsis Said,
December 3, 2011 @ 2:35 pm
Democrats Voting ‘Aye’
Sen. Daniel Akaka [D, HI]
Sen. Max Baucus [D, MT]
Sen. Mark Begich [D, AK]
Sen. Michael Bennet [D, CO]
Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D, NM]
Sen. Richard Blumenthal [D, CT]
Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA]
Sen. Sherrod Brown [D, OH]
Sen. Maria Cantwell [D, WA]
Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D, MD]
Sen. Thomas Carper [D, DE]
Sen. Robert Casey [D, PA]
Sen. Kent Conrad [D, ND]
Sen. Chris Coons [D, DE]
Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]
Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D, CA]
Sen. Al Franken [D, MN]
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D, NY]
Sen. Kay Hagan [D, NC]
Sen. Daniel Inouye [D, HI]
Sen. Tim Johnson [D, SD]
Sen. John Kerry [D, MA]
Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D, MN]
Sen. Herbert Kohl [D, WI]
Sen. Mary Landrieu [D, LA]
Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ]
Sen. Patrick Leahy [D, VT]
Sen. Carl Levin [D, MI]
Sen. Joe Manchin [D, WV]
Sen. Claire McCaskill [D, MO]
Sen. Robert Menéndez [D, NJ]
Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D, MD]
Sen. Patty Murray [D, WA]
Sen. Ben Nelson [D, NE]
Sen. Bill Nelson [D, FL]
Sen. Mark Pryor [D, AR]
Sen. John Reed [D, RI]
Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV]
Sen. John Rockefeller [D, WV]
Sen. Charles Schumer [D, NY]
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen [D, NH]
Sen. Debbie Ann Stabenow [D, MI]
Sen. Jon Tester [D, MT]
Sen. Tom Udall [D, NM]
Sen. Mark Udall [D, CO]
Sen. Mark Warner [D, VA]
Sen. Jim Webb [D, VA]
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D, RI]
Republicans Voting ‘Aye’
Sen. Lamar Alexander [R, TN]
Sen. Kelly Ayotte [R, NH]
Sen. John Barrasso [R, WY]
Sen. Roy Blunt [R, MO]
Sen. John Boozman [R, AR]
Sen. Scott Brown [R, MA]
Sen. Richard Burr [R, NC]
Sen. Saxby Chambliss [R, GA]
Sen. Daniel Coats [R, IN]
Sen. Thad Cochran [R, MS]
Sen. Susan Collins [R, ME]
Sen. Bob Corker [R, TN]
Sen. John Cornyn [R, TX]
Sen. Michael Crapo [R, ID]
Sen. Jim DeMint [R, SC]
Sen. Michael Enzi [R, WY]
Sen. Lindsey Graham [R, SC]
Sen. Charles Grassley [R, IA]
Sen. Orrin Hatch [R, UT]
Sen. Dean Heller [R, NV]
Sen. John Hoeven [R, ND]
Sen. Kay Hutchison [R, TX]
Sen. James Inhofe [R, OK]
Sen. John Isakson [R, GA]
Sen. Mike Johanns [R, NE]
Sen. Ron Johnson [R, WI]
Sen. Mark Kirk [R, IL]
Sen. Jon Kyl [R, AZ]
Sen. Richard Lugar [R, IN]
Sen. John McCain [R, AZ]
Sen. Mitch McConnell [R, KY]
Sen. Jerry Moran [R, KS]
Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK]
Sen. Robert Portman [R, OH]
Sen. James Risch [R, ID]
Sen. Pat Roberts [R, KS]
Sen. Marco Rubio [R, FL]
Sen. Jefferson Sessions [R, AL]
Sen. Richard Shelby [R, AL]
Sen. Olympia Snowe [R, ME]
Sen. John Thune [R, SD]
Sen. Patrick Toomey [R, PA]
Sen. David Vitter [R, LA]
Sen. Roger Wicker [R, MS]