Lawson for Congress

During his two decades in Congress, Rep. David Price has voted to use deadly force in most of our specifically funded armed conflicts. Even when he does not vote to initiate wars, however, he often continues to support their ongoing funding.

H.J. RES. 77: Iraq (1991)

To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 678.
 
The United States government, in response to UN Resolution 678 & 698, led a coalition of 34 nations to repel Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. These Resolutions were supported by most Western nations and the majority of Arab/Muslim nations of the region.

Some argued that this Gulf War was justified, since its goal was to repel Saddam Hussein's invasion of a sovereign neighbor. Rep. David Price voted against the First Gulf War under President George H.W. Bush.

Under President Bill Clinton, Rep. David Price voted for sanctions that led to the deaths of over 500,000 Iraqi children. David Price also did not condemn or speak out against the subsequent bombings of Iraq based upon the Clinton administration’s claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

S.J. RES. 45: Somalia (1993)

A joint resolution authorizing the use of United States Armed Forces in Somalia.
 
David Price voted to intervene in the Somali civil war. While the conflict in Somalia was a human rights disaster, military intervention in another nation's internal war is not justified as self defense, nor as defense of innocents.

H.J. RES. 416: Haiti (1994)

Providing limited authorization for the participation of United States Armed Forces in the multinational force in Haiti and providing for the prompt withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Haiti.
 
David Price voted to use American forces to intervene to “protect American interests” in Haiti after the elected leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in a military coup. The Clinton administration drew up a plan to occupy Haiti, creating a new Haitian police force and restoring Aristide to finish his term in office. In 2004, Aristide was subsequently forced out of office again during his second term, amidst disputed claims that the United States actually worked to orchestrate his removal.

H.R. 1569: Yugoslavia (1999)

This bill was to prohibit United States armed forces from undertaking military action in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia unless the deployment was specifically authorized by Congress. David Price voted against this bill, thus giving President Clinton the power to initiate a ground offensive in Yugoslavia without Congressional approval.

H. CON. RES. 82: Yugoslavia (1999)

Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from their positions in connection with the present operations against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

This bill directed President Clinton, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from the war in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. David Price voted against this bill, and thus for continued involvement in this civil war.

H.J. RES. 64: Afghanistan (2001)

David Price voted to give President Bush authorization to attack any nation that he "believed to be involved" in the attacks of 9/11. This power was used to initiate the war and occupation in Afghanistan.

H.J. RES. 114: Iraq (2002)

David Price voted against the use of military force against Iraq. However, he has continued to vote to fund the war and occupation as in this last appropriations from 2007.

The parliamentary wrangling around war funding bills has become complex, but the bottom line is that many elected representatives like David Price are abusing the legislative process by combining unrelated topics together into bills. As a result, Rep. Price can justify votes that result in continuing the war based upon support for bundled (but unrelated) domestic spending.

We must put a stop to this deceptive hijacking of our legislative process. I support the One Subject at a Time Act, which will provide improved legislative transparency and accountability.

Conclusions

In summary, Rep. David Price does not appear to operate under any consistent philosophy regarding the deployment of our military, or use of deadly force. Instead, he appears to be a creature of party politics. David Price also embraces a policy of military intervention in other countries' internal affairs, instead of focusing on military defense with economic and diplomatic offense.

While he generally funds ongoing wars, he voted to send troops to Haiti and Somalia, and voted against removing troops from Yugoslavia, while under Democratic administrations. Yet, he did not vote to send troops to remove Iraq from Kuwait in 1991 while under a Republican administration. Some would argue that the war to remove Iraq from Kuwait was a just war as a result of Saddam's invading another sovereign country, although Iraq claimed the invasion was a result of Kuwait using slant drilling to tap its oil fields.

The most important problem, however, is that David Price has been part of a Congressional establishment that has refused to live up to its constitutional obligation to declare war as a prerequisite to invade and occupy other countries.

We must not initiate hostilites as a result of United Nations resolutions. We must not delegate authority to initiate hostilities to the Executive Branch.

Delegating the authority to initiate hostilities to the Executive Branch has resulted in a dangerous expansion of executive power over David Price's career, with corresponding damange to our national security, economic security, civil liberties, and ability to broker diplomatic settlements in external conflicts.