The content below comes from the newsletter This Week in War Powers News, provided by the Committee for Responsible Foreign Policy.
State Senator Files Bill to Limit National Guard Combat Service
State Sen. Nathan Dahm has filed a bill that would put limits on when the Oklahoma National Guard could be deployed overseas for combat.
But the chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee said he thinks the measure is unconstitutional.
Senate Bill 1101, dubbed the “Defend the Guard Act,” would prevent members of the Oklahoma National Guard from being deployed for combat overseas unless the constitutional requirements to declare war have occurred. READ MORE
States Must Take Lead to Get U.S. Out of Pointless and Endless Wars
While President Trump was negotiating yet another peace agreement this week — this time between Israel and Morocco — his enemies beat the drums of war in their ongoing effort to overthrow the America First foreign policy.
It’s sad that throughout the entirety of Mr. Trump’s presidency, the swamp has worked around the clock to dismantle his efforts toward peace. Even worse, with the passage of the disastrous, $740.5 billion 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), it appears the neocons and pro-war left will soon regain the levers of federal power, plunging America into another four years of stupid, pointless, endless wars abroad. READ MORE
States Legislators to Push Back Against Unconstitutional Wars
States action can take a step toward ending endless wars and reestablishing constitutional war powers.
James Madison wrote. “Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded,” and that “no nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” Disregarding his warning, the U.S. government has adopted a policy of endless war.
But how can states impact foreign policy?
One way is by passing Defend the Guard legislation. This is a state bill that prohibits the deployment of a state’s National Guard units into foreign combat zones without a declaration of war, as required by the Constitution.
