does anyone know what the Kennedy amendment is? They are voting

[rodeodance]

now to table it I believe. Looks to be pretty close.

[rodeodance]

1. Snowe is voting with Dems NOT to table it.

[rodeodance]

2. Kennedy had asked for a recorded vote

[welshTerrier2]

3. here are the basics ...

maybe someone can post a link to the specific proposal ...

the basics are that Kennedy and Reid want Rumsfeld to report to the Congress every quarter about the status of civil war in Iraq ... he wants Rumsfeld to state whether Iraq is, or is not, in a civil war ...

if not, he wants to know the plan to protect US troops should a civil war begin ... if Iraq is in a civil war, he wants Rumsfeld to state what is being done to ensure that US troops "do not take sides" and what is being done to protect US troops from being harmed by the warring factions ...

those are the basics ...

[merh]

8. Doesn't the Resolution authorizing the "shock & awe"

provide that this administration must report to Congress?

SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS

(a) The President shall, at least once every 60 days, submit to the Congress a report on matters relevant to this joint resolution, including actions taken pursuant to the exercise of authority granted in section 2 and the status of planning for efforts that are expected to be required after such actions are completed, including those actions described in section 7 of Public Law 105-338 (the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998).

(b) To the extent that the submission of any report described in subsection (a) coincides with the submission of any other report on matters relevant to this joint resolution otherwise required to be submitted to Congress pursuant to the reporting requirements of Public Law 93-148 (the War Powers Resolution), all such reports may be submitted as a single consolidated report to the Congress.

(c) To the extent that the information required by section 3 of Public Law 102-1 is included in the report required by this section, such report shall be considered as meeting the requirements of section 3 of Public Law 102-1.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-2.html

I think the War Powers Act has similar language too. WTF?

Oh, that's right, this administration doesn't have to follow the law.

Nothing to see here, move along folks ....

[welshTerrier2]

10. that was the argument Stevens was using ...

it's bogus though because the Kennedy bill specifically focusses on the issue of civil war ...

the IWR is far more generic than that and puts no burden on bush to keep US troops from participating in a "civil" war ...

[merh]

11. Thank you for the clarification

I'm glad Kennedy has proposed his legislation.

I only wish they would focus on the crimes involved in NOT FOLLOWING the original Resolution and the War Powers Act. Both failures are again, crimes of the administration.

[whistle]

9. That's reasonable

[tnlefty]

4. Sorry, I don't, but I'll kick this for you in case someone who does will

see it.

:dem:

[joemurphy]

5. It requires Bush to report to Congress every three months

on whether Iraq is in a state of civil war, and if so, what the U.S. mission is and what precautions are being taken for the safety of the troops. That's the nut of it.

If it isn't in a civil war, Bush is required to report on what efforts are being made to avoid one.

Kennedy, in his speech, plainly thinks a civil war is going on now. The Republicans are quibbling about the definition.

[LA lady]

6. I think this is it

Reid and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) are pushing an amendment that they said would require the administration to issue quarterly reports on whether a civil war is occurring in Iraq or what steps it is taking to avert civil war there.

[malaise]

7. 54yes -44 no