My Letter to Congress: S.1867 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

I am writing as your constituent in the 2nd Congressional district of Ohio. I am writing as your constituent in the 2nd Congressional district of Ohio. I oppose S.1867 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, and am tracking it using OpenCongress.org, the free public resource website for government transparency and accountability.

Act S.1867 does not make exception for the detention of Citizens of the United States and a clear violation of our rights under the Constitution of the United States of America.



Sincerely,
Jim Jordan

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Thank you for sending me your comments. Listening to the views of the people I represent in the U.S. Senate is a critical part of my job. I do my best to provide every Ohioan with a prompt response. If you have an urgent matter, please feel free to call any of my offices in Ohio or Washington, DC.

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Dear Mr. Jordan:

Thank you for sharing your concerns about the detention and prosecution of suspected terrorists.

I share your concern about provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2012 that would have changed existing law that has been effective in trying al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. The Justice Department and the Department of Defense have determined that trials of detainees can be conducted safely in the United States, whether they are conducted in federal or military courts. Furthermore, the Department of Justice has a long and successful history of prosecuting maximum security terrorism defendants in U.S. federal courts.

I voted for several amendments to the NDAA that would have removed the proposed changes. Senate Amendment 1107 would have removed language in the bill regarding the legal status of detainees suspected of terrorism. This Amendment would have instructed Congress to hold hearings on the matter before changing existing laws. While I voted for this Amendment, it was defeated by a vote of 38-60.

I also voted for Senate Amendment 1126 to the NDAA, which would have limited the military?s authority to detain American citizens indefinitely without being charged or brought to trial. This Amendment was also defeated by a vote of 45-55.

Finally, the Senate was able to adopt Amendment 1456, which determined that the NDAA would not modify current law regarding holding U.S. citizens in military detention. I voted for this Amendment and it was included in the final version of the NDAA, which passed the Senate on December 1, 2011.

The war on terrorism must not be an excuse to circumvent our constitutional rights and values. As a United States Senator, I swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I will continue to do so.

Should the Senate consider this matter further, I will keep your concerns and our nation?s Constitution in mind. Thank you again for getting in touch with me on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Sherrod Brown
United States Senator



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Dear Mr. Jordan:

Thank you for getting in touch with me about the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

Since 2006, members of the United Nations have been negotiating a treaty to combat the illicit international trade of arms. The treaty would establish global standards for the import, export, and transfer of conventional weapons ? ranging from tanks, fighter jets, small arms, and ammunition ? to prevent them from fueling conflicts or falling into the hands of terrorists, warlords, and international crime syndicates.

I have heard from many Ohioans who are concerned that an ATT could infringe upon their Second Amendment rights. The ATT is not intended to devise a global gun ban or deny law-abiding U.S. citizens their right to bear arms. The United States has made it clear throughout negotiations that any potential ATT must respect the sovereign rights of nations to regulate gun sales and ownership within their own borders. The Supreme Court has also ruled that no treaty may supersede the powers set forth by our Constitution or Bill of Rights.

I fully support the Second Amendment right to bear arms and will continue to protect this fundamental right. Should the ATT come before the Senate for ratification, I will be sure to keep your views in mind, and I will not support any treaty that undermines the Second Amendment.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Sherrod Brown
United States Senator



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