Demand Progress Applauds Introduction of the National Security Reforms and Accountability Act (NSRAA)

Today, Representatives McGovern and Meijer introduced the National Security Reforms and Accountability Act (NSRAA), the House companion to the National Security Powers Act, introduced in July by Senators Sanders, Murphy, and Lee. This comprehensive, bi-partisan legislation aims to overhaul checks and balances between the Legislative and Executive branches regarding war powers, arms sales, and national emergencies. Demand Progress joins an ideologically diverse group of organizations in expressing support for the NSRAA.

The following statement can be attributed to Cavan Kharrazian, Progressive Foreign Policy Campaigner, Demand Progress:

“Demand Progress applauds the bi-partisan introduction of the National Security Reforms and Accountability Act (NSRAA).

For too long, the Executive Branch has overstepped its constitutional boundaries to promote unchecked militarism across the globe, ending countless lives, destabilizing foreign nations, and costing US-taxpayers trillions of dollars.

While we believe that the 1973 War Powers Resolution as currently written still can and should be used by Congress to force debates and votes on unauthorized US support for hostilities — including in Yemen and Syria — we also support the provisions in the NSRAA that strengthen Congress’s checks on war such as the automatic funding cut off for unauthorized military action.

In addition, ‘flipping the script’ by requiring Congress to proactively vote to approve major arms sales will be crucial in reigning in US support for certain armed conflicts.

We are also excited to see much needed reforms to the National Emergencies Act (NEA) and International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) included in the NSRAA. Successive presidential administrations have abused the use of emergency powers for non-emergency situations, including to implement endless, crippling sanctions, which have devastated the livelihoods of millions of families across the world.

We urge Congress to pass the NSRAA as quickly as possible in order to strengthen its powers over war and establish critical new checks on presidential power.”