Mckeon, Buck Rep
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</font></span></span></div><div class="byline news-politics"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="field field-name-field-sources field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><span class="field-items"><span class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.alternet.org">AlterNet</a> <span class="print-footnote">[1]</span></span></span></span> / By <a href="http://www.alternet.org/authors/john-knefel" style="">John Knefel</a> </font></div>
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<h1 class="node-title"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Meet 6 Politicians Getting Rich from America's Endless Wars</font></h1>
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<div class="the_body body_news-politics clearfix">
<div class="story-date"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="field field-name-field-date field-type-date field-label-hidden" style=""><span class="field-items" style=""><span class="field-item even" style=""><span class="date-display-single" content="2013-02-18T06:51:00-08:00" style="">February 18, 2013</span></span></span></span> | </font></div>
<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">War is a racket, and perpetual war is a money-printing machine. Though the defense industry as a whole contributes relatively little to members of Congress compared to, say, the pharmaceutical lobby, it remains an incredibly powerful and influential lobby. Below are the six members of the House whose primary industry donor in the 2012 election cycle was the defense sector. (Numbers are from the <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?cycle=2012&ind=D">Center for Responsive Politics</a> <span class="print-footnote">[3]</span>, unless otherwise noted.)</font>
<strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">1. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA):</span> $566,100 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations.</font></strong>
<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It's impossible to talk about defense industry beneficiaries without mentioning Buck McKeon. He became the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee in 2009, and then the chairperson after the GOP took the House in the 2010 election. Donations from the defense sector to his 2012 campaign dwarfed all other House campaigns, with McKeon bringing in a whopping $566,100.</font>
<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">That big pile of money certainly seems to have made McKeon a friend to the military. As part of the House, McKeon doesn't have the opportunity to vote on Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel, but he still publicly opposed the appointment, due to Hagel's presumed willingness to back defense spending cuts. A statement on McKeon's <a href="http://mckeon.house.gov/news/%20documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=318380">website</a> <span class="print-footnote">[4]</span> reads in part, “[Hagel's] refusal to shut the door on further defense cuts put him at stark odds with the current Defense Secretary and military leaders.” McKeon is also, predictably, against a round of planned automatic cuts to domestic spending and the military budget, known as the sequester, which <a href="http://www.navytimes.com/news/2013/02/military-joint-chiefs-sequester-forecast-020613w/">he has said</a> <span class="print-footnote">[5]</span> could “start costing lives.”</font>
<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Regarding the US' longest war, McKeon thinks it hasn't gone on long enough. He <a href="http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20130212/AGENCY04/302120004/GOP-leader-critical-Obama-pledge-%20reduce-number-U-S-troops-Afghanistan?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CAcquisition%7Cp">has called</a> <span class="print-footnote">[6]</span> the planned troop drawdown next year, “needlessly fraught with risk,” and said that “our hard-fought gains are fragile and reversible.” If that language sounds familiar, it's because he said almost the same thing regarding troops leaving Iraq. "I remain concerned that this full withdrawal of US forces will make that road tougher than it needs to be,” he said in a statement <a href="http://mckeon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=291506">posted on his website</a> <span class="print-footnote">[7]</span>. “These shortcomings could reverse the decade of hard work and sacrifice both countries have endured to build a free Iraq.”</font>
<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">McKeon is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np5HdLvO4y4">predictably hawkish</a> <span class="print-footnote">[8]</span> on Iran, <a href="http://mckeon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=294923">consistently supports</a> <span class="print-footnote">[9]</span> providing military aid to Israel, and is <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2011/%2012/defense-bill-passes-house-107550.html">in favor</a> <span class="print-footnote">[10]</span> of expanding military powers as contained in the 2012 NDAA act, which critics <a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/14418-can-the-military-detain-us-citizens-appeals-court-hears-arguments-in-ndaa-lawsuit">say allows</a> <span class="print-footnote">[11]</span> for the indefinite detention of US citizens by the military.</font>
<strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2. CW “Bill” Young (R-FL): $229,760 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations.</font></strong></p>
<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Bill Young is the longest-serving Republican member of Congress, having served since 1970, and a long-time beneficiary of defense sector contributions. Since 1989, when CRP's data begins, Young has received $1,440,385 from defense PACs and individual contributors. And since at least 1998, defense sector contributions to Young's campaigns have been greater than from any other industry, often by staggering amounts. He is currently the chairperson of the <a href="http://young.house.gov/press-release/statement-congressman-bill-young-his-reappointment-chair-appropriations-subcommittee">defense appropriations subcommittee</a> <span class="print-footnote">[12]</span>, a powerful position he has held on and off since the mid-1990s.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2012 he wavered on his support for continuing the war in Afghanistan, <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/war/us-rep-cw-bill-young-changes-course-says-us-should-withdraw-from/1252055">telling the <em>Tampa Bay Times</em></a> <span class="print-footnote">[13]</span> that the longer we stay in-country, the more we're “killing kids who don't have to die.” Those comments, however, come after more than a decade of war, and after numerous refusals by Young to even consider a timetable for withdrawal.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Recently, Young came <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/bill-young-vs-defense-secretary-robert-gates">under attack</a> <span class="print-footnote">[14]</span> from then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates about a Humvee project Young was protecting that Gates said was unnecessary. Makers of the Humvee, AM General, had <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/02/AR2011030206041.html">contributed $80K</a> <span class="print-footnote">[15]</span> to Young's campaign, but he denied that the contractor's donations played any role in his decision to defend the program.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Young was one of the targets of an independent ethics investigation in 2010 that involved six other members of the defense appropriations subcommittee. <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DF1130F934A15751C0A9669D8B63&ref=cwbillyoung">The investigation</a> <span class="print-footnote">[16]</span> – conducted by the Office of Congressional Ethics, which is not comprised of members of the House – found, according to the <em>New York Times</em>, “that private contractors who received millions in defense industry earmarks from the seven lawmakers generally believed that their political contributions to the members facilitated the financing their companies received.” All seven were cleared by the House ethics committee, which is to say, the colleagues of the targets.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The congressman has also faced down <a href="http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2012/06/07/activists-protest-rep-youngs-earmarks-for-defense-contractors#.UR4_DFripAt">charges of nepotism</a> <span class="print-footnote">[17]</span> after earmarking millions of federal dollars to a defense contractor that employed his son. The porkbarreling doesn't stop with family members: the Center for Public Integrity <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2010/11/04/2355/cw-bill-young-%E2%80%94-appropriations-subcommittee-defense">reports</a> <span class="print-footnote">[18]</span> Young “obtained about $475 million in earmarks over the past three years, mostly funneling money to defense contracting firms that are also among his top donors."</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong>3. Charles Albert “Dutch” Ruppersberger III (D-MD): $229,550 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations</strong>.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The third biggest recipient of defense sector contributions in the House over 2011- 2012 is Dutch Ruppersberger, a Maryland Democrat. Dutch took office in 2003 and became the first first-term congressperson appointed to the <a href="http://dutch.house.gov/committees.shtml">House Select Committee on Intelligence</a> <span class="print-footnote">[19]</span>. He became the ranking member – highest committee post for the minority party – in 2011, landing him a spot on the so-called “Gang of 8,” who are supposed to be kept apprised of the president's intelligence decisions. He has previously served on the Armed Services committee.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dutch has been in the news lately for co-sponsoring a bill, along with House intelligence committee chair Mike Rogers (R-MI), called the Cyberintelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA. CISPA gives private companies the ability to share information with government intelligence agencies, which could potentially use the data however they see fit – in the name of national security, of course. An <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/digital-rights-activists-vow-to-fight-cispa/2013/02/14/e0c63282-7626-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html">identical version of the bill</a> <span class="print-footnote">[20]</span> passed the House in 2012, but went nowhere after Internet privacy activists mounted a campaign against it and Obama threatened a veto. CISPA has returned, however, much to the dismay of activists who say it could be the end of what little privacy remains online.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“In seeking to promote cybersecurity information sharing, CISPA creates a sweeping exception to all privacy laws,” Leslie Harris, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/14/the-president-revives-an-old-debate-about-privacy/">told</a> <span class="print-footnote">[21]</span> the <em>New York Times</em>.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">A tweet from Dutch's <a href="https://twitter.com/Call_Me_Dutch/status/302457676229648384">official Twitter handle</a> <span class="print-footnote">[22]</span> reads, “#CISPA: Because U.S. companies need to protect your personal information from hackers.” One has to wonder if the next industry to do massive fundraising for Dutch might be the telecoms, which <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/verizon-cybersecurity-idUSnPnNY59962+160+PRN20130213">overwhelmingly</a> <span class="print-footnote">[23]</span> <a href="http://attpublicpolicy.com/cybersecurity/att-statement-on-the-cyber-intelligence-sharing-and-protection-act/">support</a> <span class="print-footnote">[24]</span> CISPA.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong>4. Morris “Mo” Brooks (R-AL): $202,020 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations</strong>.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Second-term congressperson Mo Brooks is a minor figure compared to the first three on this list. He traffics in boilerplate GOP positions like <a href="http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/01/rep_mo_brooks_argues_against_r.html">opposing the debt ceiling</a> <span class="print-footnote">[25]</span> increase and pushing an absurd bill to <a href="http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/01/rep_mo_brooks_proposes_bill_to.html">impeach the president</a> <span class="print-footnote">[26]</span> if he and Congress don't pass a balanced budget. Bruce Bartlett <a href="http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/2194/dopiest-constitutional-amendment-all-time">once called</a> <span class="print-footnote">[27]</span> a balanced budget amendment the “dopiest constitutional amendment of all time.”</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Brooks, like many on this list, sits on the House armed services committee. He enjoys <a href="http://brooks.house.gov/blog/content/november-update-raytheon-ribbon-cutting-and-more/]">photo ops with Raytheon</a> <span class="print-footnote">[28]</span>, tied for his fifth largest contributor. He also managed to keep $403 million in a defense budget for a missile project the military didn't want, in which Boeing, a major contributor to Brooks, <a href="http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/05/house_oks_642_billion_defense.html">was the lead contractor</a> <span class="print-footnote">[29]</span>.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Brooks has said he favors eliminating all foreign aid, save to Pakistan for the remainder of the war in Afghanistan, which he <a href="http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/08/times_watchdog_report_congress.html">thinks</a> <span class="print-footnote">[30]</span> should end, and Israel.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As Israel bombarded Gaza with disproportionate force, Brooks' <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMoBrooks/status/269537336914755584">official Twitter handle</a> <span class="print-footnote">[31]</span> said he, “stand[s] with our close ally #Israel [...] during this violent and horrific attack on innocent civilians.”</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In a similarly tin-eared tweet, his <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMoBrooks/status/218383317320466434">official handle responded</a> <span class="print-footnote">[32]</span> to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act (which Brooks is against) by saying, “Our founding fathers fought for individual liberty.” More shockingly, Brooks said of <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/06/29/257324/mo-brooks-anything-but-shoot-immigrants/">removing undocumented immigrants</a> <span class="print-footnote">[33]</span> from the US, “I will do anything short of shooting them.”</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong>5. Adam Smith (D-WA): $201,000 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations</strong>.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Smith is the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services committee, and has <a href="http://democrats.armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/ranking-member-adam-smith">served on that committee</a> <span class="print-footnote">[34]</span> since he entered Congress in 1997. He is a centrist, “<a href="http://ndcpac.com/">New Democrat</a> <span class="print-footnote">[35]</span>."</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Like every other member of the House, save <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh_sxilhyV0">Barbara Lee</a> <span class="print-footnote">[36]</span>, Smith <a href="http://votesmart.org/bill/3086/7933/845/authorization-for-use-of-military-force#.UR_ChlripAs">voted in favor</a> <span class="print-footnote">[37]</span> of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). He <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll193.xml">voted against</a> <span class="print-footnote">[38]</span> a bill calling for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2011, but now says <a href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2012/03/20/u-s-rep-adam-smith-joins-calls-to-bring-troops-home-from-afghanistan/">he believes</a> <span class="print-footnote">[39]</span> it's time for the war to end. In 2002, Smith <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml">joined</a> <span class="print-footnote">[40]</span> 80 House Democrats and 215 House Republicans to vote in favor of going to war with Iraq. Smith voted for the Patriot Act in 2001, <a href="http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=123014">against</a> <span class="print-footnote">[41]</span> the reauthorization in 2005, but reversed himself again and <a href="http://votesmart.org/bill/12641/33447/845/extension-of-various-patriot-act-provisions#.UR_LTFripAs">voted in favor</a> <span class="print-footnote">[42]</span> of the reauthorization in 2011.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2011, Smith <a href="http://votesmart.org/bill/13491/35357/845/ground-forces-in-libya#.UR_HLlripAs">voted</a> <span class="print-footnote">[43]</span> against banning the president from using ground forces in Libya – that is, Smith wanted to leave the option of using ground forces open to Obama.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">He voted in favor of the 2012 NDAA, which, as mentioned earlier, critics say allows for the indefinite detention of US citizens by the military. Smith wrote <a href="http://www.lawfareblog.com/2011/12/adam-smiths-dear-colleague-letter-on-the-ndaas-detention-provisions/">a letter</a> <span class="print-footnote">[44]</span> urging for the bill's passage and arguing that the scope of NDAA is more limited than critics allege. Several months after the passage of the 2012 NDAA, Smith co-sponsored <a href="http://democrats.armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2ab81a72-1561-4e09-87bd-d93e0cc2cb33">legislation</a> <span class="print-footnote">[45]</span> that would ensure due process rights to any individual detained on US soil, and, according to a statement Smith released, “prohibit military commissions and indefinite detention.” That bill <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr4192">died</a> <span class="print-footnote">[46]</span> after it was referred to committee, while the NDAA is currently facing a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong>6. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX): $199,500 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations (lost in primary)</strong>.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This member of the House has received more donations from defense contractors than from any other industry.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Reyes was defeated in a primary challenge by Beto O'Rourke, who now represents Texas' 16th district. Reyes was on both the <a href="http://beta.congress.gov/member/silvestre-reyes/1516?pageSize=25&House_Committee%5B%5D=Committee+on+Armed+Services">House armed services and select intelligence committees</a> <span class="print-footnote">[47]</span>, making him a powerful ally for defense contractors. So it should be no surprise that those very same contractors attempted to rescue him from O'Rourke's primary challenge at the last minute by <a href="http://www.republicreport.org/2012/drone-drug-warrior/">flooding</a> <span class="print-footnote">[48]</span> his campaign with contributions.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Reyes is a full-on drug warrior, even suggesting sending <a href="http://www.republicreport.org/2012/reyes-drones-drugs-cash/">armed drones</a> <span class="print-footnote">[49]</span> into Mexico to kill drug cartel leaders.</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Despite being on the House intelligence committee, Reyes often appeared clueless about basic elements of foreign policy. He <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/weekinreview/17cave.html?_r=0">incorrectly referred</a> <span class="print-footnote">[50]</span> to al Qaeda as “predominantly probably Shi'ite” (it is Sunni) and couldn't identify which of the two sects dominated Hezbollah. (The answer is Shi'ite.)</font></div>
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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Beto O'Rourke, for his part, has come out in favor of legalizing <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/29/beto-orourke-marijuana-_n_1554661.html">marijuana</a> <span class="print-footnote">[51]</span>, and received virtually no funding from the <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=2012&cid=N00033540&newMem=Y&type=I">defense sector</a> <span class="print-footnote">[52]</span>.</font></div>
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<div class="field-item even"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/perpetual-war">Perpetual war</a> <span class="print-footnote">[53]</span>,</font></div>
<div class="field-item odd"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/buck-mckeon-0">buck mckeon</a> <span class="print-footnote">[54]</span>,</font></div>
<div class="field-item even"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/bill-young">bill young</a> <span class="print-footnote">[55]</span>,</font></div>
<div class="field-item odd"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/dutch-ruppersberger">dutch ruppersberger</a> <span class="print-footnote">[56]</span>,</font></div>
<div class="field-item even"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/mo-brooks">mo brooks</a> <span class="print-footnote">[57]</span>,</font></div>
<div class="field-item odd"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/adam-smith">adam smith</a> <span class="print-footnote">[58]</span>,</font></div>
<div class="field-item even"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/silvestre-reyes">silvestre reyes</a> <span class="print-footnote">[59]</span></font></div>
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<div class="print-source_url"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong>Source URL:</strong> <a href="http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/meet-6-politicians-getting-rich-americas-endless-wars">http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/meet-6-politicians-getting-rich-americas-endless-wars</a></font></div>
<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong>Links:</strong>
[1] http://www.alternet.org
[2] http://www.alternet.org/authors/john-knefel
[3] http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?cycle=2012&ind=D
[4] http://mckeon.house.gov/news/ documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=318380
[5] http://www.navytimes.com/news/2013/02/military-joint-chiefs-sequester-forecast-020613w/
[6] http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20130212/AGENCY04/302120004/GOP-leader-critical-Obama-pledge- reduce-number-U-S-troops-Afghanistan?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CAcquisition%7Cp
[7] http://mckeon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=291506
[8] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np5HdLvO4y4
[9] http://mckeon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=294923
[10] http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2011/ 12/defense-bill-passes-house-107550.html
[11] http://truth-out.org/news/item/14418-can-the-military-detain-us-citizens-appeals-court-hears-arguments-in-ndaa-lawsuit
[12] http://young.house.gov/press-release/statement-congressman-bill-young-his-reappointment-chair-appropriations-subcommittee
[13] http://www.tampabay.com/news/military/war/us-rep-cw-bill-young-changes-course-says-us-should-withdraw-from/1252055
[14] http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/bill-young-vs-defense-secretary-robert-gates
[15] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/02/AR2011030206041.html
[16] http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DF1130F934A15751C0A9669D8B63&ref=cwbillyoung
[17] http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2012/06/07/activists-protest-rep-youngs-earmarks-for-defense-contractors#.UR4_DFripAt
[18] http://www.publicintegrity.org/2010/11/04/2355/cw-bill-young-%E2%80%94-appropriations-subcommittee-defense
[19] http://dutch.house.gov/committees.shtml
[20] http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/digital-rights-activists-vow-to-fight-cispa/2013/02/14/e0c63282-7626-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html
[21] http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/14/the-president-revives-an-old-debate-about-privacy/
[22] https://twitter.com/Call_Me_Dutch/status/302457676229648384
[23] http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/verizon-cybersecurity-idUSnPnNY59962+160+PRN20130213
[24] http://attpublicpolicy.com/cybersecurity/att-statement-on-the-cyber-intelligence-sharing-and-protection-act/
[25] http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/01/rep_mo_brooks_argues_against_r.html
[26] http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/01/rep_mo_brooks_proposes_bill_to.html
[27] http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/2194/dopiest-constitutional-amendment-all-time
[28] http://brooks.house.gov/blog/content/november-update-raytheon-ribbon-cutting-and-more/]
[29] http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/05/house_oks_642_billion_defense.html
[30] http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/08/times_watchdog_report_congress.html
[31] https://twitter.com/RepMoBrooks/status/269537336914755584
[32] https://twitter.com/RepMoBrooks/status/218383317320466434
[33] http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/06/29/257324/mo-brooks-anything-but-shoot-immigrants/
[34] http://democrats.armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/ranking-member-adam-smith
[35] http://ndcpac.com/
[36] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh_sxilhyV0
[37] http://votesmart.org/bill/3086/7933/845/authorization-for-use-of-military-force#.UR_ChlripAs
[38] http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll193.xml
[39] http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2012/03/20/u-s-rep-adam-smith-joins-calls-to-bring-troops-home-from-afghanistan/
[40] http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml
[41] http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=123014
[42] http://votesmart.org/bill/12641/33447/845/extension-of-various-patriot-act-provisions#.UR_LTFripAs
[43] http://votesmart.org/bill/13491/35357/845/ground-forces-in-libya#.UR_HLlripAs
[44] http://www.lawfareblog.com/2011/12/adam-smiths-dear-colleague-letter-on-the-ndaas-detention-provisions/
[45] http://democrats.armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2ab81a72-1561-4e09-87bd-d93e0cc2cb33
[46] http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr4192
[47] http://beta.congress.gov/member/silvestre-reyes/1516?pageSize=25&House_Committee%5B%5D=Committee+on+Armed+Services
[48] http://www.republicreport.org/2012/drone-drug-warrior/
[49] http://www.republicreport.org/2012/reyes-drones-drugs-cash/
[50] http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/weekinreview/17cave.html?_r=0
[51] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/29/beto-orourke-marijuana-_n_1554661.html
[52] http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=2012&cid=N00033540&newMem=Y&type=I
[53] http://www.alternet.org/tags/perpetual-war
[54] http://www.alternet.org/tags/buck-mckeon-0
[55] http://www.alternet.org/tags/bill-young
[56] http://www.alternet.org/tags/dutch-ruppersberger
[57] http://www.alternet.org/tags/mo-brooks
[58] http://www.alternet.org/tags/adam-smith
[59] http://www.alternet.org/tags/silvestre-reyes
[60] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B</font></p>
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