{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/lee-leads-bipartisan-group-in-call-to-uphold-permanent-bases-ban", "Lee Leads Bipartisan Group in Call to Uphold Permanent Bases Ban", "2006-09-22", "2006", "2006-09", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Barbara Lee", "L000551", "lee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "09.22.06\n\t\t\t Lee Leads Bipartisan Group in Call to Uphold Permanent Bases Ban \n\t\t\t(Washington, DC)    Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) led a bipartisan group of 72 members of Congress in writing to members of the conference committee on the Defense appropriations bill, calling on them to protect language in the bill that prohibits the establishment of permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq. One area where policymakers and experts across the political spectrum agree is that the United States should make clear that it does not seek a permanent military presence in Iraq, the letter states.  A major factor fueling the insurgency in Iraq is the perception of many Iraqis that the United States has long term aims in their country. Both the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2007 Department of Defense appropriations bill contain provisions designed to prohibit permanent bases.  Earlier this year, similar language was stripped out of the Emergency Iraq supplemental spending bill during the conference process, despite having been approved by both the House and Senate. Republican Congressmen Phil English (Penn.), Jim Leach (Iowa) and Rob Simmons (Conn.) joined Lee, Tom Allen (Maine) and 67 other Democrats in signing the letter, which was sent to Representatives Bill Young and John Murtha, the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense. ###   Text of the letter: September 21, 2006 The Honorable C.W. Bill Young                                   The Honorable John Murtha  Chairman,                                                                     Ranking Member,  Subcommittee on Defense                                             Subcommittee on Defense  Committee on Appropriations                                       Committee on Appropriations                 U.S. House of Representatives                          U.S. House of Representatives  Washington, D.C., 20515                                             Washington, D.C., 20515 Chairman Young and Ranking Member Murtha: As you prepare for conference on the fiscal year 2007 (FY07) Department of Defense appropriations bill, we are writing to urge you to include in the final version, provisions prohibiting the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq. The House-passed Department of Defense Appropriations bill contains a provision that would ensure that no funds in the bill would be used to enter into a base agreement with the government of Iraq.  The Senate-passed version of the bill contains a similar provision in Section 8109, which prohibits funds to establish permanent military bases in Iraq or to exercise control over the oil infrastructure or oil resources of Iraq.  With both chambers including similar provisions in their respective defense appropriations bills, and the House demonstrating its overwhelming support by a vote of 376-50 in favor of retaining the language in its version, we request that some form of this language be included in the conference report.  Furthermore, we appreciate your statements in support of the House provision during debate on June 20, 2006. One area where policymakers and experts across the political spectrum agree is that the United States should make clear that it does not seek a permanent military presence in Iraq.  A major factor fueling the insurgency in Iraq is the perception of many Iraqis that the United States has long term aims in their country.  General George Casey has testified that gradually lowering the visibility of U.S. troops will remove one of the elements fueling the insurgency.   Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has testified that, We have no desire to have our forces permanently in that country.  We have no plans or no discussions under way to have permanent bases in that country.  Congress should join the Administration in affirming this principal.  Enacting the no permanent bases provision in the defense appropriations bill will send a clear signal to the Iraqi people that we fully support their efforts to establish democracy and exercise sovereignty.  By making our intentions crystal clear, we would reassure the world that Iraqis will choose their own destinies.  Thank you in advance for your consideration of our request. Sincerely, Barbara Lee  Tom Allen  Neil Abercrombie  Tammy Baldwin  Xavier Becerra  Howard L. Berman  Timothy H. Bishop  Earl Blumenauer  G. K. Butterfield  Lois Capps  Julia Carson  Donna M. Christensen  William Lacy Clay  John Conyers Jr.  Joseph Crowley  Elijah E. Cummings  Danny K. Davis  Peter A. DeFazio  Lloyd Doggett  Phil English  Sam Farr  Chaka Fattah  Barney Frank  Ral M. Grijalva  Luis V. Gutierrez  Jane Harman  Maurice D. Hinchey  Rush D. Holt  Michael M. Honda  Carolyn C. Kilpatrick  Ron Kind  Dennis J. Kucinich  Tom Lantos  John B. Larson  James A. Leach  John Lewis  Carolyn B. Maloney  Edward J. Markey  Doris O. Matsui  Betty McCollum  Jim McDermott  James P. McGovern  Martin T. Meehan  Gregory W. Meeks  Michael H. Michaud  Brad Miller  Gwen Moore  Jerrold Nadler  Grace F. Napolitano  James L. Oberstar  Major R. Owens  Ed Pastor  Donald M. Payne  Nancy Pelosi  David E. Price  Steven R. Rothman  Bobby L. Rush  Janice D. Schakowsky  Adam B. Schiff  Allyson Y. Schwartz  Robert C. Scott  Rob Simmons  Adam Smith  Hilda L. Solis  Pete Stark  Mike Thompson  John F. Tierney  Maxine Waters  Diane E. Watson  Henry A. Waxman  Lynn C. Woolsey  Mark Udall \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n \n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/lee-leads-bipartisan-group-in-call-to-uphold-permanent-bases-ban"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3602471444755793, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}