MN House: Anti-Surge Resolution

My very own Representative, Frank Hornstein (60B), is author of a resolution opposing the Bush Administration's troop escalation. He's joined by a bunch of folks who're also authoring the bill:

Bill Hilty, Thomas Huntley, Karen Clark, Phyllis Kahn, Jean Wagenius, Willie Dominguez, Mindy Greiling, Johnson (not sure which Johnson ... there a few), Alice Hausman, Jim Davnie, Diane Loeffler, Neva Walker, Mike Jaros and John Lesch

It's official title is HF0674 United States Troops in Iraq escalation opposed by resolution to the President and Congress. Here's the official text:

1.1 A resolution
1.2 opposing escalation of United States troops in Iraq.
1.3 WHEREAS, the President has proposed an escalation in the number of United States
1.4 troops deployed in Iraq; and
1.5 WHEREAS, United States involvement in Iraq has resulted in the deaths of more than
1.6 3,000 United States soldiers and the wounding and disabling of more than 22,000 United States
1.7 military personnel to date; and
1.8 WHEREAS, this proposed escalation will further extend National Guard tours in Iraq; and
1.9 the costs to the states of the call-up of National Guard members for deployment in Iraq have
1.10 been significant, not only as reckoned in lost lives, combat injuries, and psychic trauma, but
1.11 also in disruption of family life, interruption of careers, damage to the fabric of civic life in our
1.12 communities, and financial hardship for individuals, families, and businesses; and
1.13 WHEREAS, American troops have valiantly upheld their duty in Iraq under dire
1.14 circumstances; and
1.15 WHEREAS, more than $357 billion has been appropriated by Congress to fund military
1.16 operations and reconstruction in Iraq to date, money that could fund desperately needed education,
1.17 health care, housing, nutrition, and other social services in our communities in the United States
1.18 or humanitarian assistance abroad; and
1.19 WHEREAS, previous budgets that have prioritized Iraq have led to cuts in critical block
1.20 grants for states and have increased the federal debt, which, compounded by interest payments,
1.21 will likely lead to even larger cuts in funding for critical needs in the states; and
2.1 WHEREAS, polls show that the vast majority of Americans do not support increasing
2.2 the number of troops in Iraq; and
2.3 WHEREAS, most military experts oppose escalation in Iraq, and press reports indicate that
2.4 even the Joint Chiefs of Staff have opposed such a strategy; and
2.5 WHEREAS, legal experts on all sides have determined that Congress has not only broad
2.6 authority but a long tradition of limiting escalation or forcing redeployment of troops through the
2.7 constitutionally designated power of the purse; NOW, THEREFORE,
2.8 BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota, on behalf of its citizens,
2.9 urges that in a period when the Iraq Study Group, leading military and diplomatic officials,
2.10 and allies around the world are calling for a reduction in troops and withdrawal of the United
2.11 States from Iraq, the United States government should not escalate its involvement in Iraq or
2.12 increase troop levels; and
2.13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, at a minimum, the President should obtain explicit
2.14 approval from Congress if he wants to send more American troops to Iraq.
2.15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress should pass legislation prohibiting
2.16 the President from spending taxpayer dollars on an escalation in Iraq unless he first seeks
2.17 Congressional approval.
2.18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is
2.19 directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President of the United
2.20 States, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk
2.21 of the United States House of Representatives, the chair of the Senate Committee on Armed
2.22 Services, the chair of the House Committee on Armed Services, and Minnesota's Senators and
2.23 Representatives in Congress.