Jason Crow

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 9 wordsI thank Representative Moulton for his leadership on this.Thanks Procedure · 9 wordsI want to highlight a different component to this.Procedure Claims · 36 wordsThere is a debate around imminent threat. Very clearly, in my opinion and in the opinion of most folks, there is no imminent threat.Unearned certainty In fact, the administration itself has stopped even trying to show that, Reasoning · 75 wordswhich I think is a clear illustration that there never was one and there isn’t one.Unearned certainty Beyond the debate on this floor, one of the things that gets lost, and the important thing that gets lost, is the people who actually get to make this decision are the American people. The genius of our system is that it is Americans who get to decide matters of war and peace, through the Representatives in this body. Claims · 22 wordsFor 25 years now, America has been in endless conflict.¹ There have been threats that have come and threats that have gone. Positioning · 39 wordsThe answer can’t be that whenever there is a threat, instantly it means we have to go to war. That is the logic on the other side: threat equals war. If a threat pops up, you go to war.Positioning Reasoning · 18 wordsThat can’t possibly be the logic. If that is the case, then we will be at war forever.Unearned certainty Claims · 16 wordsWe will spend another $3 trillion in addition to the $3 trillion we have already spent.²Unearned certainty Positioning · 17 wordsRegardless of the nature of the threat posed, the answer always will be to send our military.Positioning Reasoning · 8 wordsAmericans know that is not tenable, in fact.Unearned certainty Positioning · 5 wordsWhat is the accountability mechanism?Positioning Reasoning · 29 wordsThe accountability mechanism is that Americans are in the driver seat because Americans are the ones that have to do the fighting, do the dying, and pay for this. Positioning · 46 wordsIt is not the elites and the pedigreed folks in this administration that are fighting and dying. They are banging the war drums and sending working- class kids like us to go do it. Why are the Republicans so desperate to avoid even voting on this?Positioning Claims · 13 wordsWhy have they literally canceled votes this year to avoid voting on this?³ Reasoning · 8 wordsBecause they know that Americans don’t want it.Unearned certainty Claims · 14 wordsRepublicans and Democrats alike don’t want it. President Trump himself used to know that. Procedure · 5 wordsI don’t know what happened, ProcedureClaims · 48 wordsbut he campaigned on this.⁴ He went around the country and said, let’s stop the endless wars. Let’s pull out. Let’s focus back home. He was right about that. Then he became President and turned his back on the American people and on the very promise he made.Off point The ask · 40 wordsLet’s have these votes. Let’s let people know where we stand, then go home, stand in front of our constituents, and answer the tough questions. Why send your taxpayer money? Why send your sons and daughters to go do it? Procedure · 13 wordsThe SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Knott). The time of the gentleman has expired.Procedure