This Week in Congress Wrap-up

The Amash-Lundgren amendment limiting warrantless wiretapping and mass surveillance was defeated by a vote of 175-253. The good news is 65 Republicans voted for the bill, up from 39 the last time this was voted on. The bad news is 126 Democrats voted against stopping the surveillance state from using Section 702 of the FISA Act to justify warrantless surveillance of American citizens.

Here is the roll-call vote.

H.R. 2740, the combined Defense, Labor-Education and Human Services, Energy and Water, and State and Foreign Operations bill, passed by a vote of 226-203. Seven Democrats joined every Republican in voting against the bill. Keep in mind many

Republicans voted no because the bill did not spend enough on militarism.

Here is the roll-call vote.

Speaking of which, one of the few good things about the bill is it repeals the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force. Intended to authorize actions to go after those behind the 9-11 attacks, it continues to be used to justify military actions having nothing to do with the attacks.

Here is a good article on the politics of this issue.