As explained in report after report, national security is a top issue in the race between Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson and Russ Feingold, the senator who voted against creating the Department of Homeland Security.
As Wisconsinites read in yesterday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
"If you had to list the biggest election “wild cards” in the Wisconsin rematch between Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic challenger Russ Feingold, the volatile issue of terrorism might be right at the top."
Among the abundance of dangerously weak positions and foreign policy missteps to choose from, here are five of Senator Russ Feingold’s worst national security votes:
1. Senator Feingold was one of only nine senators to vote against creating the Department of Homeland Security.
A sharp, stark contrast to the leadership of Ron Johnson, who fights for real national security solutions as chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs.
2. In the weeks following the September 11th terrorist attacks, Feingold was the only senator to vote against increasing terrorism surveillance.
Just last week, Senator Feingold expressed to WKOW the pride he still feels for his lone vote against terrorist surveillance:
"I’m very proud of that vote and will always stand by it."
[youtube url = "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijJizNtVOcA"]
3. Senator Feingold voted at least twelve times against pay raises for members of the military.
An Afghanistan war veteran on Feingold: “The greatest indictment of his record is that he left veterans high and dry.”
4. Senator Feingold voted against prohibiting the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States.
Feingold also supported bringing terrorists to the United States to be tried in a civilian court.
In 2009, Feingold applauded the decision to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York for civilian trial.
5. Senator Feingold consistently voted against funding for a missile defense system.
As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also explained last week,
"Johnson-Feingold race offers stark divide on national security…their rematch could give us the sharpest, starkest debate over war, terrorism and America’s role in the world of any Senate race in the country in 2016."
Senator Russ Feingold’s radical record on national security during his eighteen years in Washington puts him on the wrong side of that stark divide.
BACKGROUND:
In 2002, Feingold Voted Against Creating The Department Of Homeland Security
In November 2002, Feingold Was One Of Only Nine Senators To Vote Against Creating The Department Of Homeland Security. “Passage of the bill that would consolidate 22 agencies into a new cabinet-level Homeland Security Department charged with protecting domestic security. Agencies moved to the new department would include the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Customs Service, the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration. The Immigration and Naturalization Service would be split into separate agencies for immigration enforcement and citizen services, both of which would be in the new department. The president could exempt some employees from collective bargaining units for national reasons. The department could make changes to personnel rules, but unions could object to and negotiate those changes.” (H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #249: Passed 90-9: R 48-0; D 41-8; I 1-1, 11/19/02, Feingold Voted Nay)
Feingold Was The Only Senator To Vote Against The PATRIOT Act
In 2001, Feingold Was The Only Senator To Vote Against The PATRIOT Act. “Passage of the bill that would expand law enforcement’s power to investigate suspected terrorists. The bill would allow disclosure of wiretap information among certain government officials, authorize limited disclosure of secret grand jury information to certain government officials, and allow the detention of foreigners suspected of having ties to terrorism. It also would make it easier for law enforcement to track voice and Internet communications using surveillance techniques and would strengthen laws to combat money laundering. Most of the bill’s intelligence-gathering provisions would sunset after four years.” (H.R 3162, Roll Call Vote #313: Passed 98-1; R 49-0; D 48-1; I 1-0, 10/25/01, Feingold Voted Nay)
Feingold Has Voted Against Prohibiting The Transfer Of Guantanamo Bay Detainees To The United States
In October 2009, Feingold Voted Against The Conference Report To The Defense Authorization Bill, Which Prohibited The Transfer Of Detainees From Guantanamo Bay To The United States Until The President Consults With Congress. “Adoption of the conference report on the bill that would authorize $680.2 billion in discretionary spending for defense programs in fiscal 2010, including approximately $130 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other operations. It would authorize $244.4 billion for operations and maintenance; $150.2 billion for military personnel; $24.6 billion for military construction, family housing, and base closings; and $29.3 billion for the Defense Health Program. It would authorize a 3.4 percent pay raise for military personnel. It would prohibit detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from being transferred to U.S. soil until the president submits a plan to Congress and consults with the governors of affected states. It would extend, through 2010, bonus and special pay for military members, and make disabled retirees eligible for one year of concurrent military retirement and veterans disability payments. It would extend federal hate crimes laws to cover offenses motivated by a victim’s gender identity, sexual orientation or disability, and would prohibit attacks on military personnel based on their military service.” (H.R. 264, Roll Call Vote #327: Conference Report Agreed To 68-29, 10/22/09, Feingold Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 12/7/15)
In November 2009, Feingold Voted To Table The Inhofe Amendment Which Barred The Use Of Funds To Build Facilities To Hold Guantanamo Detainees In The U.S. “Johnson, D-S.D., motion to table (kill) the Inhofe, R-Okla., amendment no. 2774 to the Johnson substitute amendment no. 2730. The Inhofe amendment would bar the use of funds in the bill to construct or modify facilities in the United States or its territories to hold individuals who were detained as of Oct. 1, 2009, at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility. The substitute would provide $133.9 billion in fiscal 2010 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and military housing, including $76.7 billion in discretionary funding.” (S. Amdt. 2774 to S. Amdt. 2730 to H.R. 3082, Roll Call Vote #347: Motion To Table Agreed To 57 – 43, 11/17/09, Feingold Voted Yea; CQ Summary, Accessed 12/7/15)
In December 2009, Feingold Voted Against The FY 2010 Omnibus Spending Bill Conference Report That Prohibited The Transfer Of Detainees From Guantanamo Bay To The United States. “Adoption of the conference report on the bill that would provide $446.8 billion in discretionary spending for federal departments and agencies covered by six unfinished fiscal 2010 spending bills. The measure incorporates the following previously separate appropriations bills from the 111th Congress: Commerce-Justice-Science; Financial Services; Labor-HHS-Education; Military Construction-VA; State-Foreign Operations; and Transportation-HUD. It also would prohibit the release or transfer of detainees held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into the United States, for any reason other than prosecution.” (H.R. 3288, Roll Call Vote #374: Conference Report Agreed To 57 – 35, 12/13/09, Feingold Voted Nay; CQ Summary, Accessed 6/10/15)
Feingold Supports Bringing Terrorists To America To Be Tried In A Civilian Court
Feingold Applauded The Decision To Bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed To New York For Civilian Trial. “I’m pleased that after more than eight years, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks will finally be brought to justice. I commend the Obama administration for deciding to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York, which shows the world that this country stands firmly behind its system of justice and its Constitution.” (Senator Russ Feingold, “Statement Of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On Trying Guantanamo Bay Detainees,” Press Release, 11/13/09)
Feingold Consistently Opposed Missile Defense
Feingold Voted Against Killing An Amendment That “Cut $300 Million From The $671.5 Million Provided By The Bill To Fund An Anti-Missile Defense Program Designed To Protect U.S. Territory.” (S. 1026, Roll Call Vote #354: Motion Agreed To 51-48, 8/3/95, Feingold Voted Nay)
Feingold Voted For Reducing Ballistic Missile Defense Program Spending. (S. 1298, Roll Call Vote #251: Adopted 50-48, 9/9/93, Feingold Voted Yea)
Feingold Voted Against Funding For A Missile Defense System. “Dorgan, D-N.D., amendment to cut $300 million from the $671.5 million provided by the bill to design an anti-missile defense program to protect U.S. territory.” (S. 1087, Roll Call Vote #384: Rejected 45-54: R 5-49; D 40-5, 8/10/95, Feingold Voted Yea)
Feingold Voted Against Funding For Missile Defense. “Levin, D-Mich., amendment no. 3338 that would shift $515.5 million in the bill from the Missile Defense Agency’s ground-based midcourse interceptors to nuclear nonproliferation programs and other homeland security and anti-terrorism activities.” (S. 2400, Roll Call Vote #133: Rejected 44-56, 6/22/04, Feingold Voted Yea)
Feingold Voted To “To Cut The Authorization For Missile Defense By $300 Million, Reducing The Level To The $508 Million Requested By The President.” “To reduce to the level requested by the President the amount authorized to be appropriated for research, development, test, and evaluation for national missile defense.” (S. 1745, Roll Call Vote #160: Rejected 44-53, 6/19/96, Feingold Voted Yea)
Feingold Voted Against “A National Missile Defense System That Could Protect All 50 States From A Relatively Small Number Of Missiles, Using Either Ground-Based, Sea-Based, Space-Based, Or A Combination Interceptor System.” “A bill to establish a United States policy for the deployment of a national missile defense system, and for other purposes.” (S. 1635, Roll Call Vote #157: Rejected 53-46, 6/4/96, Feingold Voted Nay)