[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2205-H2206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY TO BOB BATTERSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Cloud) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish a happy 100th birthday 
to a well-loved member of the south Texas community, Captain Robert 
Batterson, whose friends call him Bob.
  Bob has spent his life in service to a Nation that he loves. He 
served at Naval Air Station Pearl Harbor, where he worked on December 
7, 1941. Shortly after witnessing the Pearl Harbor attack, Bob was 
accepted for Navy flight training. He was awarded his wings and 
assigned to Fighter Squadron 1.
  Bob's life paints a picture of sacrifice and duty that we can all 
learn from. May it serve as a reminder of the price that he and others 
like him paid for our freedom.
  After World War II, Bob did not stop his commitment to serving our 
great Nation. He transferred to the Navy Supply Corps, where he worked 
for 35 years until his retirement in 1974.
  Bob raised five children, four of whom also served our Nation. And he 
is one of the USS Lexington Museum's first volunteers and can often be 
found in the aircraft carrier's Pearl Harbor exhibit.
  Bob has a true passion for speaking with people of all ages about 
becoming personally involved in the United States' future, especially 
by contacting their elected Representatives.
  Happy birthday to a true American hero and an inspiration to all of 
us, Captain Batterson.

                              {time}  1100


          Congress Must Regularly Review Military Engagements

  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a bill I am 
introducing today. This bill is called the Preventing Endless Armed 
Conflicts and Engagement Act, otherwise known as the PEACE Act.
  The Constitution makes it clear that the authority to declare war 
rests with Congress, and it is important that Members of Congress have 
the opportunity to carry out our duty to regularly review current 
military engagements. Unfortunately, that has not been the case.
  Today, less than a fifth of the current Members of Congress voted on 
the 2001 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force. This 
statistic ignores the many Members of Congress who have been elected 
and since left who never got a chance to weigh in on the Authorization 
for Use of Military Force.
  It is critical that new Members of Congress with new constituencies 
do their duty and provide input into military operations. It is my hope 
that the PEACE Act can ensure regular oversight is being conducted on 
future military authorizations.
  First, this bill would require each military authorization, called an 
AUMF, to sunset after 2 years. Now, why 2 years? Well, obviously, it 
would give each Member of Congress and, therefore, the people they 
represent the opportunity to review and weigh in on ongoing conflicts.
  The President, of course, has the authority to deploy military forces 
in an emergency and respond to imminent threats, and that would 
continue under

[[Page H2206]]

this bill. Sustained military operations, however, need approval from 
Congress. This is a principle firmly rooted in the Constitution, which 
stipulates that funding for our military should not extend beyond 2 
years.
  The PEACE Act would also set the standards for new military 
authorizations. For instance, each authorization would need to set a 
geographical scope on where military force can be used. A clear 
objective would need to be established for each authorization so that 
we know when victory is achieved, and the countries and groups that the 
U.S. is authorized to fight must be listed.
  Additionally, the Departments of Defense and State would be charged 
with publishing an annual report on existing military operations for 
congressional review. This report will include information such as 
whether the military is meeting defined objectives, the number of 
casualties, and total costs.
  Finally, the DOD and State Department will be required to brief 
Members of Congress on the contents of this report every 6 months.
  It is never easy to decide between risking the lives of our troops or 
jeopardizing our national security. However, this is a decision that 
Members of Congress are elected to do, in large part because we are the 
body in this Federal Government that is closest to the people.
  Military deployments that are accountable to we the people are one 
thing that sets us apart as a nation to ensure that our fight is always 
for what is right. We owe it to our troops. We owe it to the American 
people.

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