dean.engelhardt
04-22-2011, 06:39 AM
I've written about Joe Pitts in the past. He has a few defenders on this forum because his stand against Healthcare Reform, but I have major issues with him regarding foreign policy and civil liberties. Here is his reply concerning the Patriot Act:
Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding the USA PATRIOT Act. It was good to hear from you.
I share your concerns with the PATRIOT Act. Civil liberties are extremely important to me and I believe that Congress must do all it can to protect them. However, I feel that it is important to equip our intelligence personnel with the means to apprehend criminals who would perpetrate horrific acts against America.
As you may know, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 514, the FISA Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 on January 26, 2011. This bill amended the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 to extend through May 27, 2011, a provision granting roving electronic surveillance authority. It also amended the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to extend until May 27, 2011, a provision revising the definition of an "agent of a foreign power" to include any non-U.S. person who engages in international terrorism or preparatory activities ("lone wolf" provision). This bill was passed in the House on February 14, 2011, while it passed in the Senate the following day. The President signed the bill into law on February 25, 2011.
Like you, I believe there is a delicate balance between protecting civil liberties and equipping our intelligence agencies to be able to find and prosecute terrorists. I voted for H.R. 514 because I believe we must continue providing the most vigilant tools available to our intelligence and law enforcement communities as they face threats from terrorists and individuals that would do us harm. Reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act secures these resources and makes us more secure, but it also gives us the ability of restricting certain provisions should Congress decide they are not warranted in the future. Rest assured, as reauthorization of this Act comes up, and should any related legislation come to the House floor, I will be sure to keep your concerns in mind.
Thanks for contacting me. Please don't hesitate to contact me in the future on any issue that concerns you or your family.
If you would like more information on my views, or sign up for regular updates, please visit my website at www.house.gov/pitts.
You can also view speeches and discussions of mine at either www.youtube.com/congressmanjoepitts or www.facebook.com/pages/Congressman-Joe-Pitts/94156528752.
Here is his reply concerning Libya:
Thank you for contacting me to express your opinion on the situation in Libya. It was good to hear from you.
The ongoing uprising in Libya against the government of Muammar al Qadhafi has been the subject of evolving domestic and international debate about potential international military intervention, including the proposed establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya. On March 17, 2011, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, establishing a no-fly zone in Libyan airspace, authorizing robust enforcement measures for the arms embargo established by Resolution 1970, and authorizing member states "to take all necessary measures ... to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory."
In response, the United States established Operation Odyssey Dawn, the U.S. contribution to a multilateral military effort to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians in Libya. Military operations under Odyssey Dawn commenced on March 19, 2011. U.S. and coalition forces quickly established command of the air over Libya's major cities, destroying portions of the Libyan air defense network and attacking pro-Qadhafi forces deemed to pose a threat to civilian populations.
From the outset of operations, the Obama administration declared its intent to transfer command of operations over Libya to a coalition entity. On March 30, 2011, NATO assumed command of all aspects of coalition military operations.
Establishment of the initial no-fly zone over Libya went smoothly. One U.S. aircraft was lost due to mechanical malfunction, but the crew were rescued. Estimates of the cost of the initial operation range between $400 million and $1 billion.
U.S. participation in Operation Odyssey Dawn and NATO operations around Libya raises a number of questions for Congress, including the role of Congress in authorizing the use of force, the costs of the operation, the desired politico-strategic end state, and the role of U.S. military forces in an operation under international command. Rest assured, should any legislation on this matter come before the House floor for a vote, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Thank you for sharing your views with me. Please don't hesitate to contact me in the future regarding any issue that concerns you or your family.
About the only good thing I can say about Pitts is that he does reply to questions. I don't like his stand on either of these issues. The 16th district has terrible choices for representation. The democrat party usually make the entire campaign against Pitts a pro-abortion issue. Are there no liberty candidates that want to challenge Pitts? It's pretty sad in the PA 16th's
Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding the USA PATRIOT Act. It was good to hear from you.
I share your concerns with the PATRIOT Act. Civil liberties are extremely important to me and I believe that Congress must do all it can to protect them. However, I feel that it is important to equip our intelligence personnel with the means to apprehend criminals who would perpetrate horrific acts against America.
As you may know, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 514, the FISA Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 on January 26, 2011. This bill amended the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 to extend through May 27, 2011, a provision granting roving electronic surveillance authority. It also amended the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to extend until May 27, 2011, a provision revising the definition of an "agent of a foreign power" to include any non-U.S. person who engages in international terrorism or preparatory activities ("lone wolf" provision). This bill was passed in the House on February 14, 2011, while it passed in the Senate the following day. The President signed the bill into law on February 25, 2011.
Like you, I believe there is a delicate balance between protecting civil liberties and equipping our intelligence agencies to be able to find and prosecute terrorists. I voted for H.R. 514 because I believe we must continue providing the most vigilant tools available to our intelligence and law enforcement communities as they face threats from terrorists and individuals that would do us harm. Reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act secures these resources and makes us more secure, but it also gives us the ability of restricting certain provisions should Congress decide they are not warranted in the future. Rest assured, as reauthorization of this Act comes up, and should any related legislation come to the House floor, I will be sure to keep your concerns in mind.
Thanks for contacting me. Please don't hesitate to contact me in the future on any issue that concerns you or your family.
If you would like more information on my views, or sign up for regular updates, please visit my website at www.house.gov/pitts.
You can also view speeches and discussions of mine at either www.youtube.com/congressmanjoepitts or www.facebook.com/pages/Congressman-Joe-Pitts/94156528752.
Here is his reply concerning Libya:
Thank you for contacting me to express your opinion on the situation in Libya. It was good to hear from you.
The ongoing uprising in Libya against the government of Muammar al Qadhafi has been the subject of evolving domestic and international debate about potential international military intervention, including the proposed establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya. On March 17, 2011, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, establishing a no-fly zone in Libyan airspace, authorizing robust enforcement measures for the arms embargo established by Resolution 1970, and authorizing member states "to take all necessary measures ... to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory."
In response, the United States established Operation Odyssey Dawn, the U.S. contribution to a multilateral military effort to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians in Libya. Military operations under Odyssey Dawn commenced on March 19, 2011. U.S. and coalition forces quickly established command of the air over Libya's major cities, destroying portions of the Libyan air defense network and attacking pro-Qadhafi forces deemed to pose a threat to civilian populations.
From the outset of operations, the Obama administration declared its intent to transfer command of operations over Libya to a coalition entity. On March 30, 2011, NATO assumed command of all aspects of coalition military operations.
Establishment of the initial no-fly zone over Libya went smoothly. One U.S. aircraft was lost due to mechanical malfunction, but the crew were rescued. Estimates of the cost of the initial operation range between $400 million and $1 billion.
U.S. participation in Operation Odyssey Dawn and NATO operations around Libya raises a number of questions for Congress, including the role of Congress in authorizing the use of force, the costs of the operation, the desired politico-strategic end state, and the role of U.S. military forces in an operation under international command. Rest assured, should any legislation on this matter come before the House floor for a vote, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Thank you for sharing your views with me. Please don't hesitate to contact me in the future regarding any issue that concerns you or your family.
About the only good thing I can say about Pitts is that he does reply to questions. I don't like his stand on either of these issues. The 16th district has terrible choices for representation. The democrat party usually make the entire campaign against Pitts a pro-abortion issue. Are there no liberty candidates that want to challenge Pitts? It's pretty sad in the PA 16th's