By Bian Elkhatib

This week’s floor speech features Democrat Rep. Barbara Lee talking about the 2018 defense spending bill. Lee denounced the removal of her amendment to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force from the bill. AUMF was originally passed after the September 11 terrorist attacks, and and granted the President authority to use force against al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated groups. At the time, Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against it in 2001.