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Dear Representative ______________:
I am writing to ask you, as a member of the Rules Committee, to allow the consideration by the full House of four amendments to H.R.2810, the National Defense Authorization Act, that challenge – in concrete terms – the increasingly violent, undemocratic, and anti-American trajectory of the Turkish regime of Recep Erdogan.
Members of the House of Representatives should be afforded the opportunity to cast their votes on these measures – particularly in light of President Erdogan’s brazen arrogance in falsely blaming U.S. law enforcement for his security detail’s brutal May 16th attack on peaceful American protesters in Washington, DC. It is my view that, if brought to the floor, your colleagues – reflecting the pride and righteous outrage of the American public – will surely deliver broad, bipartisan support for their adoption.
For your reference, the four amendments are as follows:
— Rep. Cicilline’s amendment (#30) would block a pending sale of F-35 jets to Turkey “until the President of the United States certifies that the Government of Turkey is cooperating with the criminal investigation and prosecution of Turkish Government employees involved in the assault on civilians in Washington, DC.”
— Rep. Beyer’s amendment (#32) would ban Erdogan’s security forces who took part in the May 16th attack from securing U.S. visas for future travel to the United States.
— Rep. Trott’s amendment (#79) would block the proposed sale of semi-automatic guns to Turkey, where they would, very likely be used by the same Erdogan’s security detail that committed the May 16th attack in Washington, DC.
— Rep. Rohrabacher’s amendment #289) would prohibit the transfer of U.S. defense articles to Turkey and, instead, make them available to Kurdish Peshmerga forces, who have played an instrumental role in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).
Each of these four amendments reinforce the core message of H.Res.354, the bipartisan measure condemning Turkey’s violence against Americans, that was adopted unanimously by the House last month,
Thank you for your consideration of my views. I will be closely following these amendments and look forward to learning of your actions in support of their adoption.
Sincerely,