Thread: DoD cuts force Americans from military, but Congress wants to give spots to illegal a

DoD cuts force Americans from military, but Congress wants to give spots to illegal aliens




Updated:


Mon, May 5^th 2014 @ 9:44 am EDT


While Congress decides whether or not to will insert language into the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 that will allow some illegal aliens to enlist in the military and receive an amnesty, recent cuts are forcing current enlistees out. By 2017, the Army needs to downsize from it's recent peak of 570,000 active duty troops from 2006-08 to 450,000 troops.


The Associated Press reported that most of the reductions will come from voluntary retirements, resignations, and decreased enlistments, but 3,000 officers will need to be forced out over the net few years.


Meanwhile, the House Armed Services Committee marks up the 2015 Defense Authorization bill on Wednesday where rumors have been circulating about possible adding Rep. Jeff Denham's (R-Calif.) ENLIST Act to the bill. The bill would allow any illegal aliens who entered the country under the age of 15 to enlist in the military and receive legal status with a possible path to citizenship. Last week, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also expressed support for adding the provision to the Senate version of the bill should the House fail to do so.


If the ENLIST Act is included in the Defense Authorization bill, or it or a similar bill is passed as a stand-alone bill, it would create competition for Americans interested in enlisting to the few remaining spots that will be left in the military after all reductions are made.


The American Legion, the nation's largest veterans group, has come out against the ENLIST Act (H.R.2377).


"The NDAA needs to stand alone, and I think attaching an issue as contentious and complex as immigration and recruitment policy would only stall the NDAA," John Stovall, director of the Legion’s national security division said. "The legion’s long-standing policy remains that we are opposed to any policy, any legislative action that amounts to amnesty, and I think that would fall under that definition."



For more information, see the Associated Press.



This Issue: Still on watch for amnesty amendment in Defense bill, and Primary season heats up

The House Armed Services Committee began its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 (NDAA). But before things got started at the subcommittee level, the committee's chairman, Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), made an encouraging statement on the Laura Ingraham radio program.

A few weeks ago, we learned that House Leaders were devising a secret plan to insert Rep. Jeff Denham's ENLIST Act (an amnesty for certain illegal aliens who join the military) into the bill. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) denied the charge, as did House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) earlier this week, but it was McKeon who did his best to assure the anti-amnesty crowd that there wouldn't be one in the Defense Authorization bill:

I'm in favor of a discussion of that policy, but not on putting it on our defense bill.

I don't think that's where it belongs.

-- Rep. Buck McKeon

Coincidently, McKeon's statement came the morning after NumbersUSA activists stuffed the fax machines of Armed Services committee members with more than 25,000 faxes!
As for Cantor's denial, Senate Gang of Eight leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) delivered a passionate speech on the Senate floor on Thursday afternoon in which he made it quite clear that not only was Cantor working on a plan to grant amnesty to young illegal aliens, but he was likely involved in the ongoing campaign to insert Denham's bill into the Defense Authorization bill.
Despite some good signs from the week, however, we're still on high alert as the Armed Services Committee continues its consideration of the NDAA. The full committee will markup the bill on Wednesday before heading to the House floor. Both instances are opportunities for House Members to propose adding the ENLIST Act or similar legislation to the NDAA, so please continue to be on the lookout for any action alerts.
PRIMARY SEASON HEATS UP
With the onset of May also comes a long list of key primaries for this year's mid-term elections. On Tuesday, three states go to the polls, including Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina.
For those of you who may have missed Roy's alert last night, North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District provides one of two significant races on Tuesday.
Two-term incumbent Renee Ellmers is being challenged by Frank Roche in the GOP primary. Ellmers is an outspoken proponent of the House GOP immigration principles that would grant amnesty and work permits to nearly all illegal aliens and provide massive increases to legal immigration. Roche, on the other hand, has completed the NumbersUSA immigration-reduction candidate survey and is rated as a "True Reformer", meaning his position is closely aligned with ours.
In the Buckeye state, the 14th Congressional District pits freshman Rep. David Joyce against state Rep. Matt Lynch. It's been reported that Joyce is close to Speaker Boehner, who would love nothing more than to pass immigration reform, while Lynch has also completed our survey and is rated as a "True Reformer". As a state legislator, Lynch often took the lead, introducing legislation to prevent illegal aliens from obtaining a driver's license or in-state tuition rates and to allow local police to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Again, NumbersUSA doesn't endorse candidates, and we know that voters make their decisions on a host of other issues aside from immigration. But our candidate comparisons do provide you with the best evaluation of where these candidates stand on the issues.

chris chmielenski

Fri, May 2nd

More information :

https://www.numbersusa.com/

http://www.alipac.us/f9/congress-dow...s-join-302162/