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Amendments to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill
Obama worked with Sen. Kit Bond to limit, through this bill, the Pentagon’s use of personality disorder discharges in the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill. This provision would add safeguards to discharge procedures and require a thorough review by the Government Accountability Office. This followed news reports that the Pentagon inappropriately used these procedures to discharge service members with service-connected psychological injuries. "With thousands of American service members suffering day in and day out from the less visible wounds of war, reports that the Pentagon has improperly diagnosed and discharged service members with personality disorders are deeply disturbing," said Obama. "This provision will add additional safeguards to the Department of Defense’s use of this discharge and mandate a comprehensive review of these policies."
The Lugar-Obama Cooperative Threat Reduction
Bill introduced by Obama, Dick Lugar and Tom Coburn November 2005, enacted in 2007: expanded upon the Nunn-Lugar threat reduction (which helped secure weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure in former Soviet Union states). Lugar-Obama expanded this nonproliferation program to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired rockets and land mines. When the bill received $48 million in funding, Obama said, "This funding will further strengthen our ability to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction, enhancing efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism."
The Comprehensive Nuclear Threat Reduction provision
Working with Sen. Hagel and Rep. Adam Schiff, Obama authored this provision (passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill). Requires the president to develop a plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at sites around the world are secure by 2012.
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
Introduced by Obama and Coburn: requires full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds in FY2007. The act passed into law and was signed. It had 43 cosponsors, including John McCain; it created this Web site, which provides information about government-funded programs.
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
Obama worked with Russ Feingold to pass this law, which strengthens the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. The changes: requires public disclosure of lobbying activity and funding, more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills. The House passed it, 411-8, on July 31. The Senate approved it, 83-14, on Aug. 2. Obama called it "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate."
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act
Following Republican-sponsored voter intimidation tactics in mostly black counties in Maryland during the 2006 midterms, Obama worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer to introduce the bill. It has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Obama said it would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act
First federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as primary sponsor. This law states that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the Congo. Following passage, Obama traveled to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad, and spoke forcefully against ethnic rivalries and political corruption in Kenya.
The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill
The Obama-McCain bill, co-sponsored by Joe Lieberman, would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050.
The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act
Introduced by McCain in May 2005, cosponsored by Kennedy. Obama added three amendments. While the bill was never voted on in the Senate, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Acts of 2006 and 2007, respectively, drew heavily upon the wording of this bill.
Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007
Introduced by Obama, this binding act would stop the planned troop increase of 21,500 in Iraq, and would begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008. Obama said it reflects his view that the problems in Iraq do not have a military solution. "...no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war," Obama said.
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