Just Foreign Policy
50 signatures reached
To: Congress, President Obama
Pass the Drone Strike Transparency Bill
Petition Text
Members of the House should cosponsor, vote for and publicly support H.R.4372, the bipartisan Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act introduced by Democrat Adam Schiff and Republican Walter Jones. Senators should introduce and co-sponsor companion legislation in the Senate. President Obama should publicly support this legislation.
Why is this important?
There's been a huge discrepancy between what the government has publicly said about who has been killed by U.S. drone strikes - in particular, how many civilians have been killed - and the record of independent reporting. Because of the secrecy of the program, there's been little accountability for this discrepancy.
Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) have now introduced legislation (1) – the Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act – to require an annual report on the number of combatants and civilians killed or injured annually by U.S. drone strikes. The requirement is retroactive for five years. It also requires that the report include the definitions of combatants and civilian noncombatants used. (2)
The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act has been endorsed by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. (3)
References:
1. “H.R.4372 - To require the President to make publicly available an annual report on the use of targeted lethal force by remotely-piloted aircraft,”
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4372/
2. “Reps. Adam Schiff and Walter Jones Introduce Bipartisan Bill Requiring Annual Reporting on Drone Casualties,” April 2, 2014,
http://schiff.house.gov/press-releases/reps-adam-schiff-and-walter-jones-introduce-bipartisan-bill-requiring-annual-reporting-on-drone-casualties/
3. “Joint Statement in Support of The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act,” April 2, 2014, http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/news-item/joint-statement-in-support-of-the-targeted-lethal-force-transparency-act
Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) have now introduced legislation (1) – the Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act – to require an annual report on the number of combatants and civilians killed or injured annually by U.S. drone strikes. The requirement is retroactive for five years. It also requires that the report include the definitions of combatants and civilian noncombatants used. (2)
The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act has been endorsed by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. (3)
References:
1. “H.R.4372 - To require the President to make publicly available an annual report on the use of targeted lethal force by remotely-piloted aircraft,”
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4372/
2. “Reps. Adam Schiff and Walter Jones Introduce Bipartisan Bill Requiring Annual Reporting on Drone Casualties,” April 2, 2014,
http://schiff.house.gov/press-releases/reps-adam-schiff-and-walter-jones-introduce-bipartisan-bill-requiring-annual-reporting-on-drone-casualties/
3. “Joint Statement in Support of The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act,” April 2, 2014, http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/news-item/joint-statement-in-support-of-the-targeted-lethal-force-transparency-act