GovernmentExecutive.com

House Armed Services Committee ranking member Ike Skelton, D-Mo., wrote President Bush Wednesday seeking clarification of Bush's comment in his nationally televised speech last week that the armed forces should have a "broader role" in future domestic emergencies.

The statement has stirred some confusion on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have been uncertain whether it signals administration support of revising the 1878 Posse Comitatus law, which prohibits the military from performing domestic law enforcement missions.

"Either you intend to alter the means by which the Posse Comitatus Act is waived, possibly allowing the federalization of disaster response to occur more expeditiously, or you intend to press for a rewriting of this law or others," Skelton wrote.

"My question to you is whether efforts are under way to put your words into action."

Skelton also pressed the president on what policy changes, if any, he wants to make to expand domestic roles for military forces.

In addition, he asked what direction the Defense Department has received since the speech, which laid out the administration initiatives in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

COMMENTS

• I think it is very clear that this President wants to rewrite any laws that stand in the way of the federal government taking over anything it wants to. the public will agree to that power because of the incompetence of the state and local governments that has evolved because the federal government has moved into every area of our lives - an we asked for it! Why is the federal government involved in standards for education that is the realm of the state and local governments? Why is there revenue sharing between the federal govt and the state and local govts? Why is there a national housing program at the federal level? Why does Congress continue to allow the Federal Reserve system to determine economic activity levels and unemployment? Why does the Federal Reserve Board continue to be made up of unelected representative that decide if we are employeed or not and how much we pay for credit? Why is there an energy department that basically does nothing? Why do we continue to subsidize the hell out of small inefficient farmers? No one in Congress worries about the life style of auto workers, plumbers, steamfitters or anyone else but God bless the family farm! taxpayer Posted September 23, 2005 7:01 AM