WASHINGTON — If a foreign government is using proxy fighters to target U.S. service members, key members of Congress say they should be notified. In a rare show of bipartisanship, some Florida legislators want to make it the law.
What You Need To Know
- Key members of Congress and some Florida legislators are in favor of a bill would require the Pentagon to brief key lawmakers if there’s a credible threat from a foreign government against U.S. service members
- Military parent Carrie Remis says it can be "pretty scary" when the institutions military families put their faith and trust in appear "dysfunctional"
- Remis believes passing the bill could keep her daughter — and other U.S. military members — out of harm's way
“We talk about the sleepless nights — you worry,” said Carrie Remis, a military parent and the executive director of the Homefront Fidelity Project.
Remis said there are many burdens that come with being a military parent. She constantly thinks of her daughter, who serves in the U.S. Navy.
“So much of being part of the military family community is that you must have faith and trust in the institutions and when they appear dysfunctional, it’s pretty scary,” she said in an interview with Spectrum News.
Remis said she was disturbed by a New York Times report last year that Russian intelligence offered bounties to Taliban fighters for killing American service members. She now leads a group of Florida military families, demanding that the Department of Defense tells Congress when it learns of such threats.
“Each of us need to demand that Congress, and Washington in general, protect the troops,” she said.
U.S. intelligence has struggled to corroborate that specific report out of Afghanistan. Still, lawmakers say they were frustrated they were not briefed about it.
“It is a challenge to receive critical information not directly from our co-equal branch of government, but through the media,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a former national security specialist at the Pentagon.
Murphy, a Democrat who represents Florida’s 7th Congressional District, is teaming up with Republican Rep. Maria Salazar on the new legislation. The bill would require the Pentagon to brief key lawmakers if there’s a credible threat from a foreign government against U.S. service members.
“I think in order for Congress to effectively execute our duties in ensuring there are resources provided to the Department of Defense to protect our service members, we should hear directly from the Secretary of Defense,” Murphy said.
"Whether it’s Russia, Iran or any other country, Congress should be made aware,” she added.
Rep. Brian Mast, (R) Florida 18th District, a veteran who earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, supports the bill’s intent but said the Pentagon should vet any information before passing it on to Congress.
“I do think that you have to be careful about everything that is being alerted to," he said in an interview with Spectrum News. "If there’s a high level of credibility on something happening, it’s worth knowing. You have to let those intelligence agencies sort through it, that’s their job."
As for Remis, she believes passing the bill could ultimately keep her daughter out of harm’s way.
“Congress is part of the civilian oversight of the military, they need information to do that work,” she said. “Transparency is one of the only real tools we have in a democracy, as imperfect as it is.”
The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. The bill has been referred to the House Armed Services Committee.