Quartering Reform Still Faces Uphill Congressional Battle

WASHINGTON- Debate on reforming the government’s ability to quarter soldiers in private homes still faces stiff resistance from many Congressional leaders.

Prominent Republican congressmen have sponsored the bill, called the Quartering Reform and Military Readiness Act, which calls for allowing active duty troops to be housed in ordinary citizens’ homes, with or without the owner’s consent, near military bases across America. The proposal is seen by critics as a violation of the Third Amendment of the Bill of Rights, which states, “No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”

Yet Republicans, such as Representative and House Majority leader Eric Cantor, have given a few reasons why “sometimes we must do what’s necessary to keep America safe. As a nation still at war in Afghanistan, our resources are stretched at home. Troops need a more comfortable place to stay, such as someone else’s home, to keep up morale.” Congressman Paul Ryan pointed out that having soldiers’ living expenses paid for by ordinary citizens could “contribute to our mission of making smaller government, one that does not need to waste money on frivolous things like the well-being if its fighting force”.

Most of all however, the proposal specifically cites the Patriot Act and Guantanamo Bay as examples of slightly bending the rules in order to “keep America secure”. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, when asked directly if he was concerned about violating the Third Amendment, replied, “Not at all, why should we be? After 9/11, we still respected the Fourth Amendment’s restrictions against search and seizure, but the Patriot Act was necessary to protect our freedom. And yes, other amendments may say something about due process and cruel and unusual punishment, but we still believed in opening Guantanamo Bay to hold suspects without trial.” McConnell continued, “I mean look, the Constitution is over 200 years old. Our founding fathers did not have to fight a modern war on terror.”

Senator Lindsey Graham added, “Don’t forget, the quartered soldiers will be armed. That’ll help make sure citizens have a gun in their home, so that they can strictly follow the Second Amendment.”

                                                                                                  -by Mike Vandenberg