Carl Levin

Carl Milton Levin, a Democrat, has been a Senator from Michigan since 1979.

Iraq War
Levin voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

Statements and action on the Iraq war
Statements made by Carl Levin:
 * Michigan Senator Carl Levin on the Iraq War: His Views and Policies in Public Statements September 2002 to March 2007 (Part 1: 03/27/07 to 06/02/03)
 * Michigan Senator Carl Levin on the Iraq War: His Views and Policies in Public Statements September 2002 to March 2007 (Part 2: 04/11/03 to 09/04/02)
 * November 13, 2006: "U.S. troops should begin coming home from Iraq in the next four to six months."

Amendment to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq
During the October 2002 debate over the resolution giving President Bush the authority to use military force against Iraq, Levin proposed an amendment (S.AMDT.4862) restricting the president from using force without U.N. authority. In addition, the amendment required the president to again receive authorization from Congress if Iraq defied the provisions of a U.N. resolution. Supporters felt as though doing so would ensure that the U.S. maintained the cooperation of the global community. Opponents believed that the U.S. did not require the permission of other nations to protect itself. The amendment failed 24-75.

Amendment to the FY2007 National Defense Authorization Act
In 2006, Levin sponsored an amendment (S.AMDT.4320) to the FY2007 National Defense Authorization Act. It expressed the “sense of the Senate” that the U.S. should begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq on December 31, 2006, without specifying an end date. Supporters, such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), argued that a new course was needed in Iraq. In addition, they noted that Congress should not simply abide by the president's wishes in matters of war. Opponents, which included every Senate Republican with the exception of Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), argued that the U.S. could not leave Iraq until victory was achieved. The amendment failed 39-60.

Opposition to President Bush's troop "surge"
On January 31, 2007, Levin introduced a bill which was was similar to the resolution he agreed to with Sen. John Warner. Earlier they had compromised on the language for a non-binding resolution that would condemn Bush's plan for a troop "surge." The resolution also contains a statement that vows to "protect funding for the troops." The primary difference was that this bill would call on President Bush to submit a progress report on Iraq to Congress every thirty days until all combat brigades had returned to the U.S. When a cloture vote was taken on the Levin bill, it was blocked by Republicans failed by 49-47 vote.

The Levin-Reed Timeline
Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) proposed an amendment that would start troop withdrawals from 120 days after its passage, to be completed by April 1, 2008. In the interim, troops in Iraq would have their mission shift to training Iraq troops, fighting al-Qaeda, and protecting themselves from attack. Similar legislation had been introduced in the past; the bill's predecessor had been pushed through Congress by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), though it was vetoed by President George W. Bush.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

FY2008 budget
It was revealed in mid-June 2007 that, in the defense authorization bill, Sen. Levin and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) secured more earmarks than any other senators. Of the bill's $5.4 billion worth of earmarks, Clinton received 26 earmarks worth about $148.4 million and Levin received 45 earmarks worth about $210 million.

Reparations for Japanese Latin Americans
Levin cosponsored The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act in the 110th Congress which would establish a commission that would determine the facts and circumstances involving the relocation, internment and deportation of Japanese Latin Americans.

Background
Levin was born June 28, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1956 and from Harvard Law School in 1959. Soon after earning his law degree, he was admitted to the Michigan bar and opened a practice in Detroit, where he still lives.

Levin was state assistant attorney general and general counsel for the Michigan civil rights commission from 1964-1967. He was special assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan and chief appellate defender for the city of Detroit from 1968-69. He was a member of the Detroit City Council 1969-77, the last four years as council president.

Levin's family has long been active in Michigan politics. His older brother, Sandy Levin, has served in the U.S. House since 1983. His uncle, Theodore Levin, was a federal judge. His first cousin, Charles Levin, was a Michigan Supreme Court judge. His first cousin, Joseph Levin, was a candidate for the House.

Senate Career
According to his Senate biography, Levin has earned a reputation as a strong supporter of our national defense and an effective waste fighter....  In 2002, as chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Levin led Congress' most in-depth examination into the collapse of Enron Corporation. Levin also initiated an investigation into gasoline price spikes, and in April 2002 he issued a 400 page report and chaired hearings detailing how U.S. retail gasoline prices are manipulated.

Levin's Whistleblower Protection Act protects federal employees who expose wasteful practices. Levin also helped author the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, which protects individuals and small businesses from IRS harassment. In 1995, he won passage of strict disclosure requirements for lobbyists, the first major overhaul of those laws in 50 years. He has fought for increased funding for the Head Start preschool program, Title I for educationally disadvantaged students, and Pell Grants and loans for college and vocational school students.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
 * Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
 * Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Investigations
 * Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information and International Security
 * Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
 * Senate Committee on Armed Services - Chairman

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * Senate Committee on Armed Services - Ranking Minority Member
 * Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
 * Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia
 * Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management Government Information and International Security
 * Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
 * Subcommittee on Oversight of the Terriorist Surveillance Program
 * Director of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Resources

 * Official website
 * Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
 * Carl Levin of Michigan, Democrat - Incumbent, Endorsed for U.S. Senate by Council for a Livable World.
 * Carl Levin biography, Jewish Virtual Library.
 * See how you compare to Carl Levin

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Michigan Liberal's Senior Senator Section
 * West Michigan Politics
 * Mediamouse.org: Grand Rapids Independent Media

Press Releases

 * 4 October 2002: "Levin Amendement on Iraq - Senator Carl Levin."
 * 13 December 2002: "Levin, Feingold Release DoJ, DoD Letters on Enemy Combatants"; links to response letters posted on web page.
 * 11 June 2003: "Levin Statement on Inquiry into U.S. Intelligence Prior to Iraq War."
 * 16 June 2003: "Levin Statement on CIA's Sharing of Intelligence on WMD with the UN."

Articles

 * Raymond McGovern, "Open Letter to Levin on Robert Gates," Consortiumnews, November 11, 2006. re Robert M. Gates
 * Ben Feller, "Iraq exit strategies under review," Associated Press (Denver Post), November 13, 2006. re Exit Strategy from Iraq and stay the course
 * Ray McGovern, Opinion: "Levin gives Cheney reason to smirk," Detroit Free Press, April 20, 2007.
 * Media Mouse, "West Michigan Representatives and Michigan Senators Vote for Iraq Funding Bill," Mediamouse.org, May 25, 2007.

Congresspedia/SourceWatch Resources

 * 110th United States Congress
 * cooked intelligence