Identifying those in Congress who Opposed the Hoekstra Amendment on "Terror Lexicon"

How could any member of the House vote to prohibit the use of words such as “Jihad,” “jihadist,” “Islamist,” “mujahadeen,” “caliphate,” etc by our intelligence agencies? In Fact, How could any member of the U.S. Congress support censorship and restrict speech???

For those who are unfamiliar with Hoekstra Amendment here’s a bit of background. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich who voted in favor of voted in favor of the Fiscal Year 2009 Intelligence Authorization added an amendment that strengthened the bill by prohibiting the intelligence community from adopting speech codes that prevent accurately describing the radical jihadist terrorists that attacked America and continue to threaten the homeland.

as Jeffrey Imm of The Counterterrorism Blog wrote:

Hoekstra’s amendment condemned efforts by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), and the State Department to recommend a “terror lexicon” that prohibits use of words such as “Jihad,” “jihadist,” “Islamist,” “mujahadeen,” “caliphate,” etc. In this amendment, Congressman Hoekstra called for the House of Representatives to prohibit the use of intelligence funding in support of such “terror lexicon” efforts. The House Intelligence Committee voted against this amendment, and over 900 people signed a petition condemning the actions of the House Intelligence Committee that was sent to members who voted against the amendment.

Hoekstra, himself, said on the House floor:

“Al Qaeda itself uses these terms to describe its fight against America, our allies, and moderate Muslims around the world. Why then would we prohibit our intelligence professionals from using the same words to accurately describe al Qaeda’s stated goals?”

“Yet that is exactly what some in Washington are attempting to do. I was dismayed to learn that over the past few months, intelligence bureaucrats at the State Department, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Department of Homeland Security have issued memos imposing speech codes on how their employees can describe al Qaeda and other radical jihadist groups. They won’t even be able to use the words these groups use themselves to describe themselves. These agencies within the intelligence community won’t be able to use those words.”

“Mr. Chairman, free speech should not be controversial, nor should candid, accurate, and fair discussion of the self-professed goals of the terrorists that attack our homeland and have sworn to kill more Americans.”

Although the amendment passed by the margin of 249-180 with 10 abstentions I thinks is important, as does Jeffrey Imm, to point out who was against the Hoekstra amendment and call on those House Representatives to explain their vote!

House of Representatives’ Members Voting Against Hoekstra Amendment:

Rep. Neil Abercrombie [D, HI-1]
Rep. Jason Altmire [D, PA-4]
Rep. Robert Andrews [D, NJ-1]
Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]
Rep. Brian Baird [D, WA-3]
Rep. Tammy Baldwin [D, WI-2]
Rep. John Barrow [D, GA-12]
Rep. Xavier Becerra [D, CA-31]
Rep. Howard Berman [D, CA-28]
Rep. Robert Berry [D, AR-1]
Rep. Sanford Bishop [D, GA-2]
Rep. Timothy Bishop [D, NY-1]
Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
Rep. Madeleine Bordallo [D, GU-0]
Rep. F. Allen Boyd [D, FL-2]
Rep. Nancy Boyda [D, KS-2]
Rep. Robert Brady [D, PA-1]
Rep. Bruce Braley [D, IA-1]
Rep. Corrine Brown [D, FL-3]
Rep. George Butterfield [D, NC-1]
Rep. Lois Capps [D, CA-23]
Rep. Michael Capuano [D, MA-8]
Rep. Russ Carnahan [D, MO-3]
Rep. Andre Carson [D, IN-7]
Rep. Kathy Castor [D, FL-11]
Rep. Donna Christensen [D, VI-0]
Rep. Yvette Clarke [D, NY-11]
Rep. William Clay [D, MO-1]
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D, MO-5]
Rep. James Clyburn [D, SC-6]
Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]
Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-14]
Rep. Jim Cooper [D, TN-5]

Rep. Joe Courtney [D, CT-2]
Rep. Robert Cramer [D, AL-5]
Rep. Joseph Crowley [D, NY-7]
Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
Rep. Susan Davis [D, CA-53]
Rep. Peter DeFazio [D, OR-4]
Rep. Diana DeGette [D, CO-1]
Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D, CT-3]
Rep. Norman Dicks [D, WA-6]
Rep. John Dingell [D, MI-15]
Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D, TX-25]
Rep. Michael Doyle [D, PA-14]
Rep. Donna F. Edwards [D, MD-4]
Rep. Thomas (Chet) Edwards [D, TX-17]
Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]
Rep. Rahm Emanuel [D, IL-5]
Rep. Anna Eshoo [D, CA-14]
Rep. Bob Etheridge [D, NC-2]
Rep. Eni Faleomavaega [D, AS-0]
Rep. Sam Farr [D, CA-17]
Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]
Rep. Barney Frank [D, MA-4]
Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D, TX-20]
Rep. Raymond (Gene) Green [D, TX-29]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
Rep. Luis Gutierrez [D, IL-4]
Rep. John Hall [D, NY-19]
Rep. Phil Hare [D, IL-17]
Rep. Jane Harman [D, CA-36]
Rep. Alcee Hastings [D, FL-23]
Rep. Brian Higgins [D, NY-27]
Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa [D, TX-15]
Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
Rep. Paul Hodes [D, NH-2]
Rep. Rush Holt [D, NJ-12]
Rep. Michael Honda [D, CA-15]
Rep. Darlene Hooley [D, OR-5]
Rep. Steny Hoyer [D, MD-5]
Rep. Jay Inslee [D, WA-1]
Rep. Jesse Jackson [D, IL-2]
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
Rep. William Jefferson [D, LA-2]
Rep. Henry Johnson [D, GA-4]
Rep. Stephanie Jones [D, OH-11]
Rep. Paul Kanjorski [D, PA-11]
Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D, RI-1]
Rep. Dale Kildee [D, MI-5]
Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick [D, MI-13]
Rep. Ronald Kind [D, WI-3]
Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D, OH-10]
Rep. Ray LaHood [R, IL-18]
Rep. James Langevin [D, RI-2]
Rep. Rick Larsen [D, WA-2]
Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
Rep. Sander Levin [D, MI-12]
Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
Rep. Daniel Lipinski [D, IL-3]
Rep. David Loebsack [D, IA-2]
Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D, CA-16]
Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]
Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]
Rep. Edward Markey [D, MA-7]
Rep. Doris Matsui [D, CA-5]
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D, NY-4]
Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
Rep. Kendrick Meek [D, FL-17]
Rep. Gregory Meeks [D, NY-6]
Rep. George Miller [D, CA-7]
Rep. R. Bradley Miller [D, NC-13]
Rep. Alan Mollohan [D, WV-1]
Rep. Dennis Moore [D, KS-3]
Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
Rep. James Moran [D, VA-8]
Rep. Christopher Murphy [D, CT-5]
Rep. Patrick Murphy [D, PA-8]
Rep. John Murtha [D, PA-12]
Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D, NY-8]
Rep. Grace Napolitano [D, CA-38]
Rep. Richard Neal [D, MA-2]
Rep. James Oberstar [D, MN-8]
Rep. David Obey [D, WI-7]
Rep. John Olver [D, MA-1]
Rep. Solomon Ortiz [D, TX-27]
Rep. Frank Pallone [D, NJ-6]
Rep. William Pascrell [D, NJ-8]
Rep. Edward Pastor [D, AZ-4]
Rep. Ronald Paul [R, TX-14]
Rep. Donald Payne [D, NJ-10]
Rep. Collin Peterson [D, MN-7]
Rep. Earl Pomeroy [D, ND-0]
Rep. David Price [D, NC-4]
Rep. Nick Rahall [D, WV-3] Rep. Charles Rangel [D, NY-15]
Rep. Silvestre Reyes [D, TX-16]
Rep. Laura Richardson [D, CA-37]
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez [D, TX-23]
Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]
Rep. Steven Rothman [D, NJ-9]
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D, CA-34]
Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger [D, MD-2]
Rep. Timothy Ryan [D, OH-17]
Rep. John Salazar [D, CO-3]
Rep. Linda Sanchez [D, CA-39]
Rep. Loretta Sanchez [D, CA-47]
Rep. John Sarbanes [D, MD-3]
Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
Rep. Adam Schiff [D, CA-29]
Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D, PA-13]
Rep. David Scott [D, GA-13]
Rep. Robert (Bobby) Scott [D, VA-3]
Rep. Jose Serrano [D, NY-16]
Rep. Joe Sestak [D, PA-7]
Rep. Albio Sires [D, NJ-13]
Rep. Ike Skelton [D, MO-4]
Rep. Louise Slaughter [D, NY-28]
Rep. Adam Smith [D, WA-9]
Rep. Victor Snyder [D, AR-2]
Rep. Hilda Solis [D, CA-32]
Rep. Jackie Speier [D, CA-12]
Rep. John Spratt [D, SC-5]
Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
Rep. Ellen Tauscher [D, CA-10]
Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS-2]
Rep. C. Michael Thompson [D, CA-1]
Rep. John Tierney [D, MA-6]
Rep. Edolphus Towns [D, NY-10]
Rep. Niki Tsongas [D, MA-5]
Rep. Tom Udall [D, NM-3]
Rep. Christopher Van Hollen [D, MD-8]
Rep. Nydia Velazquez [D, NY-12]
Rep. Peter Visclosky [D, IN-1]
Rep. Timothy Walz [D, MN-1]
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D, FL-20]
Rep. Maxine Waters [D, CA-35]
Rep. Melvin Watt [D, NC-12]
Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
Rep. Peter Welch [D, VT-0]
Rep. Robert Wexler [D, FL-19]
Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]
Rep. David Wu [D, OR-1]
Rep. John Yarmuth [D, KY-3]

House of Representatives Members Abstaining from Voting on Hoekstra Amendment:

Rep. Leonard Boswell [D, IA-3]
Rep. William Delahunt [D, MA-10]
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson [R, MO-8]
Rep. Luis Fortuno [R, PR-0]
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest [R, MD-1]
Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]
Rep. Eddie Johnson [D, TX-30]
Rep. Frank Lucas [R, OK-3]
Rep. Eleanor Norton [D, DC-0]
Rep. Bobby Rush [D, IL-1]