I write to urge prioritizing the reform of outdated and dangerous acts such as the Insurrection Act, a relic of the post-Civil War era that was intended to enforce federal authority over the states. This act grants the President sweeping emergency powers to deploy active-duty military forces within the United States, circumventing the Posse Comitatus Act's restrictions on using the military for domestic law enforcement. In our current political climate, these expansive presidential authorities pose a risk to civil liberties and democratic norms. While originally conceived to suppress the Ku Klux Klan and enforce Reconstruction policies in the former Confederacy, the Insurrection Act's vague language leaves it vulnerable to abuse and misuse by any administration. Recent events have demonstrated how this outdated law could enable the federal militarization of local protests and the suppression of dissent under the guise of restoring order. This represents an unacceptable infringement on First Amendment rights and a threat to the peaceful transfer of power that undergirds American democracy. It is imperative that we update the Insurrection Act through legislation to rein in its excessively broad reach and implement robust oversight mechanisms. No president should wield such unchecked authority to deploy troops against U.S. citizens without explicit Congressional approval or in the absence of an actual insurrection. Preserving the integrity of our institutions demands bringing this archaic law into the 21st century. I implore you to champion common-sense reforms that permanently remove the Insurrection Act as a tool for oppression.
