NDAA violates the Constitution

On Dec. 15, the U.S. Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 86-13. This bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on the previous day by a vote of 283-136.

There are a number of issues regarding the NDAA. Employing vague language, sections 1021 and 1022 of the NDAA authorize and codify the indefinite imprisonment of American citizens by the president through military force without trial. The Patriot Act effectively erased the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (safeguard against unreasonable search and seizure). The NDAA amply disposes of the Fifth Amendment (right to due process) and the Sixth Amendment (right to trial by jury).

However, my biggest concern is that Congress continues to pass legislation that violates the supposed supreme law of the land: the U.S. Constitution. This verifies a complete disregard of that document, incompetence or a combination of the two.

Ironically the only thing preventing the NDAA from going into effect is the veto of a president who has claimed the authority to execute American citizens on his order.

For the record, both U.S. senators from Missouri, Claire McCaskill (D) and Roy Blunt (R), and the U.S. representative from Missouri's 8th Congressional District, Jo Ann Emerson (R), voted for the NDAA.

RICK VANDEVEN, Chaffee, Mo.