November 8, 2007 (LPAC)--Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowski (D-IL), Bob Filner (D-CA), Tom Allen (D-ME), Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced the "Stop Outsourcing Security (S.O.S.) Act." The bill will phase-out the imperial private armies, like Blackwater, wherever Congress has authorized the use of force, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Our bill would essentially put private security contractors out of business in Iraq, Afghanistan and in war zones around the world," said Rep. Schakowsky.

The S.O.S. Act calls for a phase-out of diplomatic security within 6 months of enactment of the bill and a full phase-out of all private security contractors by January 1, 2009 everywhere that Congress has authorized the use of force.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has also introduced a companion bill in the Senate to the "Stop Outsourcing Security Act." Sen. Sanders said, "To my mind, it is wrong and unacceptable for companies like Blackwater to operate outside the chain of command of the United States military and United States government in Iraq."