Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War

 In Congress, Iran, War

Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement:

“It’s about time that Congress reclaim its constitutional decision to go to war.  The bill passed in the Senate with the leadership of Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Rand Paul (R-KY) makes clear that any president, especially President Trump, must come to Congress before going to war with Iran and stop any unauthorized military activities.

“The assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and aborted airstrikes by the Trump administration in the last several months brought America to the brink of war.  The failed policy of maximum provocation towards Iran keeps the U.S. on the precipice of another blunderous war of choice in the Middle East.

“President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the successful Iran nuclear agreement, which blocked all the pathways to a nuclear weapons and imposition of crippling sanctions on Iran, created high tensions and slammed the door on diplomacy.  We need conversations not a catastrophe.”

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  •  The bill used the War Powers Act to force a vote that would have been blocked by Majority Leader McConnell.
  • The House passed on a bipartisan basis Representative Ro Khanna’s (D-CA) bill to stop funding for an Iran war and Representative Barbara Lee’s bill to repeal the 2002 Authorization of Use of Military Force (AUMF) on Iraq.
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