House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Sunday the House will vote on a War Powers Resolution to limit the president's military actions against Iran. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI |
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Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Days after U.S. President Donald Trump directed the military to kill a top Iranian military official in an airstrike, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House will vote on a resolution to "limit the president's military actions regarding Iran."
In a letter Sunday night to Democratic lawmakers, Pelosi, D-Calif., announced that the House will vote on a War Powers Resolution that reasserts "Congress's long-established oversight responsibilities by mandating that if no further congressional action is taken, the administration's military hostilities with regard to Iran cease within 30 days."
Pelosi said it is similar to one Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., submitted to the Senate on Friday to force a debate and vote in Congress to halt further escalation between Iran and the United States.
The resolution will be led by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA and Department of Defense analyst who has served multiple tours under both Democratic and Republican administrations, Pelosi said.
Pelosi's letter follows Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., announcing a War Powers Resolution earlier Sunday to direct the removal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran that were not approved by Congress.
On Friday, the U.S. military killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike, skyrocketing tensions between the two adversaries and prompting the United States to send thousands of more troops to the Middle East.
The attack, however, was met with staunch criticism from Democrats as the plan was not discussed with members of Congressional prior to its execution.
Omar called the killing of Soleimani "an act of war undertaken without congressional authorization."
"We in Congress must exercise our constitutional duty -- and do everything in our power to stop another disastrous war," she said.
The resolution underscores that Congress has the sole power to declare war as stated in the Constitution and requires that any hostilities with Iran be explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force.
The lawmakers said the resolution was a companion to the one authored by Kaine.
"It is past time for Congress to reassert our constitutional authority and return to diplomacy with Iran and our allies," Lee said.
