Casten Votes for War Powers Resolution
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement after he voted for H. Con. Res. 83, the War Powers Resolution. The resolution would require the President to cease military actions against Iran unless authorized by Congress or in response to an imminent threat. The resolution reasserts Congress' long-established authority by mandating that if no further Congressional action is taken, the Administration's military hostilities with regard to Iran must cease within 30 days.
Last week, Casten issued a statement after the Trump Administration conducted an airstrike at Baghdad International Airport targeting senior Iranian officials, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Qassim Soleimani. Yesterday, Casten attended a classified briefing from Administration officials on the situation.
Casten said, "United States civilians both home and abroad and our brave servicemembers need to have confidence that their government, particularly the Executive Branch, has a clear, comprehensive strategy. President Trump's decision to launch the strike without consulting Congress was reckless and yesterday's classified briefing failed to provide a substantial strategy. Ensuring Congress' constitutional check on the President's war-making power is a safeguard to ensure that we are not sending our armed forces into needless conflicts as well as Americans' confidence that these critically important decisions are on the House Floor in Congress, not in dark rooms at Mar-a-Lago. Unilaterally invoking war is no way to govern and risks the safety of all Americans. That's why I voted for the War Powers Resolution to limit the President's military actions regarding Iran. The American people deserve a complete strategy from this Administration and Congress has a constitutional obligation to ensure this Administration cannot enter a catastrophic conflict with Iran."
###