Neal Statement on War Powers Resolution Votes

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement after voting in favor of both H.Con.Res. 61 - Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with presidentially designated terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere, and H.Con.Res. 64 - To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress.

"The military actions we have witnessed from this administration over the course of the last several months fly directly in the face of Congress's war powers under Article I of the Constitution. Congress was not briefed on military operations in the Caribbean for months, has not authorized any of these strikes, and has not been provided with a clear military objective.

"The President's dangerous expansion and abuse of presidential authority risks dragging us into another endless war, one that the American people do not want. That is precisely why our Founders entrusted Congress with the constitutional authority to decide matters of war, not the President.

"The President has not sought an Authorization for Use of Military Force for these particular actions. As a coequal branch of government, it is incumbent upon Congress to rein in this overreach, assert its constitutional role, and reaffirm that decisions of war rest with the people's representative, not unilateral executive action."

The bill text for H.Con.Res. 61 can be found here.

The bill text for H.Con.Res. 64 can be found here.

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