REP LIEU STATEMENT ON VOTING YES FOR THE WAR POWERS RESOLUTION

WASHINGTON -Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.Con.Res. 38 - Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

"Our brave service members are executing dangerous missions against the Iranian regime. At least six U.S. servicemembers have been killed and many more seriously wounded. My prayers are for the families of the servicemembers who died, for the servicemembers who were seriously wounded, and for all servicemembers who are in harms' way. The Administration must ensure our servicemembers, and all Americans, are safe from retaliatory attacks by the Iranian regime and its proxies.

"The Iranian regime is a murderous regime that brutally kills its own people, funds terrorist organizations, and repeatedly states its goal is to destroy the United States and Israel. The Iranian regime can never get nuclear weapons. A world with fewer nuclear weapons is also a safer one for everyone. The autocratic and theocratic Iranian regime-if it had nuclear weapons-could launch those weapons of mass destruction at U.S. military bases, other U.S. interests, and allied countries such as Israel. Preventing the Iranian regime from getting nuclear weapons has been a longstanding, bipartisan goal.

"While I strongly support the goal of preventing the Iranian regime from ever getting nuclear weapons, I believe massive and sustained military strikes ordered by the President on Iran needed congressional authorization. I served on active duty in the United States Air Force. I also taught the Law of Armed Conflict. From my first term in Congress until the present, I have consistently believed the Constitution means what it says: only Congress has the power to declare war. I publicly stated at the time that President Obama needed congressional authorization before conducting even limited strikes against Syria. My position that only Congress has the power to declare war has remained the same regardless of which party the President happens to belong to.

"To the extent the Administration entered this war for goals beyond eliminating Iran's nuclear capabilities, then the actions by the President are even more unconstitutional because any self-defense argument becomes even more attenuated. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead. The world is a better place without the evil that he personified. We all yearn for a free and democratic Iran. The Administration, however, has alternated between suggesting this war is about regime change, and then suggesting it is not about regime change.

"The Administration made no attempt to make the case for war to the American people and Congress prior to entering this war with Iran and did not seek an Authorization for the Use of Military Force. War is deadly, expensive and can have unintended effects. It is not something you announce on Truth Social and manage while hosting parties at Mar-A-Lago. The President disrespected the American people and violated the Constitution by making no meaningful effort to explain the rationale for this war with Iran or seek congressional authorization.

"Even now, the Administration has failed to address meaningfully many basic questions, such as how the Administration intends to protect Americans and our service members from Iran's retaliatory attacks, what the Administration's exit strategy is, and what are the actual goals of this war with Iran.

"The Framers put in the greatest power they knew at the time-the power to declare war-under the sole authority of Congress. One reason is because forcing the President to make the case to the American people and Congress makes America safer and our war planning better. Had the President followed the Constitution and come before Congress, then Congress and the American people could have asked:

1. How does the Administration plan to protect Americans in danger in the Middle East? What are the evacuation plans?
2. How does the Administration plan to protect the multiple soft targets within range of Iran's missiles and drones, such as our embassies and consulates?
3. How does the Administration plan to protect our military bases from being hit?
4. How does the Administration plan to have enough munitions to conduct this war without putting at risk other U.S. interests around the world?
5. How does the Administration plan to ensure the future regime in Iran is not the same as or even worse than the current regime?
6. What is the definition of victory?

"Based on the above reasons, I honored my oath to the Constitution and voted YES on the War Powers Resolution. For the Administration to continue this war, it must answer basic questions to the American people and Congress, make the case for war, and submit an Authorization for the Use of Military Force for congressional approval."

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