Rep. Panetta, Democratic Veterans, Colleagues Introduce No Funds for Iran War Act

Monterey, CA - United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined the Ranking Members of the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence Committees, and other Democratic veteran colleagues, including Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18), to introduce a bill to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for military action against Iran.

The introduction comes after nine weeks of hostilities conducted without Congressional approval, costing at least $25 billion and causing the deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers. The President's war of choice has inflicted pain on working-class families, including through the rising costs of gas.

The No Funds for Iran War Act would prohibit the use of additional taxpayer funds for military action against Iran in the absence of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) or official declaration of war from Congress.

"This Administration's war of choice in Iran cost American lives and billions of American dollars, and continues to raise costs for working families all across America," said Rep. Panetta. "Without a coherent strategy, the consent of Congress, or the consensus of the American people, the conflict needs to be contained by Congress before it grows into a broader, prolonged war. This legislation would help by prohibiting the use of additional taxpayer funds for the war barring congressional approval, and allow Congress to take back its constitutional authority to protect our service members and lower costs for all Americans."

"The American people have been clear from the beginning: they want lower costs and no more forever wars. The Trump administration has spent nine weeks conducting an illegal war in Iran that has done the exact opposite - and every American is paying the price," said Rep. Ryan. "Their recklessness has killed 13 brave servicemembers, wounded hundreds more, cost at least $25 billion in taxpayer money, and sent gas prices skyrocketing here at home. Since Day 1, there has been no strategy or endgame. Not a single dollar more on this ill-conceived war."

"Trump's war of choice has achieved none of the administration's stated objectives and has surpassed the president's initial stated timeline of the conflict, which was supposed to last only a few weeks. Now that the president is moving the goal posts and twisting the 60-day requirements of the War Powers Act, Congress must take action. It is time for it to exercise its constitutional power of the purse," said Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee.

"Trump's Iran war was never authorized by Congress, and no funds appropriated by Congress should be spent on this illegal conflict," said Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "The American people don't want this administration spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a new forever war in the Middle East that is already driving up the costs of everything from gas to groceries. I thank Rep. Ryan for his leadership introducing this bill."

"Donald Trump believes he can continue to wage an unconstitutional war at the expense of American taxpayers, but at the end of the day Congress still holds the purse strings and will be the final authority on our long-term military action overseas," said Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. "I know that my Republican colleagues are hearing, as I am, from their constituents who are seeing their gas and grocery prices rise by the week, and I hope that they will join us in limiting this illegal spending, restoring Congress' constitutional authority to declare war and refocusing on delivering lower prices for the American people."

In addition to Rep. Panetta, the legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Smith, Meeks, and Himes and Rep. Panetta's fellow Democratic veteran Representatives Ted Lieu (CA-36), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Jason Crow (CO-06), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Derek Tran (CA-45), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Herb Conaway (NJ-03), Mike Thompson (CA-04), and Bobby Scott (VA-03).

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