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

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, in addition to the disparaging of the President, the previous speaker implied that this was about money from defense contractors. Shame on anyone who would say that.

I was a first lieutenant about to be a captain when the war was declared against us 47 years ago. Iran has been at war with us and the world for 47 years.

In 1982, I was a young captain when they killed 220 marines with their bombs and their proxies in Lebanon.

Should we say, in fact, this is not defense of America against a country that every day for 47 years has said that we are the evil ones and must be destroyed? First of all, the right to defend, going back to Thomas Jefferson, has not been a question of the Constitution. It has been an obligation of the President.

To invoke the War Powers Act as though this is not defense and then to imply that there is any purpose other than to recognize that this pervasive threat that has killed Americans and others around the world decade after decade was getting stronger and stronger?

Even though I hear that there was no U.N., no this or that, I have visited Ukraine, where their assembled parts are killing Americans, Russians, Ukrainians, anyone they want because they are an exporter of terror.

The fact is, around the world, we are at war with the country of Iran. In my ancestral country of Lebanon, today, their proxies are firing on Israel in support of their hatred of the little Satan, we being the big Satan.

Am I defending the actions of the President? You betcha. I have defended it for my entire quarter of a century here, regardless of the party.

The only thing I can't defend is the idea that we have placated and empowered Iran time and time again, so that today the job is harder and longer than it otherwise would be.

Lastly, there is no question that if we withdraw or cease at this time, we are saying to the next Ayatollah, the next Supreme Leader, that, in fact, the United States will not see this through. We will be empowering them to spread their terror, to have more American blood on their hands as a result.

Mr. Speaker, I urge ``no'' on this resolution because it is not only unconstitutional, but it is also ill-advised at a time in which we are defending America.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source