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
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Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership, service, and sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 38 which would limit the President's ability to protect the American people from Iran's terrorist regime. I believe that this resolution--and maybe misunderstood--sends a troubling message to our troops and a perhaps interpreted welcome message to our enemy.
The War Powers Act is very clear. Enacted in 1973, it requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces, and the President has 60 days before he must seek congressional approval.
President Trump has clearly acted within the provisions of the War Powers Act. President Obama, on the other hand, used these authorities to launch operations in Libya for over 7 months, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. President Biden invoked the same authorities for strikes against threats in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Yet no resolution to limit those Presidents was brought up in this House by our colleagues.
As Secretary Rubio said, and he described in great detail, there was an imminent threat upon the United States and our allies from Iran.
Speaker Johnson also warned: The idea that Congress would now take away the ability of the Commander in Chief is dangerous and is a threat to the safety of the United States of America.
We must remember whom we are dealing with. We are dealing with Iran, which has been a terrorist state for 47 years. Its proxies range from Hezbollah to Hamas to the Houthis, and the list goes on. Directly and through these proxies, Iran has maimed and killed thousands of Americans. They orchestrated the massacre in Israel on October 7. We know this.
They are, in fact, doing their utmost to continue enriching uranium to make it weapons grade. According to Special Envoy Witkoff, just the other day, the Iranian negotiators opened negotiations by bragging about presently controlling 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, enough weapons-grade material for 11 bombs within 4 to 6 weeks.
Because of this regime's reign of terror, their own civilians rose up and protested, Mr. Speaker. Over the last 2 months, there are reports that as many as 90,000 Iranian civilians were murdered.
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Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, President Trump has strategically developed regional trust throughout the Middle East. This is why we have a strong coalition in this region to confront this threat. Today, Iran is an island thanks to the strategy of the Trump administration.
The Iran of the past, one that oppresses and commits terrorism and all kinds of atrocities on its own people and the world, is history.
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