Resolution, to Remove United States Armed Forces From Hostilities with Iran

Floor Speech

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Mr. FINE. Mr. Speaker, I find this debate incredibly disappointing because it is an intellectually bankrupt one.

For 4 years under Joe Biden--I looked it up--he engaged in 500 unique airstrikes. He engaged in some level of operation in 78 countries.

If there was a consistent view that Congress ought to weigh in every single time that force is used, then the argument--that I would still disagree with, but it would at least be an intellectually honest one-- it is not. In this case, it is even worse because I believe that, in proffering these resolutions, the other side extends the war that they say that they want to end.

Mr. Speaker, we may debate in this Chamber, but folks around the world watch what we say, and it is my view that the Iranians would have already surrendered and given up what it is that we want--the ability to create a nuclear weapon and fire it at the United States--if what was being done in this room did not give them hope that we would not have the confidence and the fortitude to see it out.

Every one of these debates and every one of these votes gives them hope that maybe America will choose to stand with them--them, who, for 47 years, have killed Americans all over the world. There have been imminent threats constantly for 47 years. From the hostages who were kept in Iran to the American soldiers who were killed in Iraq, to those Americans who lived in Israel who were targeted by their missiles, to the military members who they have attacked repeatedly over 47 years, it has been one constant imminent attack.

We should vote this down today, and we should stop doing this so that we can say to the Iranian people and the Iranian regime, in clear and unambiguous terms: No Member of this body is okay with you having a nuclear weapon and one that you could use to attack the United States, and until the President gets that job done, we are all going to stand with him.

These resolutions extend the conflict. They do not hasten it, and that is why we need to vote this down and stop doing this.

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