Congress’s Failure to Authorize Iran War by Key Deadline Enables President’s Abuses of Power

In response to President Trump continuing his unauthorized war in Iran and Congress failing to assert its war authority mandated by the 1973 War Powers Resolution, Issue One Founder and CEO Nick Penniman issued the following statement:

“The American people should be deeply concerned by Congress’s failure today. Since the war in Iran started, our country has spent more than $25 billion bombing military and civilian targets in Iran. Fourteen Americans have been killed, and more than 200 have been wounded. More than 3,000 Iranians have died — half of them civilians, and many of them children. The stakes are profound, which is why Congress should be making such decisions, not just one man in the Oval Office. Yet, in defiance of the Constitution, too many in Congress bow to the President. In missing the 60-day deadline to assert constitutional authority, Congress has totally failed in its most fundamental role as the First Branch of government.

“The precedent set today is deeply harmful to American democracy. When the President acting alone becomes normalized, it becomes more difficult to have a government of, by, and for the people. The Founders were very clear that Congress, not the executive, has the final say when it comes to war and peace.

“This can’t go on. Congress must approve all future funding for the war with Iran. Moving forward, Congress has to reassert its power in deciding when and how our country enters war. In order to do that, Congress should update the 1973 War Powers Resolution to reassert constitutional checks and balances to protect future generations of Americans.”