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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 12 March 2020

Congress acts to limit Trump on military action in Iran

By MATTHEW DALY Kaine added. "If President
Associated Press Trump is serious about his
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defy- promise to stop endless
ing a veto threat, Congress wars, he will sign this resolu-
has approved a bipartisan tion into law."
measure to limit President In a statement of admin-
Donald Trump's authority to istration policy, the White
launch military operations House said the resolution
against Iran. should be rejected "be-
The House gave final leg- cause it attempts to hin-
islative approval to the der the president's ability
measure Wednesday, 227- to protect" U.S. diplomats,
186, sending it to Trump. forces, allies and partners,
The president has prom- including Israel, from the
ised to veto the war pow- continued threat posed by
ers resolution, warning that Iran and its proxies, includ-
if his "hands were tied, Iran ing militia groups and for-
would have a field day." eign fighters in Syria.
The resolution, sponsored "Iran has a long history of
by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., attacking United States
declares that Trump must and coalition forces both
win approval from Con- directly and through its
gress before engaging proxies," the White House
in further military action House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., left, and ranking member Rep. said, adding the congres-
against Iran. Kaine and oth- Michael McCaul, R-Texas, talk during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, sional resolution could hin-
Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies.
er supporters say the mea- Associated Press der Trump's ability to pro-
sure is not about Trump or tect U.S. forces and inter-
even the presidency, but told House members dur- tions on U.S. involvement vent the president from de- ests in the region.
instead is an important re- ing floor debate Wednes- with the Saudi-led war in fending the United States "This joint resolution is un-
assertion of congressional day. "It's our responsibility to Yemen last year after U.S.- against imminent attack,'' timely and misguided. Its
power to declare war. do something, because we based journalist Jamal but instead "demands that adoption by Congress
Six Republicans joined 220 know the tensions could Khashoggi was killed in a the decision of whether or could undermine the abil-
Democrats and indepen- flare up again at a mo- gruesome murder at Saudi not we go on offense and ity of the United States to
dent Rep. Justin Amash of ment's notice. Iran has not Arabia's consulate in Tur- send our troops into harm's protect American citizens
Michigan to support the been deterred as the ad- key. way should only be made whom Iran continues to
measure. Six Democrats ministration promised.'' Trump promptly vetoed after serious deliberation seek to harm,'' the White
and 180 Republicans op- Texas Rep. Michael Mc- that measure. and a vote of Congress,'' House said. q
posed it. In the Senate last Caul, the top Republican The Democratic-controlled
month, eight Republicans on the Foreign Affairs Com- House passed a sepa-
backed the resolution. mittee, called the war pow- rate, nonbinding resolution
The resolution "sends a clear ers measure "divisive and ir- on Iran in January, a few
message that the Ameri- responsible" and based on weeks before the Senate
can people don't want war a false premise. approved Kaine's resolu-
with Iran and that Congress "It orders the president to tion. Two-thirds votes in the
has not authorized war with terminate hostilities against House and the GOP-run
Iran,'' said Rep. Eliot Engel, Iran. The problem is, for the Senate would be needed
D-N.Y., chairman of the other side, we are not en- to override an expected
House Foreign Affairs Com- gaged in hostilities in Iran,'' Trump veto.
mittee. McCaul said. Kaine hailed the House
While tensions with Iran If the U.S. military launches vote.
have abated since a U.S. strikes in Iran, "I believe that "For years, Congress has
drone strike that killed Iran's the president would need abdicated its responsibil-
top general in early Janu- to come before this body ity on matters of war, but
ary, the resolution clarify- to ask for a new authoriza- now a bipartisan majority in
ing Congress' power to de- tion" for the use of force, both the Senate and House
clare war is still important, McCaul said. "But that is has made clear that we
Engel said. not what we are facing.'' shouldn't be engaged in
"Congress doesn't have The House vote marked a hostilities with Iran without a
to wait until the president rare exertion of authority vote of Congress,'' he said
alone decides to use mili- from Congress, which also in a statement.
tary force again,'' Engel moved to impose restric- The legislation "doesn't pre-