Bernie Sanders And Ro Khanna Introduce Bill That Will Block Funding For War With Iran Without Congress
As congressional Democrats continue to pile on the criticism over President Donald Trump‘s decision to authorize a drone strike that killed Iran’s top military commander, General Qassem Soleimani, several of them are taking action in an effort to prevent further military action without running it through Congress first.
According to The Hill, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna introduced legislation on Friday that would essentially block any funding for military offensives against Iran without the express authorization from Congress.
The two progressive lawmakers issued a statement on Friday concerning the outlook on the future of conflict with Iran, adding that another Middle East war is the last thing with which America needs to be involved.
“Today, we are seeing a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East,” the two said in a joint statement. “A war with Iran could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world.”
The bill, which would require Congress to approve any funding for military actions against Iran, was actually brought to light last year and passed by the Democrat-controlled House. However, the bill lost its legs when it was scrubbed from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which went into effect in December.
I am introducing a bill with Rep. Khanna to stop Donald Trump from illegally taking us to war against Iran.
It's working-class kids who will have to fight and die in a disastrous new Middle East conflict—not the children of billionaires. https://t.co/H6ZHjijCnj
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 4, 2020
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also joined in on criticizing Trump’s surprise kill mission, adding that the American people will also need to decide on whether or not to pursue further military action against Iran.
“The president does not have the authority for a war with Iran,” Schumer said. “If he plans a large increase in troops and potential hostility over a longer time, the administration will require congressional approval and the approval of the American people.”
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee, introduced a war powers resolution on Friday that was aimed at making sure any further military action against Iran would be debated by Congress as a first step.
If Kaine’s measure passes, it would limit the president’s authority, however, Trump can still act alone if the United States is under imminent military threat. Passing of the bill would require a successful vote in the House, the Senate, and ultimately a signature from the president.
Kaine echoed Sanders’ and Khanna’s concern that the U.S. should proceed with extreme caution before entering into another Middle East conflict and he added a special emphasis on thinking about the well-being of U.S. troops if such a scenario were to happen.
