Engel Leads House Effort to Stop Military Force against Iran

Press Release

Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today led debate in the House of Representatives on legislation to stop the Trump Administration from plunging us into war with Iran. The House voted to approve the measure making it clear that Congress has authorized no such military action and the President is prohibited from attacking Iran without congressional authorization. The resolution will now head to the President's desk.

"It's important that Congress stand up for itself--but more important that Congress stand up for its constitutional authorities--and make it clear that we don't want war with Iran, and we haven't authorized war with Iran. Advancing this measure would be the right thing to do under any circumstances, but it's especially important in the face of an administration that again and again tries to brush Congress aside as though we're an annoyance rather than a constitutionally coequal branch of government," said Chairman Engel on the House floor.

The legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 68, directs the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against Iran. It underscores that Congress has not declared war on or authorized military force against Iran. It states that the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force against the perpetrators of the 9/11 attack and the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 do not authorize the use of force against Iran.

The resolution also emphasizes that the President has the constitutional responsibility to take actions to defend the United States and states clearly that it would not prevent the United States from defending itself from imminent attack.

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