A prominent Democratic senator has introduced a bill to require US President Donald Trump to seek authorization from Congress before ordering military strikes against Iran. The measure, put forward by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, comes amid growing calls by pro-Israel groups for the US to join the Israeli bombing campaign against Iran.
“I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict,” Kaine said in a statement. “The American people have no interest in sending service-members to fight another forever war in the Middle East. This resolution will ensure that if we decide to place our nation’s men and women in uniform into harm’s way, we will have a debate and vote on it in Congress.”
The bill invokes the War Powers Resolution of 1973, passed during the Vietnam War to constrain unilateral presidential powers to engage in military hostilities. Hassan El-Tayyab, legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation, said the bill sends a message to Trump against going to war with Iran and to the Israelis that “they’re not going to just get blank-cheque US support.”
The bill adds to the pressure Trump is facing from antiwar advocates in both major parties. A growing contingency of right-wing lawmakers has been warning Trump against being dragged into a conflict that they said does not serve US interests. Even if the bill passes and Trump vetoes it, it still sends a de-escalatory signal and reminds the administration that only Congress can declare war, El-Tayyab said.
Trump has not ruled out US strikes against Iran, saying, “We’re not involved in it. It’s possible we could get involved.” Israel launched a bombardment campaign against Iran on Friday, targeting military and nuclear sites as well as residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, killing dozens of people, including top military officials and nuclear scientists. Iran has responded with hundreds of ballistic missiles, many of which have penetrated Israel’s air defenses, causing widespread damage across the country.
Some US lawmakers have cautioned against American involvement in the war. Right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said Americans are “sick and tired of foreign wars.” Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib emphasized that war with Iran without the approval of Congress would be illegal, saying, “The president cannot circumvent congressional war powers and unilaterally send US troops to war with Iran.”
Antiwar advocates have long called on Congress to assert its powers over conflict. Several groups have expressed support for Kaine’s proposed legislation, saying it’s a critical moment for Congress to step in and exercise its constitutional authority to prevent the US from being dragged into another war.