Washington, D.C. – The National Iranian American Council commended growing opposition to the Iran war in Congress following a narrow 49-50 rejection of the Iran war powers resolution from Sen. Jeff Merkley, S.J.Res.163.
Opposition to the Iran war continues to grow in Congress and with Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska becoming the third Republican Senator to vote against the war today, passage of an Iran war powers resolution is within reach in each chamber.
“Sen. Murkowski moved in line with the vast majority of Americans who want this war to end, and did so right after hearing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claim that the Trump administration did not need authorization from Congress to resume the war, and as gas prices in Alaska hit $5.26,” said Ryan Costello, Policy Director with NIAC.
Murkowski joined Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky as Republican Senators voting against the war. Sen. John Fetterman remains the lone Democrat opposing the war. Murkowski had voted against similar resolutions six times, and with gas in Alaska at $5.26 per gallon, made the consequential decision to vote for this resolution to end the war.
The Trump administration has engaged in manipulative legal reasoning to justify its ongoing hostilities against Iran. First, it claimed that it didn’t need authorization from Congress for 60 days of war, even though the Constitution grants this authority to Congress. Now that 60 days have passed, mandating a termination of unauthorized hostilities under the War Powers Act, the administration has claimed “Operation Epic Fury” over even as a naval blockade is being enforced and significant hostilities have taken place, all while the President threatens to resume airstrikes. The administration is even reportedly considering calling the resumption of the war a completely new war, thus negating any need to come to Congress for authorization. Sen. Murkowski – who had reportedly been considering introducing an authorization for the war – directly asked Sec. Hegseth about the administration seeking Congressional authorization yesterday and he said they didn’t need it, citing Article II authorities under the U.S. Constitution.
“Gas prices have risen by an average of $1.50 across the nation, taking more than $38 billion out of the pockets of Americans,” stated Costello. “This economic pain has not been offset by any geostrategic gain, as tensions with Iran remain deadlocked and with no military solution available. A good diplomatic offramp remains available to President Trump, should he decide to take it, with an end to the restrictions of commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and significant Iranian nuclear concessions reportedly on the table. Yet, the President has dismissed the Iranian proposal as ‘garbage’ and touted that he doesn’t factor Americans’ financial situation into his decisions at all.”
“The President thought the Iran war would be easy, but it triggered massive and immediate blowback that is being felt in the Middle East and by all Americans. The longer he continues to disavow diplomatic solutions, the higher the toll of the war will grow,” stated Costello. “Sometime soon, majorities in Congress will stop shirking their responsibility and order an end to the disastrous war.”
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