On the recordMay 15, 2012
I thank the gentlewoman for the inquiry. The President is the Commander in Chief. There is no authorization for the use of force. Contrary to what was said earlier by my friend from Ohio, whatever one thought about the decision to go to war in Iraq, 5 months before that, Congress very explicitly provided an authorization for the use of force. There is nothing in this resolution, and there is no intention in this resolution, to provide that authorization. Nuclear weapons capability--there are three elements, as defined by the Director of National Intelligence: fissile material production, one. Design, weaponization, and testing of a warhead, two. A delivery vehicle. To be nuclear-capable, you really have to have to master all three elements. While Iran has the delivery system, they have not yet mastered--but they are making progress--on steps one and two. And if one day, when they've mastered all the other elements and they kick out the inspectors and they shut off the cameras, I will consider them nuclear- capable. This is about achieving a goal through economic sanctions rigorously applied to achieve a diplomatic resolution. It is the perfect time to bring up this resolution. I yield back the balance of my time.
