Mike Pence: “The father of our Constitution, James Madison, wrote, ``The Constitution expressly and exclusively vests in the…”

“The father of our Constitution, James Madison, wrote, ``The Constitution expressly and exclusively vests in the legislature the power of declaring a state of war. The separation of the power declaring war from conducting it is wisely contrived to exclude the danger of its being declared for the sake of its being conducted.'' As we begin the process of hearing resolutions down the hall of this Capitol in the United States Senate, nonbinding resolutions over the way and the manner in which we would conduct our war, we would do well to reflect on the wisdom of our Founders, who separated the article I powers of this body from the article II powers of our Commander in Chief. Let us remember, as Franklin Roosevelt said, ``Hostilities exist, there is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.'' Let this grave danger color our debates. Provide the oversight that is our purview, but we have but one Commander in Chief, and let him lead us to victory in Iraq.”