On the recordMarch 17, 2011
I have a senior member of the Judiciary Committee on the floor with me, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). I don't see any other members here. But this is an important matter for the Judiciary Committee in that article I, section 8, says only Congress has the right to declare war. Obviously, we haven't declared war in a very, very long time, so I think that we have to find out what is the constitutional basis that we are operating under in--well, I will skip Iraq. We all know that was based on false information promulgated from the President of the United States. {time} 1150 But, now, getting to Afghanistan, we find that we have a resolution dating back to September 14, 2011, a use of force resolution. But that has expired, by any rational investigation of it. It was designed to respond to the 9/11 terrorist attack and to fight al Qaeda. But today we're in Afghanistan on a long-term effort at rebuilding the nation. Nation building is unrelated to that original resolution. And now we're in Afghanistan and an unlawful incursion into Pakistan. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
