Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for organizing this Special Order on this really important topic. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we held a hearing in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the administration's actions in Iran. Over the past few weeks, the United States and Iran have come closer to outright war than any time in our history. However, despite the seriousness of the situation, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to appear. The Framers of the Constitution gave the power to declare war solely to the Congress of the United States, the elected representatives of the people. The reason they did that is they wanted to prevent a President from making the decision to take the country to war without the support of the American people. As we think about the President's decision, the only lens through which we should view it is whether or not those actions made Americans safer and strengthened America's national security interests in the region and around the world. The fact that Soleimani got what he deserved does not mean that this decision was strategically wise or that it enhanced American security. I, frankly, have been shocked by some of the arguments being put forth by my colleagues in support of the President's actions and the criticism being directed at Members of Congress for taking our war powers responsibility seriously.…”