Political Quotes

“today I would like to rise in opposition to Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution, S.J. Res. 68. I have had a longstanding opposition to the War Powers Act. I think it is an unconstitutional intrusion on the ability of any Commander in Chief to defend the Nation and to direct military operations. This statute passed, I think, in the 1970s. It was a way to deal with the Vietnam war. I have always believed the best thing Congress can do when it comes to dealing with military operations--longstanding conflicts that it disapproves of--is to cut off funding. I think that is what the Framers had in mind. The inherent authority of any Commander in Chief to defend the Nation is part of our constitutional checks and balances. The President is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. You cannot have 535 people planning and implementing military operations. That 535 would be Congress. Can you imagine what would happen if our Nation had to respond in real time and we had to get 535 Members of Congress to agree on anything? This resolution is designed to prevent actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran without congressional authorization. It does acknowledge in the law that we can take defensive action. We can always defend ourselves. I think that is inherent to putting people in harm's way. I have been consistent over time. I have opposed the War Powers Act being used against all Presidents, Republican or Democratic.…”