On the recordJanuary 9, 2020
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise to urge defeat of the previous question so that we can immediately consider my resolution to honor the hard work and dedication of the men and women who made the precision strike on Qasem Soleimani possible. This is an interesting crossroads we find ourselves in. After the successful response by the United States against the escalating aggression from the world's most active and deadly terrorist, Qasem Soleimani, our great country has found itself divided and unsure of itself. Instead of unity and resolve in the face of a clear and common enemy, we have division and self-doubt. What is worse, that division has been sourced from the leadership in this very body. While legitimate questions were raised--what authority was used, what was the reasoning, what sort of intelligence backed this decision-- those questions have long been answered clearly and convincingly. The President has clear authority, a duty in fact, to respond to attacks against American citizens and U.S. forces. That isn't my opinion; that is clear from Article II of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. The case is made even stronger when you consider this occurred entirely within Iraq, a place where we already have a lawful military operational footprint. The reasoning is quite simple as well: We must make clear that the U.S.…





