Political Quotes

“I respect my friend from Virginia, but he is mistaken. This amendment is not a new authorization for military force. It restates current law. The language in the finding is, word for word, the finding that President Trump put in place when he authorized the strike that took out General Soleimani. After that strike against General Soleimani, I introduced an amendment on this floor to commend President Trump and the Armed Forces for taking out General Soleimani; and we voted on this, commending President Trump and our Armed Forces for taking out Soleimani. This is not breaking new ground. This is reiterating the proposition that the Commander in Chief has the authority to defend U.S. Armed Forces. To my friend from Virginia, I would note, by the way, earlier last week, we voted on Senator Graham's amendment that would have been a new authorization for use of military force. Many Senators voted against it. This is a much narrower amendment. This says if Iran attacks U.S. troops, the Commander in Chief can defend those troops. That is current law, but it is important for Iran to hear. It is important for our troops to hear. It is important for the Biden administration to hear. Nowhere in my friend from Virginia's remarks did he dispute that Iran has attacked the United States 78 times in the last 2\1/2\ years and that the Biden administration has responded only three times. We owe our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines to have their backs.…”