House Plans Votes to Rein in Iran War on Thursday
(January 29, 2020) — Two measures aimed at preventing President Trump from unilaterally attacking Iran without Congressional authorization are to be considered Thursday by the House of Representatives. The measures had their start in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), though both were stripped out of that by the Senate.
The first measure explicitly bars any funding to an Iran War unless Congress first approves of the conflict. Legally this is supposed to be the case anyhow, but in recent administrations, presidents claim to be able to start wars without direct Congressional authorization.
The second measure would repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force against Iraq (AUMF). The AUMF was passed to invade Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, and with that government long gone, its only value is that some officials argue it provides legal cover for anything the president does in Iraq and potentially in Iran and Syria, since they are close to Iraq.
While the White House has threatened to veto both measures, President Trump suggested he had no opposition to the AUMF repeal on Twitter, saying troops in Iraq are “down to 5000 soldiers and going down” and saying everyone should “vote their HEART!”
House Republicans are complaining that the votes are a trick, because they are adding amendments to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, which authorizes the minting of a single medal to give to the Merchant Marine museum.
Tacking the bills on as amendments to another bill prevents them from being amended themselves. House Republicans complained this was dangerous and unprecedented, while Democrats noted that both the House and Senate do this all the time and there is plenty of precedent.
Those wishing to contact their representative on the matter can find contact information here. The measure is entitled “No War Against Iran Act; To repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.”
Trump Threatens to Veto House Bills Opposing Iran War: Says bills threatens US ability to defend Americans from Iran
(January 28, 2020) —Two bills expected up for vote in the House of Representatives later this week, both of which express Congressional opposition to an unauthorized US war in Iran, are being condemned by President Trump in a statement out of the White House, in which he threatens to veto both.
One of the bills aims to reassert language that was removed from the final version of the NDAA by the Senate, which explicitly forbids funding of any war against Iran without Congressional authorization. The other would repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force on Iraq (AUMF), since officials have at times claimed it also covers Iran.
The White House statement claimed that the bills made war with Iran “more likely” because they undermine Trump’s ability to act against them. They promised a veto although neither is yet expected to even be voted on in the Senate, let alone passed.
A previous House resolution that was a War Powers challenge to attacking Iran had already passed, and was believed to have enough votes to pass the Senate. It is unclear when it will be brought up, however, as the Senate has since transitioned to the impeachment
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
