U.S. Rep. Eshoo Leads Effort To Halt Call To Arms Against Iran

PALO ALTO, CA — U.S. Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, is leading a bipartisan group of 55 congressional members to urge Chairman Adam Smith and Ranking Member Mac Thornberry of the House Armed Services Committee to include language in the National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting U.S. offensive military operations against Iran.

The concern dictated in the letter marks the members' fear escalating tensions will mount into war in the Middle East.

“We’re concerned about the recent escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran,” the letter read. “Military action should only be used as a measure of last resort, and any decision to do so must first be authorized by Congress, which has the sole authority to declare war under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. The Committee should make this clear to President Trump and his national security team.”

The gesture counters recent developments by Trump to try to circumvent Congress with executive privilege.

Last month, the White House deployed 1,500 U.S. troops to the Middle East, and the U.S. Embassy in Iraq was partially evacuated. Adding fuel to the fire, an aircraft carrier strike group, Air Force bombers, and Patriot missiles were deployed to the Persian Gulf.

The congresswoman is leading the charge in the House to prevent the Trump Administration from waging war against Iran without authorization from Congress. In April, she introduced H.R. 2354, the Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act, legislation prohibiting the use of any federal funds for military operations in or against Iran without Congressional authorization. H.R. 2354 currently has 59 cosponsors.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.