Moulton Votes ‘Yes’ On War Powers Resolution, Demanding Constitutional Oversight
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) issued the following statement regarding his decision to vote Yes on War Powers Resolution to restore constitutional oversight regarding ongoing hostilities with Iran:
“Two decades ago, Washington bureaucrats sent us into Iraq without a plan. It’s because Congress was naive enough to believe the Bush Administration’s lies that I ran for Congress in the first place. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and we now know that Trump was lying about ‘obliterating’ the nuclear stockpiles in Iran. Wars built on lies are bad enough, but at least Bush came to Congress. Trump didn’t even try.
"Let’s be clear: Bluster and bombs is not a strategy. It’s a gamble on the backs of young Americans who will die in a war that didn’t need to happen. We’ve heard at least half a dozen explanations for why we’re doing this in the first place, from eliminating their nuclear weapons we were told just months ago were obliterated, to regime change (while the same regime is in power even after their leader was killed), to oil, to ballistic missiles, to personal retribution, to conspiracy theories about the 2020 election Trump lost.
"The American people, Congress, and most of all, our troops deserve the truth. Speaking from experience, that’s the bare minimum you expect when asked to risk your life for your country.
"It shouldn’t be this hard to follow the Constitution. Donald Trump has been bragging about the buildup for weeks, so surprise isn’t an excuse. There’s no debate that this is a full-on war—the president has said so himself from day one. And pressure from an ally does not count as an 'imminent threat.' No Commander-in-Chief should cave to peer pressure.
"We all deserve better, most especially our courageous troops. As a combat veteran, I have seen what happens when we get dragged into forever wars that lead to more U.S. service member casualties. We must stop this war before it gets worse.”
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