Republicans Block Duckworth & Senate Democrats’ War Powers Resolution, Once Again Voting to Continue Trump’s Unjustified, Unpopular and Costly Iran War

Republicans Block Duckworth & Senate Democrats' War Powers Resolution, Once Again Voting to Continue Trump's Unjustified, Unpopular and Costly Iran War

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In the seventh week of Donald Trump's unjustified and illegal Iran war, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) forced a vote on Senator Duckworth's War Powers Resolution that would have immediately withdrawn American forces from hostilities in and against Iran. Senate Republicans blocked the measure, once again voting to continue enabling Trump's increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior as he prosecutes his illegal, unjustified and unpopular war.

"It is completely and utterly outrageous that Senate Republicans are once again ceding their Constitutional authority to this warmongering, wanna-be dictator who is hellbent on throwing our servicemembers into needless danger and breaking every single promise he's made to the American people," said Duckworth. "Americans are sick and tired of watching Donald Trump's incompetence drive up their costs and plunge us deeper into a forever war while Senate Republicans abdicate their responsibilities and do nothing to stop it. While our colleagues continue to betray their oaths to their constituents and our servicemembers, Senate Democrats will keep doing everything we can to end Donald Trump's unnecessary, unjustified and expensive taxpayer-funded forever war, reasserting Congress as the coequal branch of government that our founders intended us to be."

"I hope at some point our Republican colleagues decide that they can choose to just say what is clear and obvious: this war was a mistake. It should end as quickly as possible," said Senator Murphy. "You can, as a United States senator, occasionally stand up to the leader of your party if it's a matter of right and wrong - I believe this is a matter of right and wrong. Maybe it won't be in today's vote, but hopefully, in one of the votes we will continue to have, we can have some bipartisan agreement that this war needs to end."

"As President Trump's reckless and unauthorized war continues to escalate, the Senate has a responsibility to do its job and responsibly stop it," said Senator Booker. "Each day it becomes more clear that the Trump administration has no clear strategy for success and is leading us deeper into a foreign policy quagmire, while Americans' lives are being made less safe and more expensive. I am proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues in using every tool available to end this unlawful war, and I urge Senate Republicans to have the courage to join us in upholding the Constitution we all swore to defend."

"We're 46 days into President Trump's war of choice against Iran. We've lost 13 servicemembers and massed dozens of U.S. military assets with over 50,000 personnel - many from Virginia - in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and Americans are paying over a dollar more per gallon for gas," said Kaine. "The Trump Administration's refusal to explain to the American people why we're doing this, what we're gaining from this war, and how it ends underscores that they know it's going poorly. When will my colleagues finally stand up and say that enough is enough? Congress needs to do its job and end this non-stop chaos so we can focus on lowering the cost of child care, health care, and housing for Americans at home."

"We are now in the second month of Trump's Iran War, and the president has offered no proposal to even authorize the use of force in Iran, nor have Republicans demanded one," said Senator Schiff. "We have not had a single open hearing on the war, nor have Republicans called for one. The case for the war in Iran has never been made, will never be made and my colleagues will not put the matter to a vote, for fear they would lose that vote or be held accountable for it. How long can this go on? The short, terrible, answer is - for a very long time. This war should never have begun. And it is long past time for the U.S. Congress to put an end to it."

"This President ran on lowering costs and ending foreign wars. With this conflict,?he's?managed to break both of those promises. Americans are paying the price because of this war, and it is abundantly clear the President has no plan to get us out of this mess," said Senator Baldwin. "It's time for Republicans to do their job, rein in this President, and help us get back to the kitchen table issues Wisconsin families are demanding we address."

"The Constitution is clear: Congress has the power to declare war, not President Trump," said Senator Merkley. "Instead of reasserting Congress' authority and reining in this unconstitutional war with Iran, Senate Republicans have once again failed to stand up to Trump. In the face of Trump shredding our Constitution, every Member of Congress has the responsibility to say 'hell no' to this massively destructive war of choice, uphold our Constitutional responsibilities for authorizing the use of military force, and demand straight answers from the Trump Administration."

"Americans want lower costs, not forever wars," said Senator Gillibrand. "President Trump's reckless war with Iran is endangering our troops, jeopardizing our national security, and raising costs for working families already struggling to get by. The president and his party must end this unpopular, illegal war immediately. I'm proud to support this War Powers Resolution, and I will continue using every tool at my disposal to end this war and check President Trump's madness."

"Trump promised to keep America out of foreign wars and work to bring prices down, but he has done just the opposite by launching an illegal war along with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Iran. This reckless action has left 13 U.S. service members dead and hundreds injured, killed thousands of civilians across the Middle East, and cost the American people dearly - in tens of billions of taxpayer dollars and through higher prices across the board. We gave Republicans a chance to join us in bringing the war to an end, but they refused - once again serving as a rubber stamp for Trump's lawlessness. Make no mistake, we will continue to fighting to stop this disastrous war once and for all," said Senator Van Hollen.

"The Constitution is very clear that the declaration of war is in the authority of the Congress, not the president," said Senator Reverend Warnock. "American service members have lost their lives, and billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on bullets and bombs-without the president making a case, laying out a plan, or even allowing a debate in Congress. Something as serious and solemn as war deserves a debate and deserves a vote. I intend to hold this president accountable."

"We are drowning under the costs of Donald Trump's war and still, this Republican Congress stands by and watches like bystanders," said Senator Kim. "I will continue to stand up with my Democratic colleagues and bring forward War Powers Resolutions to end this illegal war and give the American people the urgent relief they need."

Since Trump started his unjustified war of choice 46 days ago, 13 servicemembers have been killed and hundreds more have been injured, the national average price of gas has increased more than a dollar, inflation is spiking and there is no offramp in sight. After the Administration's attempt to negotiate an end to the war recently failed, Trump confoundingly announced a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz-the very same waterway that Trump has been demanding Iran to reopen, and which was already open before the war began. As Trump further entrenches our nation into his deeply unpopular war, Republicans are neglecting their responsibility to our servicemembers and their constitutional oaths. The Senators' move to force debate on the floor today is part of their continued efforts to demand public hearings from Administration officials and stop Trump's illegal war.

-30-