The War Powers Resolution introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) has been dividing Republicans over the past 24 hours. The measure intends to limits President Trump's military actions in Iran, in light of a recent U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian terror leader Qasem Soleimani.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, argued that our men and women in uniform feel "betrayed" by the Democrats' effort.
Having been deployed myself, I can imagine how betrayed our service-members abroad feel right now knowing Democrats in Congress are working to strip @realDonaldTrump of his ability to ensure their safety. @SpeakerPelosi’s War Powers resolution is a disgrace!
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) January 8, 2020
Banks participated in the Iran briefing on Wednesday that got into more details about the U.S. airstrikes. The congressman emerged from the meeting "more convinced than ever that the administration has handled tensions with Iran judiciously and have full confidence in our president keeping America safe and secure."
Republican Sens. Mike Lee (UT) and Rand Paul (KY) came out of the briefing with a slightly different take. According to Sen. Lee, it was the "worst" briefing he'd ever attended. He added that it was "insulting" and "unconstitutional." He and Sen. Paul were not convinced that Trump acted in the best interests of the U.S.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) calls Iran briefing "probably the worst briefing I've seen, at least on a military issue"pic.twitter.com/Gg5AZTLfmJ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 8, 2020
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As GOP Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's office noted on Wednesday, the War Powers Act presented by Rep. Slotkin is a Concurrent Resolution, which means that it will "in no way affect or limit the authorities available to our Commander-in-Chief."
"House Democrats would rather take a show vote for their socialist base than stand against the world’s largest state sponsor of terror," McCarthy's office said.
Most everyone - Democrats and Republicans - believes Soleimani was evil. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other leading Democrats are too preoccupied with how President Trump ordered the strike without first consulting them. In her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Pelosi even called his decision "disdainful."
Trump was more interested in snuffing out Soleimani and his reign of terror. He accused Pelosi of "defending a monster."
The House is expected to vote on Slotkin's War Powers Resolution on Thursday afternoon.
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