The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the U.S. Senate’s failure to pass a War Powers Resolution that would have required an end to President Donald Trump’s unauthorized military strikes on Iran and urged Americans to immediately contact their members of the House of Representatives ahead of a vote expected tomorrow.
SEE: Senate Rejects Measure to Force Trump to End Iran Strikes | TIME
The measure, introduced by Senator Tim Kaine (D) and co-sponsored by Senator Rand Paul (R), invoked the War Powers Resolution of 1973 to require the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran absent congressional authorization.
The Senate rejected the measure despite mounting civilian casualties from the ongoing U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign, which has reportedly killed more than 1,000 Iranians and struck schools and other civilian sites.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said:
“The Senate’s failure to pass this bipartisan War Powers Resolution is a disgrace at a moment when the United States has already been dragged by Israel into an unconstitutional war with Iran that Congress never authorized and the American people never wanted.
“More than 1,000 Iranians have reportedly been killed in this unprovoked and unjustified U.S.-Israel bombing campaign, including children and other civilians. In the face of that horrific loss of life, Senator John Fetterman’s continued indifference shows a stunning lack of humanity.
“What is even more troubling is how many Republican senators were unwilling to defend Congress’ constitutional authority over war and peace. The Constitution gives Congress — not the president — the power to decide when our nation goes to war.
“Senator Rand Paul deserves credit for being the only Republican willing to stand up for the Constitution and for Congress’ exclusive authority over war-making. Sending Americans into battle must never become a decision outsourced to a president acting in service of another government’s military agenda.
“Tomorrow the House of Representatives has an opportunity to do what the Senate refused to do — defend the Constitution, stop this unauthorized war, and prevent further bloodshed.”
“CAIR urges all Americans to immediately contact their U.S. House representatives and demand support for the War Powers Resolution when it comes before the House tomorrow.”
Congress alone has the constitutional authority to declare war and warned that allowing presidents to launch wars without authorization undermines both democratic accountability and the rule of law.
Yesterday, CAIR said Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s “stunning admission” confirmed that the United States was pulled into war with Iran after Israel initiated hostilities, not because Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States.
CAIR also recently called on Congress to investigate the reported U.S.-Israel bombing of a girls’ school in Iran and to halt what it described as an unjustified and unconstitutional regime-change war launched without legal authority.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com