Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday vowed to vote against a war powers resolution that would restrict President Trump’s military authority in Iran.
The Senate this week is expected to vote on the resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, Virginia Democrat, that would require the U.S. to end any military hostilities in Iran within 30 days, and mandate congressional approval to carry out further action.
In a speech on the Senate floor, the Kentucky Republican called the measure “blunt and clumsy,” and claimed that if passed, the resolution “would tie our own hands.”
Democrats grew skeptical over the administration’s justification for the fatal Jan. 3 strike outside Baghdad’s international airport that targeted Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force. Most Republicans have defended the move, while Democrats — and some Republicans — have argued that Mr. Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally lead the country into armed conflict with Tehran.
Mr. McConnell has staunchly defended the strike and argued the move was “a one-off operation to disrupt and deter planned attacks — not a campaign, not a conflict, not a war.”
“This discrete and limited exercise of American power pales in comparison to the ways in which past presidents of both parties have routinely used presidential authorities to utilize our military might without prior consent of Congress,” he continued.
The majority leader, who announced he would reject any further progression of a war powers resolution after the House approved a similar, yet symbolic, measure last month, said “this self-flagellation and self-limitation would be tantamount to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”
He called on his fellow Senate colleagues to join him in rejecting the legislation.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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