Three U.S. Representatives wrote a letter to President Trump expressing their major concerns over the lack of Congressional approval for U.S. military strikes in Yemen.
Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Val Hoyle (OR-04) said in their letter: “The U.S. Constitution is clear: Congress holds the sole power to authorize offensive military action,” wrote the Members. “While we share concerns about maritime security in the Red Sea, we call on your Administration to immediately cease unauthorized use of military force and instead seek specific statutory authorization from Congress before involving the U.S. in an unconstitutional conflict in the Middle East, which risks endangering U.S. military personnel in the region and escalating into a regime-change war.”
Section 2(c) of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 states that the President can only introduce U.S. forces into hostilities after a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization from Congress, or in a national emergency when the U.S. is under attack.
Presently, no congressional authorization of military force exists for the recent hostilities carried out in Yemen, nor is there a declared national emergency. Senior Trump Administration officials even commented, in a non-secure Signal chat, that these strikes could have waited “a few weeks or a month,” making clear there was ample time to consult with Congress and obtain the necessary authorization before initiating these attacks.
The Administration should be aware of its lack of authority in this matter, as the War Powers Resolution was used in 2019 to compel them to suspend midair refueling for Saudi airstrikes over Yemen.
The letter has been signed and endorsed by 30 Congressmen/women and several U.S. NGOs and research centers.