CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN LEADS FELLOW DEMOCRATIC VETERANS IN ASSERTING CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY OVER WAR POWERS

Congressman Pat Ryan Leads Fellow Democratic Veterans in Asserting Congressional Authority Over War Powers

Following Saturday’s preventive strikes on Iran, Ryan is leading 11 veterans in letter to President Trump declaring their support for a War Powers Resolution

“Twenty years ago, in their rush to appear strong and tough, politicians – from both parties – failed to ask the hard questions before starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We refuse to make those mistakes again”

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Today, following Saturday’s preventive strikes on Iran, Iraq War veteran and Democratic Veterans Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Pat Ryan led 11 of his fellow veterans in asserting Congressional authority over war powers. In a letter to President Trump, Ryan and his colleagues declared their support for a War Powers Resolution. 

“I write first and foremost as a Patriot who loves our country. I proudly served two combat tours in America’s longest war. But 20 years, trillions of dollars, and countless deaths later, we still haven’t gotten accountability from the politicians who started this mess. I refuse to make those same mistakes again,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I am under no illusions about the nature of the Iranian regime and its proxies – they are evil, and I continue to stand strongly for active and robust support for the defense of the state of Israel and its people. But American-led, offensive military operations against Iran – including Saturday night’s preventive air strikes – are different. I am supporting a War Powers Resolution because it is the clear and sacred Constitutional duty for Congress, not the President, to declare war. As our Founders intended, this will ensure we have a full and honest conversation with the American people about what American military action against Iran would mean. We stand ready and willing to execute our Constitutional responsibility, to protect our troops, and to keep the American people safe.”

Congressman Ryan is a U.S. Army veteran, served two combat tours in Iraq, and is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in the U.S. House of Representatives. Amid recent threats to veterans’ benefits, national security concerns, and rising threats worldwide, Congressman Ryan led his fellow veterans in Congress to create the Democratic Veterans Caucus. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee and has led extensive legislation to deliver relief for veterans, service members, and military families. 

Additional signers of the letter to Trump include:

• Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA) – Marine Corps Reserve
• Rep. Gil Cisneros (CA) – Navy
• Rep. Herb Conaway (NJ) – Air Force
• Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA) - Navy
• Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH) – Navy Reserve
• Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA) – Air Force
• Rep. Ted Lieu (CA) – Air Force
• Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA) – Navy Reserve
• Rep. Pat Ryan (NY) – Army
• Rep. Bobby Scott (VA) – Army
• Rep. Derek Tran (CA) – Army
• Rep. Eugene Vindman (VA) – Army

A copy of Ryan’s letter to President Trump, signed by 11 members of the Democratic Veterans Caucus, is included in full below:

Dear President Trump, 

We write firstmost as Patriots who love our country. Each and every one of us wore the uniform with pride. Each and every one of us was ready and willing to lay down our lives to protect our fellow Americans, and to support and defend our Constitution. With that in mind, we want to thank our troops for their bravery, from the B-2 pilots to those stationed across the USCENTCOM Area of Responsibility. 

We also write as Veterans. As soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines, many of us served in America's longest wars. We saw the best of humanity in our fellow veterans’ heroism and selfless service; we also saw the worst of humanity and horrors of war up close and personal. 

Twenty years ago, in their rush to appear strong and tough, politicians – from both parties – failed to ask the hard questions before starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They failed us, our fellow veterans, and the American people. Now, trillions of dollars and countless deaths later, we still haven’t gotten accountability. 

We refuse to make those same mistakes. 

We are under no illusions about the nature of the Iranian regime and its proxies – they are evil. Iran is intent not only on the destruction of Israel, but also the United States. Many of us lost friends to Iranian-backed terror. We must continue to stand strongly with our Israeli allies – including active and robust support for the defense of the state of Israel and its people, as we have for decades. 

But we must be very clear: American-led, offensive military operations against Iran – including Saturday night’s preventive air strikes – are different. 

We all swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Article 1 Section 8 explicitly requires a vote by Congress to declare war. In recognition of that clear and sacred Constitutional duty, we will all be supporting a War Powers Resolution. 

As our Founders intended, this will ensure we have a full and honest conversation with the American people about what American military action against Iran would mean. While destroying nuclear sites may achieve initial tactical success, it far from guarantees longterm strategic victory.

Before any further escalation, we must be willing to grapple with, and ultimately answer, the hard questions. 

What are our specific and clear national aims? What means will be required to achieve those aims? What are the estimated financial costs? How many young American men and women could die? Are the American people truly ready to incur these costs? 

And we cannot repeat our approach from 2001 and 2002. The answer cannot be “we’ll figure it out as we go.”

We can all agree that more debate was needed before Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to take the time to learn from our mistakes. We need to take the time to involve both the American people and Congress – this is what our Founders intended, and that is what the Constitution requires. 

That is what our young Patriots in uniform deserve. That is what the 40,000 US troops stationed in the Middle East deserve. That is what the 7,000+ of our fellow soldiers who died in the Global War on Terror deserved. 

We stand ready and willing to execute our Constitutional responsibility, to protect our troops, and to keep the American people safe.

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