US senator says he wants Congress to OK any military force against Iran
Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is filing a resolution to require that Congress authorise a declaration of war or any specific use of military force against Iran.
“It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States. I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict,” Kaine said.
The resolution would require any hostilities with Iran to be explicitly authorised by a declaration of war or specific authorisation for use of military force but would not prevent the US from defending itself from imminent attack.
Congress passed a similar resolution in 2020 during Trump’s first presidential term.