Sens. Udall, Paul urge colleagues to support bill to prevent war with Iran

U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Rand Paul (R-KY) are urging their Senate colleagues to support their bill that would prevent going to war with Iran.

The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 (S.1039) affirms the constitutional role of Congress as the sole branch of government with the power to declare war. Further, it would prohibit any funding for an unauthorized attack on Iran.

The two senators first introduced the bill in September of 2018 and then again in April 2019.

“As the New Year began, President Trump entered the United States into hostilities against Iran without Congressional approval,” the senators wrote. “Last year, Congress took a stand against such actions when a bipartisan majority of members in both the House and Senate voted in favor of our amendment to the Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Authorization to Prevent an Unconstitutional War with Iran.

The bill has 27 co-sponsors in the Senate.

“With tensions in the region continuing to escalate, we urge all Senators to join as cosponsors of S. 1039, The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act,” the senators stated in the letter. “This important bipartisan bill would work to restore the Constitutional balance between the Congress and the executive and curtail this administration’s reckless actions in the Middle East against Iran.”