The Senate Must Not Prolong an Illegal and Unpopular War

Washington, D.C. — After House lawmakers took a major step by voting to end the illegal and unsanctioned war in Iran, government watchdogs are calling for the Senate to follow suit. David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), issued the following statement:

“For months, the U.S. military has been engaged in an illegal war, and for months, Congress let the executive branch abuse its power to carry out an unpopular, costly conflict in the Middle East. Today, lawmakers finally took action. The House has not only shown that people can count on their representatives to champion their interests and uphold the rule of law — they have also reclaimed Congress’s constitutional power to sanction war.

Now, the same opportunity is before the Senate. The Constitution is clear: The sole authority to declare war rests with Congress. Three months ago, the president illegally began this war. Now, it’s time for the Senate to finish what the House started and vote to end it.”