Rep. McBride Statement on War Powers Resolution

Washington, D.C. — Today, Delaware’s Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-DE) released the following statement:

“Today, I joined as a cosponsor on a War Powers Resolution to prevent the president from taking this country to war with Iran.

“I have always believed that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. I believe that such a development would present a threat to regional stability, the safety of our allies, and the security of the United States. Iran has consistently been one of the largest sponsors of terrorism, including funding Hamas, a group that inflicted the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. 

“I have also always believed that diplomacy must be exhausted before any military action is contemplated. I believe that such actions should only happen if there is clear and convincing evidence that Iran is imminently proceeding to a bomb. Finally, I believe that we must have confidence that military action will be able to achieve its goals. Based on the information available, it does not appear that those standards were met before strikes commenced.

“Indeed, after two weeks of military operations, including a strike by the United States, reports are that while Iran’s nuclear program is delayed, it still has uranium and enrichment capacity. Some speculate Iran may now have added motivation to pursue a bomb. It is difficult to know for sure because, through all of this, the administration has stonewalled and misled both members of Congress and the public. 

“I cannot in good conscience allow a president who appears to be silencing dissent within his administration and misrepresenting intelligence to unilaterally take us into another war in the Middle East. We have seen how seemingly endless wars, built on distorted intelligence, can cost America and Americans dearly. That is why I have co-sponsored a War Powers Resolution to prevent such a step.

“It is not too late to return to a diplomatic approach — one that could secure a solution not dissimilar from the one negotiated by President Obama in 2015 and inexplicably ended by President Trump in 2018. Had that remained in place, we would likely not be in this place today. I hope the last two weeks have not prevented us from finding a path back to peace.”

###