House Democrats are poised to pass more legislation next week to limit President Trump’s use of the military overseas as caucus members continue to question the administration’s unilateral decision to kill Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced Friday he is considering bringing up legislation to repeal the 2002 congressional authorization for the use of military force in Iraq, which Trump used in part to carry out the drone strike that killed Soleimani.
Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said the House may also vote on legislation that would block the Pentagon from using funds to carry out military operations against Iran without the consent of Congress.
“That is a possibility, but they have not yet been scheduled,” Hoyer said when asked if the two measures would come up for a vote.
Both measures are expected to pass the House, and Democrats are eager to move them through the Senate, where they would likely pick up some GOP support.
Trump is all but certain to veto both bills if they ever reach his desk. The measures were included in a defense funding authorization bill last year but were taken out of the legislation before clearing Congress.
[Opinion: Congress, not the White House, has say over war with Iran]
“Our legislation passed the House last year with 27 Republican votes and should have never been stripped out of the Defense bill, Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat and co-sponsor, said. “We have another chance to pass this legislation and avoid the next trillion-dollar war in the Middle East. It’s a necessary step to preserve our constitution and represent our constituents’ desire to avoid another catastrophic war.”
Democrats Thursday passed a resolution that would order Trump to cease military action against Iran. The measure is nonbinding, however, which means it will not even go to the president’s desk.
Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, is expected to bring up a similar resolution in the Senate as early as next week.
Democrats are eager to constrain Trump’s military authority after the Soleimani strike, which some party lawmakers have called an unjustified assassination.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Soleimani was planning more attacks on Americans in Iraq. Trump said Soleimani was killed in Iraq as he was plotting to blow up an U.S. Embassy.
