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TK

Tim Kaine

Democrat
Wiki

Senator Virginia

Statements (11)

President Trump's deeply unpopular war of choice in Iran has imposed a tremendous cost on the American people—including deaths and injuries of our servicemembers and soaring gas prices. For several weeks, my colleagues and I have been forcing votes in the Senate to ensure we have a real debate about whether it's in our national interest to continue this war. I'm grateful that today, enough of my colleagues stood up for the Constitution and listened to their constituents.

A naval blockade is an act of war under international law. The president has no authority to impose one without congressional authorization. We will force a vote. The American people did not elect one man to decide unilaterally whether to blockade the world's most critical energy chokepoint.

It's time for Congress to rein in a president who is deciding to wage war on his own say-so, which is not what the Constitution allowed. If colleagues believe that a war against the narco-traffickers in the ocean or a war against Venezuela is a good idea, then put an authorization of military force on the table and debate and vote it, but don't just hand the power over to an executive.