Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) introduced a resolution on Monday seeking to prevent the U.S. from getting involved in a military conflict with Iran without congressional approval.
The resolution reaffirms existing law, directing the president to end any use of the U.S. Armed Forces “for hostilities” against Iran, “unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran.”
The resolution expresses concern about the potential for U.S. involvement in the escalating military crisis between Iran and Israel, but it specifies that the U.S. can still defend itself “from imminent attack.”
“It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States,” Kaine, who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, said in a statement.
“I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict,” he continued. “The American people have no interest in sending servicemembers to fight another forever war in the Middle East.”
“This resolution will ensure that if we decide to place our nation’s men and women in uniform into harm’s way, we will have a debate and vote on it in Congress,” the Democratic senator added.
The resolution is privileged, so the Republican-controlled Senate cannot block it from consideration or a vote.
The move comes on the fourth consecutive day of crossfire between Israel and Iran, after Israel launched a massive military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities late last week. Nearly two dozen of Iran’s senior military commanders and top nuclear scientists have been confirmed dead.
Trump has been peppered with questions since Israel launched its attack late Thursday, mostly regarding the threshold for U.S. military involvement in another Middle Eastern conflict.
The Trump administration at first notably distanced itself from involvement in Israel’s initial round of strikes, but the president told ABC News on Sunday that “it’s possible” the U.S. becomes involved in the current conflict between Iran and Israel.
“We’re not involved in it. It’s possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved,” Trump told the outlet.
On Monday, Trump sidestepped a questioned about what it would take for the U.S. to get involved in the conflict.
“I don’t want to talk about that,” he told reporters on his first day of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Alberta, alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
