LEGISLATIVE DAY OF APRIL 16, 2026
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Floor U.S. House of Representatives
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Rashida Tlaib
Mister speaker, this week marks three years, three years of the war in Sudan, and our country has little done little to nothing to actually stop it. Tens of thousands Sudanese have been killed, 14,000,000 are displaced in what has become the world's world's largest displacement crisis. Mister speaker, the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, have engaged in a campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Darfur and armed with American weapons provided to them by The United Arab Emirates. And it's shameful. It's shameful that many of my colleagues continue to look away.
So we need to move the Stand Up for the Sudan Act. Stand Up for Sudan Act, which would ease US seize all US weapons to sales to The UAE. We must put pressure on all nations fueling this war and extend the internal international arms embargo in Andhafar to all of Sudan. While the Sudanese people face famine, the Trump administration has slashed humanitarian aid that saves lives, and this must be reversed immediately. We need an immediate cease fire, but beyond that, we need to support the Sudanese people and their call for freedom, peace, and justice.
With that, I yield.
Speaker 4
Gentlemen, this time has expired. What purpose does the gentleman from South Carolina seek recognition?
Joe Wilson
Thank you, mister speaker. Americans are grateful for the safe return of the brave astronauts of the Artemis two space mission, an extraordinary achievement for all mankind. NASA astronauts Reese Weitzman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Henson demonstrated unparalleled dedication. Through their efforts, humanity traveled nearly 240,000 miles into space, farther than ever before in history. Their success inspires the future generations of scientists, astronauts, explorers, engineers across America.
President Donald Trump is successful in advancing American dominance in space exploration. In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Donald Trump is instituting peace through strength, revealing that war criminal Putin lies, insulting and mocking Trump as war criminal Putin facilitates the Chinese Communist Party to provide missiles to Iran to kill Americans through the Black Sea port of the Republic Of Georgia, oppressed by the corrupt, illegitimate regime in Tbilisi. Our sympathy to congresswoman Nancy Mace on the death of her father, former citadel commandant Emory Mace. I yield back.
Speaker 4
Gentleman yields. For what purposes the gentleman from New York seek recognition?
Adriano Espaillat
Thank you, mister speaker. Last week, I had the privilege of helping students and staff at the Patrick Henry Middle School, by securing 500,000 to renovate the school. But really, mister speaker, this was an effort led by students which exemplifies civic duty advocacy on behalf of their school and their community. While there, I was also able to meet students that help advocate for this project, including the student council co president, Doris Espinosa and Thomas Stevens, student council vice president, Jay Perez, and the other members of the council are Humira Shalhari, Victoria Quinones, Sadie Metz, Cleo Mani, Muhyabin Islam, Alessa Rodriguez, Emma Van Aiker, Rosalie McCall Ferrerody, Abby Maria Catalino, and Kylie Cruz. Great students that through their advocacy brought a renovation to their school.
The principal I wanna acknowledge, the principal of the school who's done also a tremendous job of, first and foremost, mister speaker, student led power showing that they can do it for their school and their community. I am proud to have helped secure more than $14,000,000 for my district, and I look forward to helping fund initiatives that will support the needs of New York thirteen. I yield back.
Speaker 4
The gentleman yields. For what purposes the gentleman from Florida seek recognition?
Brian Mast
Mister speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the house for a minute and to revise and extend my remarks.
Brian Mast
Mister speaker, I rise today to honor a true legend, somebody that I'm proud to call a friend, as we recognize the fortieth anniversary of one of the greatest performances in all of sports, the nineteen eighty six masters. Jack Nicklaus had been dismissed as past his prime, but he shocked the world when he mounted the greatest charge that Augusta has ever witnessed. The golden bear, he birdied nine, birdied 10, birdied 11, birdied 13. He eagled 15 with a four iron that landed 12 feet from the pin, nearly made a hole in one on 16, birdied 17 to take the lead for the first time of the week. And when it was all over, he shot a final round 65 and won his sixth Masters title, a record that still stands today.
His major his 18 major championship wins continue to inspire every amateur golfer, every athlete, anybody who aspires for greatness, he inspires them. And now forty years later, what happened in Augusta, Georgia on 04/14/1986, it is a testament to what is possible when talent and perseverance and hard work, when they all converge at the right moment. And I ask you all to join me in recognizing Jack Nicklaus on that anniversary of his incredible win. With that, mister speaker, I yield back.
Speaker 4
The gentleman yields. For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition?
George Latimer
Mister speaker, I ask for your man's consent to address the house for one minute and be advised to extend my remarks.
George Latimer
Mister speaker, I rise today to honor Purchase College of the State University of New York system, also known as SUNY Purchase. Purchase College is a top 10 public college, nationally recognized for its arts programs and its rigorous programs in the liberal arts and sciences. And as the only four year public college in Westchester County, SUNY Purchase College delivers a high quality, affordable education and supports first generation student success. Purchase College harbors graduates who thrive on the world stage as actors, musicians, filmmakers and artists, And they have meaningful careers as psychologists, nonprofit leaders, doctors, scientists, lawyers, researchers, and educators. This is a testament to the programs available to the students and the resources provided to alumni long after graduation day.
Gilbert Cisneros
And they've just announced a special partnership with Rockland Community College. I'm pleased to recognize SUNY Purchase College for the work they do for their students and the wider community. Thank you, mister speaker, and I yield back.
Speaker 4
The gentleman yields back. For what purpose does the gentleman from Massachusetts seek recognition?
Speaker 11
Mister speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable and often overlooked chapter in American sports. Thirty five years ago on 04/14/1991, the US Women's Eagles won the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup in Cardiff. They did so without the support or recognition that athletes expect today. They balanced full time jobs, studies, and families, and paid their own way to compete. During the tournament, they upset powerhouse New Zealand and beat England 19 to six in the final.
Sara Jacobs
Their legacy is not just a trophy. It is proof that leadership often comes from those willing to challenge the status quo. Today, women's rugby is one of the fastest growing sports. Across The US, women across The US, women have opportunities to play at the highest levels because of this team's accomplishments. These women were pioneers, and we owe them our gratitude and continued commitment to the athletes who carry their torch forward.
Speaker 11
I'm honored that members of the team have joined us in Washington today to celebrate this incredible milestone. Congratulations, Eagles. America is proud of you. I yield back.
Speaker 4
The gentleman yields back. For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition?
Gilbert Cisneros
Mister speaker, I rise today to celebrate nine schools in my district that have been honored as California's 2,026 distinguished schools. Congratulations to the students, teachers, and staff at California School of the Arts, San Gabriel Valley in Duarte, Edgewood High School in West Covina, Almani High School in Almani, Holan Crest Middle School in West Covina, Lone Hill Middle School in San Dimas, Mount Sack Early College Academy at West Covina, Ramona Middle School in Luverne, Sandburg Middle School in Glendora, and South Hills High School in West Covina. The California Distinguished School Recognition Program honors public schools that go above and beyond to close education gaps, provide exemplary instruction, and innovate education systems that help create better outcomes for our students. Our students are our future and I'm so proud to see these inspiring schools receive the recognition they deserve. To all the students, teachers, and staff at these distinguished schools, you are to be commended for your dedication and hard work.
Congratulations on this tremendous achievement, and I yield back.
Speaker 4
The gentleman yields back. For what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition? Without objection, the gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for one minute.
Hakeem Jeffries
Mister speaker, homes are falling in the ocean along North Carolina's outer banks and in communities like Buxton. Over 30 homes have collapsed since 2020 and coastal erosion is only getting worse. Nothing truly captures the scale of this devastation other than witnessing it for yourself firsthand. The Buxton Civic Association and local community have been speaking up and standing up for coastal and in line communities across Eastern North Carolina. Because doing nothing is not an option.
Urge Congress to pass HR thirty one sixty one, the Preventing Environmental Hazards Act. We must not continue watching livelihoods get washed away now only to pay the higher price of cleanup later. I yield back.
Speaker 4
The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purposes the gentleman from New York seek recognition?
Joe Wilson
Mister speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks.
Speaker 15
Mister speaker, I rise today on behalf of Catholics and all people of faith who were appalled by president Trump's recent attacks on Pope Leo. At a moment that demands moral clarity, his holiness called on the president to remember what the gospel teaches us, to pray for peace and for the dignity of all people. And how did he respond? With insults, egotism, and images portraying himself as Jesus. It is blasphemous, deranged, and a total desecration of Christ's message.
Sadly, we've come to expect these sort of temper tantrums and outbursts from Donald Trump. This entire episode coupled with his threat last week to wipe out an entire civilization calls into question his mental fitness for office. His own former White House advisors, military generals, and even his staunchest supporters have called him insane. The vice president and cabinet must begin the process of invoking the twenty fifth amendment to remove the president from office. If they fail to act, this house must immediately begin impeachment proceedings.
We must act now before he does any more damage to our nation
Speaker 4
Well, gentlemen, yield's back. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities towards the president. For what purposes the gentleman from Florida seek recognition?
Brian Mast
Mister speaker, pursuant to the order of the house of 04/15/2026, I call up house concurrent resolution 40 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house.
James Himes
House concurrent resolution 40, concurrent resolution directing the president pursuant to section five c of the war powers resolution to remove United States armed forces from hostilities with Iran.
Randy Fine
Pursuant to the order of the house of 04/15/2026, the concurrent resolution is considered as read. The concurrent resolution shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by representative Mast of Florida and representative Meeks of New York or their respective designees. The gentleman from Florida, mister Mast, and the gentleman from New York, mister Meeks, will each control thirty minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Brian Mast
Mister speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the resolution under consideration. Without objection. Mister speaker, I yield myself as much time as I consume.
Speaker 4
The gentleman is recognized. I reserve. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Speaker 15
Thank you, mister speaker. I rise today in strong support of my war powers resolution. And I do so today because the constitution of The United States actually demands it, and so does the conscious of the House of Representatives. So in my view, Donald Trump, and I think that in most of the world view, has dragged the American people into a war of choice, launched fact, launched without congressional authorization. The president did not discuss and work with any of our allies.
Gregory Meeks
There was no current coherent strategy. This was an open ended and undefined military engagement, and that's exactly what the War Powers Resolution was designed to restrain. But what we're here today is to talk about the authority of Congress, whether you agree with the war or not. It's the authority that lies within Congress. On February 28, the president launched an attack while negotiations between Iran and The United States were actively ongoing on.
Diplomacy was going on. Iran's former foreign minister had stated just days before that a historic agreement was within reach. There was a path forward that did not require a single American service member to be put in harm's way, and instead of pursuing diplomacy, the president started a war costing the American people billions of dollars, losing 13 American lives, and so many other men, women, and children who were not part of, who are civilians. The president abandoned the diplomatic path, not because democracy failed, but because it was never truly given a chance. And as a result of the administration's decisions, now the new Iranian regime is more hardline, the Strait Of Hormuz which was previously open is now closed, the cost of gas for American people have skyrocketed, and this fragile ceasefire is one threatening celibation civil civilisation tweet away from failing.
And what has this war accomplished? The administration and Donald Trump himself may be declaring victory, but let's look at the contradictory objectives of this administration which it has used to justify the war. First, was that Iran posed an imminent threat, but no imminent threat was ever demonstrated. Then it was about nuclear weapons, but the administration itself had declared the nuclear program obliterated. Then it was about ballistic missiles.
So you see the goalpost keep moving because there was never a clear objective in the beginning. Meanwhile, as I've stated, the cost of keeps going up. American service members have been killed, and thousands of civilians including hundreds of children have been killed since the beginning of this war. These are not just statistics. These are human beings and we have a moral duty to acknowledge that reality.
And then there's the impact gas pumps, grocery stores. This war has disrupted global travel and trade, halted flights in and out of The Middle East, and led to major shipping reroutes. Leading energy analysis warn
Gregory Meeks
be a long time before prices go down even after the war ends, and that we are looking at elevated energy costs well into the 2026. The two weeks ceasefire is set to expire on April 22, and thus far neither side has indicated what comes next beyond continued blockage of the Strait Of Hormuz Hormuz. And we're standing at the edge of a cliff, and congress must act before the president pushes off. Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp. This resolution does not leave America defenseless.
It preserves the president's authority to defend The United States and our allies from imminent attack. What actually what it says, it says plainly and constitutionally is that one person does not have the power to take this nation to war alone. Just yesterday, we heard more American troops were being sent to the Middle East. The constitution ultimately again, no matter whether you agree with the war or not with the war, the constitution grants the congress, not the president, the power to declare war. Don't take my word for it.
Even Donald Trump acknowledged this saying and I quote, as a war you're supposed to get approval from Congress. This is not a skirmish. This is not a military operation. This is a war. Now we're not the Iranian parliament and we should not be rubber stamps.
We are the article one branch of government and we serve as a check and a balance on presidential overreach. This duty is not optional. So today this body has a choice. We could assert our constitutional authority and demand a return to the only path that leads to lasting security, diplomacy, negotiation, verification, and deterrence. Or we can surrender that authority that lets this war grind on without accountability, without strategy, and without an end in sight.
It's oversight, especially on this committee. We should be having witnesses before us so that we can understand and talk and move and ultimately have a vote on this floor to determine whether or not we are going to authorize a war. I, for example, I believe in diplomacy. I also believe in the constitution, and I choose to defend the principle that war is a last resort, not a first option. Others may disagree with me, but we should still have a vote here on the house floor.
The American people are watching and the camera of history is recording. And I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle whether or not you agree with the war or not, let's do our duty and our responsibility. Let us if you wanna vote to declare a war, vote that way. If you believe as I do we should have diplomacy and we don't should not be at war now, vote that way. But we're all members of the House of Representatives.
Let's protect this institution. Let's vote yes on this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Brian Mast
I want to thank my colleague for the speech that he just gave. Probably the most hypocritical speech that anybody could give him, but I'm glad he gave it because, the truth is I'm well prepared to answer for this. So let's talk about engagements against Iran. What's going on? This is not the first time that this happened.
Joe Biden was engaged against Iran. Why? Because of imminent threat. But let's examine the difference between when Joe Biden was engaged and president Trump was engaged. When Joe Biden engaged, it's because the Houthis, a direct arm of Iran, was attacking The United States Of America's ships, merchant marine vessels, doing what they've been doing for decades, picking a fight.
President Biden launched Operation Prosperity Garden against Iranian backed Houthis, and that went on, not for thirty days, not for sixty days, not for ninety days, not for six months, went on for almost a year until January 2025, from November 23 till January '25. And what happened during that time? How many times did my Democrat colleagues or Republicans offer a war powers resolution to say, remove all US forces from this fight against Iran? I have the counter down here. It's zero.
It wasn't like what happened with president Trump. President Trump defending against an imminent threat. What was this imminent threat? It wasn't just vessels being shot at. It was very specifically, not long before that, three Americans killed at a place called Tower 22.
Sergeant Rivers, forty forty six years old, serving in the US Army Reserves. Sergeant Sanders, 24 years old, serving in the US Army Reserves. Sergeant Moffat, 23 years old, serving in the US Army Reserves. Real imminent threat. Our bases in Syria and Iraq and other places being attacked.
But before president Trump ever conducted any level of operation, Democrats introduced direct your the removal of US forces from hostilities with Iran, a war power introduced before anything ever happened. Now if we go back here to president Biden, there were a couple of pieces of legislation that took place bipartisanly. One of them I brought up many times. It was Republicans and Democrats voting overwhelmingly to tell the president, tell the executive branch, literally, I quote, use any and all means necessary to destroy Iranian nuclear anything. That's what we told the president.
That's what we told the executive branch. My colleague voted on it. I voted on it. Not war powers. Not to say remove all US forces from hostilities.
Not like Democrats have brought up before this began, and then again bringing it up, you know, stopping before b two bar b two bombers struck. Not again when they introduced it this time. You know, 06/26, 06/27. Not on one twenty nine, not on 02/18, and the list goes on and on. Again and again and again.
Today, again. Doing another war power. What changed? What changed from not one war power from anybody to half a dozen? And I guess we're gonna do another one next week.
Politics. Everything that my colleague just talked about, his his hypocritical remarks about we need to do these things, it's all politics. My Democrat colleagues are not paying attention to national security at all. They refuse to acknowledge the imminent threat that Iran has been, them killing our service members, them attacking us in place after place. They don't acknowledge it.
When Joe Biden was responding to merchant marine vessels being attacked, it was okay. No war power needed. Went on for about a year. President Trump responds, war power, war power, war power, war power. Every week that they can do it.
They tried doing it last week as well. That's the hypocrisy. My colleague brought up some of our service members that were killed. Take that very seriously. Seen it far too many times.
That beautiful flag beyond the speaker draped across caskets. Take it seriously every time. I personally believe that any time that a service member is killed, they should be lying in state, lying in honor here beneath the dome of the US Capitol. I think they earn it more than anybody, anybody killed in action in defense of this country. That's my own personal belief on that.
I would ask my colleague, do you know the folks? Do you know the folks that were killed that you mentioned? Do you know their names? You brought up a number. Is that just politics?
I know I'm not supposed to I know I'm supposed to address the chair, but I'm happy to yield a little time to my colleague. Do you know the members of the military that were killed? Sitting there silent. Just using it for politics. My brothers and sisters in arms are not politics.
They're out defending The United States Of America against the most imminent threat that we have faced for decades. A threat that has killed hundreds of our service members in the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, that, as I already mentioned, killed three of our service members at Tower 22, absolutely was shooting at us and our merchant marine fleet like what they had nothing to say about when president Biden was conducting attacks against them for over a year. But I'm gonna tell you who they are since to my Democrat colleagues, they're just a number for politics. Army sergeant Declan Cody, 20 years old from Des Moines, Iowa. Army captain Cody Cork, 35 years old.
Army major Jeffrey O'Brien, 45 years old. Army master sergeant Noah Teichens, 45 years old. Army staff sergeant Benjamin Pennington. Air Force Major John Klinner, Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan, Army, Air Force master sergeant Tyler Simmons. Air Force tech sergeant Ashley Pruitt.
Master sergeant Nicole Armour, major Savino, captain Caval, US Air Force, Captain Angst, KC one thirty five pilot. They are not just numbers. They are not part of an operation that has no plan. They are not part of an operation responding to no imminent threat. They are taking it to an enemy that has attacked us month after month, year after year, that bipartisanly we have agreed on.
Use any and all means to destroy them, to destroy their nuclear capabilities. We voted on it. The only difference is that my Democrat colleagues wanna reference a number of service members killed because they just see it as politics. They don't have the slightest clue of who they are, where they're from, what their ages were, or the respect for the gold star families that now exist. They're only interested in the the difference in politics, which is what these charts demonstrate.
Mister speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Speaker 4
The gentleman reserves. I remind the gentleman to direct his remarks to the chair and his communications to his Democrat colleagues. Gentleman is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
Thank you, mister chair. You know, the gentleman is from Florida, so he knows oranges. I'm from New York, the big apple. I know apples. The gentleman's argument, clearly, he doesn't he knows apples from oranges.
Let me just say this, I never challenged the gentleman's patriotism to this country. He better never challenge my patriotism to this country. To think that he has a privilege to do that, no. There's no one that has more patriotism. I have family members who lost their lives for this country.
I'm here because of my patriotism to this country. I now yield three minutes to the esteemed gentleman from Massachusetts, the democratic whip representative Katherine Clark.
Adriano Espaillat
Thank you, mister speaker. Six weeks ago, democrats brought a war powers resolution to this house floor. We called on Republicans to join us and bring this conflict to an end. They refused. Mike Johnson declared with pride that Donald Trump's mission is nearly accomplished.
Katherine Clark
Well, six weeks later, what are Americans seeing? Gas prices out of control, grocery prices going up, a fertilizer shortage that is threatening to drive prices even higher. Americans are seeing hundreds of casualties in a war that no one has given them the respect to explain it to. But one thing is clear, Americans are being asked to foot the bill with the lives of their sons and daughters and with the $2,000,000,000 a day that we are spending on this conflict that could be going to help Americans afford to go see a doctor or help feed our seniors and hungry veterans, to help drive down and help Americans who are working hard and not making it afford the rising cost of gas and housing and groceries being driven ever higher by this conflict. Before this war, we were in a position of strength.
Iran was weakened. The Strait Of Hormuz was in no danger of being closed. But now Donald Trump and his enablers have marched us into a position of far more weakness. Our goal now of this conflict is to return to the status quo before this conflict, but who is paying the price? Who is paying the price for this?
It's the American people. And don't take my word from it. President Donald Trump told us because of this war, it is not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare. Imagine that. That's an American working family last doctrine.
And today, Republicans have a choice. Are you going to continue to enable him and his madness, or or you going to prioritize Americans, the working families of this country, and vote yes for this resolution? I yield back.
Brian Mast
Mister speaker, I would remind the house that the the gentlelady that just spoke was the one that to directly quote her, Americans are leverage. I guess that's how they look at our service members as well, unfortunately. I don't guess. I assess. I assess, as I spoke about already and reaffirm my remarks, they use our service members as leverage, as politics, and it's disgusting.
I will yield three minutes to the gentleman from Texas, chairman of the subcommittee on Europe, mister Self.
Keith Self
Thank you, mister speaker. Thank you, mister chairman. I'll address a couple of things that, my esteemed colleague across the aisle talked about gas prices. Do you wanna go back to the gas prices under Joe Biden? I think not.
As long as we're talking about 13 dead service members, I want to remind you of how often our colleagues across the aisle refuse to talk about the 13 service members that died in the most disastrous and the most despicable operation in US military history at Abbey Gate. 13 dead then that they refused to talk about, they refused to recognize. And as long as we're talking about this operation, we tend to forget that, president Obama attacked Libya for seven months with no authorization from Congress. Seven months with no authorization from Congress. So I have a question for my colleagues across the aisle.
Why do you hate US success so much? How can you do that? How can you hate the success that we have done strategically in the last couple of months? We now control the Venezuela oil much of which went to China. We now have cut off the Strait Of Hormuz where much of the oil that went through the Strait Of Hormuz went to China.
And we've done it with no boots on the ground. There are three priorities in Iran to the regime. One is regime survival. Two is our nuclear program and three used to be, although it is no longer because they don't have any proxies left to speak of. So we have taken out their proxies.
We have destroyed much of their nuclear program. If we can get the 60% uranium, get it under our control, it would be very beneficial but they no longer have the machines or the people to to enrich it to 90% which is weapon grade uranium. So you ask what have we accomplished in this war? We have neutered Iran, which has been at war with us for forty seven years. Forty seven years.
What have we accomplished? We've accomplished quite a bit. I asked my colleagues again, how can you hate US success so much? I've been deployed on three continents with the United States Army and I will tell you the support of the American people is what sustain you when you are deployed overseas. I implore my colleagues across the aisle to support our troops are who are in harm's way and I yield back.
Reserve.
Jeff Hurd
Gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Florida is recognized from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
Now let me just say that it's our job to determine when our troops should go across, and that's what this is about. We all support our troops, but it's our determination in congress when we should treat them, not a king. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Texas, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere subcommittee, representative Joaquin Castro.
Joaquin Castro
The president promised the American people no more foreign wars. Then he dragged the nation into war with Iran. He threatened genocide against Iran by calling for, quote, the death of a civilization. This war has caused record inflation, soaring energy prices, and the death of countless civilians, including scores of school girls. Americans didn't endorse any of this.
The so called imminent threat that was used to justify the war was manufactured. In fact, Iran does not possess any nuclear weapon. They don't have a single ballistic missile capable of reaching the Mainland United States Of America. So this was all a lie. That lie has cost 13 American service members their lives, and hundreds more have been wounded.
As we speak, president Trump is sending thousands more service members into the region. And what was this war for? The president keeps changing his answer. How much will it cost? He refuses to say.
When will it end? No answer. Has he sent a single official to testify to congress to explain his decision to go to war? No. A vote against this resolution is a vote to sideline congress in the most consequential decision a government can make, whether to go to war.
When we go home in each of our hometowns, we're confronted with questions about higher grocery bills and why. The answer is this war. I will tell people that I did not vote for this war. I'll tell them that I don't support the war. I'll tell them that I voted to stop the war.
Brad Knott
I'll tell them that I do not want another generation of American men and women from San Antonio or anywhere else in this country in uniform fighting twenty year trillion dollar wars in The Middle East. When you go home, what will you tell your people? The resolution before us is a chance to show the American people that this body functions, that it works, that we will not stand aside while a president
Jeff Hurd
Gentleman Yeals, the gentleman from Florida is recognized from New York is recognized.
Brian Mast
I will remind my colleague that just spoke, Iran as of yet does not have a missile that can reach The United States Of America that we know about, but they have reached out and affirmatively killed Americans. I just gave a list prior to this conflict ever beginning. Sergeant Moffitt, Sergeant Sanders, Sergeant Rivers. Killed. Killed in action.
Mister speaker, I yield three minutes to the gentleman from Florida, mister Fine.
Randy Fine
Thank you, mister chairman. For forty seven years, there has been a war involving Iran. It's been a war against The United States. It started forty seven years ago with death to America, and when they chanted it, they meant it. It started in 1979 when they took our hostages.
In 1983 when Iran killed 241 Americans including 220 marines. Iran recognized they were at war with us. In 1996 at Khobar Towers when Iran, in their war for death to America, killed 19 more Americans. In 2003 to 2011, when Iran, thinking they were at war with America, killed over 600 of our soldiers that were in Iraq. And on 10/07/2023, Iran realizing death to America, war with America killed 46 Americans that were living in Israel.
But Iran has not just been at war with us, they've been at war with their own people and we can hear tears for the school children that died, but we do not hear the tears for the 35,000 Iranians that we know of that they killed in January. We don't hear the cries for the Iranian people because of their war with their own people that has kept the Internet off in their country for months now. And we will hear we should just have more diplomacy. Forty seven years of diplomacy is not enough. Make no mistake.
Iran uses diplomacy as a weapon to create cover for their nuclear program. We have to understand what is at stake today as president Trump makes extraordinary steps. For forty seven years as Iran has declared war with us, they have tried to build a nuclear weapon. They have enough material to build a couple. And while we do not believe that they could deliver that nuclear weapon to The United States today, that is their single-minded purpose.
And their goal was to create a military infrastructure that created a shield so that they could develop those nuclear weapons and they could develop that missile. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle might be fine learning that they have that nuclear weapon and they have that missile when one lands right here in The United States Of America. Thank god president Trump and the rest of us do not. This resolution is a terrible idea. We should stand with our president.
We should stand with our troops. We must end the forty seven year war that Iran has had with The United States. I am grateful that president Trump is doing that right now. Vote no on this. Thank you, mister speaker.
Reserve.
Gregory Meeks
I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut. The ranking member of the intelligence committee representative Jim Hines.
James Himes
Thank you, mister speaker, and I thank the chairman and ranking member for this important debate. I've been listening carefully to my Republicans, and they'll get no argument from me on the notion that we've been at war with Iran for decades. No argument at all. And as mister Mast keeps saying, this is a bad and evil regime. And yes, we've been at war.
But at no point in those decades have we been so obviously losing that war in any strategic sense. Yeah. The Iranian navy is at the bottom of the ocean. We've broken a bunch of their missile launchers and I guess the nuclear material is a little more buried than it was when we obliterated it nine months ago. But let's look at the balance here.
Rashida Tlaib
Let's set aside the constitutional issues that the majority has been quite happily happy to set aside now for a month and a half, and let's talk about the regime change which occurred. We changed the regime to a younger, much more vicious regime that is now in power in Iran. We also demonstrated that Iran can sustain the most brutal military attack that we have to offer and that that regime can still survive. We have shown the regime, and this is the key point, that they have a weapon more powerful than any of ours, which is they control the energy markets on the globe right now. As we speak, each and every one of our constituents is paying about a dollar 25 more per gallon of gasoline than they did before this ill advised war.
James Himes
And by the way, we've broken the alliance with Israel. Joe Kent, the former national counter terrorism director is running around saying we are in this war because of Israel. Now I wasn't in the Oval Office, but that is not a good thing for that alliance. We've spent billions of dollars for what? And of course, most importantly, 13 dead Americans.
Precious lives given for something where the mission is unclear. We should support our troops, but our troops deserve a strategy. They deserve a sense of mission. They deserve to know that the people's house debated their life or their death. So yes, this is a terrible regime.
And yes, we're at war. But you are in the process of losing it. And now is the time for congress to finally reassert its constitutional authority and give a sense of mission and give a sense of meaning to those young men and women who are deployed. Vote for HCON RES forty so we can finally do our duty. Thank you, mister speaker.
I yield back.
James Himes
Mister speaker, message from the president of The United States. Mister speaker.
Jeff Hurd
Mister secretary. I'm directed by the president of The United States to deliver to the house representatives a message in writing. The gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
Most vicious regime. My colleagues should probably stick around for this. They might be vicious, but they don't have the teeth that they had before. As he pointed out, we sunk their navy. We've destroyed their air force, their drone manufacturing facilities, their caches of weapons, their mobile launching platforms, their fixed launching platforms.
And we are, as we speak, in the midst of a ceasefire. In the midst of a ceasefire, my colleagues the words I wanna use would probably be taken down, but let's just say, in an ill advised way, want to say remove all US forces in the midst of this ceasefire that we're in. That's crazy. They talk about wanting diplomacy, but they don't. This goes back to what I opened up with.
It's all pure politics for my colleagues. You have Joe Biden. He's launching attacks against these Iranian forces for almost a year, not one war power resolution. President Trump, half a dozen of them, and we'll do another one next week. Wanna talk about service members, but they can't tell you who they are because it's just a number to them.
They wanna talk about what's going on destroying they they wanna put more support into supporting Ukraine in a conflict where no American has been killed yet. And mind you, I have no love for Russia whatsoever. But when it comes to Iran who has been killing Americans, nothing. Crickets. Pure politics.
I'm gonna yield two and a half minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina, mister Wilson.
Joe Wilson
Thank you, miss thank you, mister speaker. And I appreciate the leadership of chairman Brian Mast and agree with his assessments. I rise in opposition to the proposed resolution. Appeasement leads to a larger war as we learned in 1939. President Donald Trump has courageously taken decisive action against the regime in Tehran, eliminating Khomeini, the architect of decades of terror, mass murder, repression, and aggression against The United States, Iranian patriots, and our Gulf allies.
The removal of this murderous dictator marks a pivotal moment in history. It's gonna be so beneficial for stability, peace, and prosperity for our Gulf allies of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Yemen, which we cherish their friendship. Additionally, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq will be fully liberated of Iranian interference. President Trump is correct again of giving Syria a chance. Iran has been at war with America and western civilization for forty seven years.
Brian Mast
President Donald Trump has sent a clear message that those who threaten The United States and our partners will be ultimately held accountable. I'm particularly grateful that four of my sons have served in The Middle East to defeat terrorism overseas to protect American families at home. Recent events have exposed the dangers by Tehran. As special envoy Steve Witkoff learned of the Iranian capability to build nine bombs, president Trump courageously acted to prevent death to America, death to Israel. With ballistic missile range of central into Central Europe and India, president Trump has unified our allies from Turkey to the Arab Gulf states to Saudi Arabia.
Joe Wilson
As the Iranian people look forward to the future, we can recognize their aspirations for freedom and dignity have been crushed with the murder of 35,000 patriots this year. The United States stands with the Iranian people, not with the tyrants who murdered them. Today, we honor the courage of our American troops, reaffirm our commitment to allies, recognize president Trump's leadership in confronting one of the most dangerous regimes in modern era. America remains vigilant, resolute, and committed to defending freedom wherever it's threatened, weakening war criminal Putin as Ukrainians are courageously achieving victory. Thank you, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.
I yield back. Reserves.
Jeff Hurd
Gentleman from Florida Reserves, the gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
Yes. I'm proud to yield two minutes to the gentleman from California, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, representative Sarah Jacobs.
Sara Jacobs
Thank you. Mister chairman, this isn't just politics for me. Two weeks ago, thousands of San Diego military families got forty eight hour deployment notices. That means they need to be ready to drop everything to deploy to The Middle East, get their affairs in order packed, say goodbye to their families for a few months or maybe a year. And don't get me wrong, this is what our service members and their families signed up for and they are not complaining, but it is our job in congress and my job as a representative of the country's biggest military community to make sure that we've explored all the contingency plans, exhausted all diplomatic and non military options, and figured out the objectives, the strategy, and the exit plan before we've asked them to.
And we have done none of that. And while I will push for oversight and transparency about how we got here, our focus now should be on how we end this war. But instead, president Trump is escalating. The San Diego based carrier, the Lincoln, is already in the region. San Diego's USS Boxer and the eleventh Marine Expeditionary Unit will be arriving soon, and we're expecting another San Diego based carrier, the Roosevelt, to deploy any day now.
And when they get there, they will be prime target for retaliation and charged with the difficult task of enforcing Donald Trump's cockamamie blockade of Iran's ports and partial blockade of the Strait Of Hormuz, which will put a lot of strain on an already fragile ceasefire. Donald Trump is getting our country further entrenched in another forever war in The Middle East. And the longer we stay, the harder and more expensive it will be to get out. So yes, we should support our troops. That means doing our jobs and asking these questions before they are asked to sacrifice their lives.
That's why Congress needs to do our job, or else we will keep paying the cost in terms of lives lost and taxpayer dollars. And captain Cody Cork, sergeant first class Noah Tietjens, sergeant first class Nicole Amor, sergeant Declan Cody, Major Jeffrey O'Brien, Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan, Sergeant Benjamin Pennegan, and all of the other service members who have been killed in this war deserve us to do our job. My constituents' lives are in our hands, and their fate is now up to us. Vote yes.
Jeff Hurd
Gentlemen, this time has expired. The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
I think it's a miscalculation to tell the military to end a war or a conflict or a battle or anything else. We work to end threats. We work to eliminate imminent threats against The United States Of America. There is a very important difference there. And to think that this was not thoroughly calculated, the approach at which this goes, destroying surface to air, then bringing in different aircraft, sinking in navy, destroying drone manufacturing, every single target calculated in very, very specific orders.
Either you believe that about our military or you don't. I can tell you I know for a fact that is exactly the way that our military has conducted this operation. And a pinpointed, methodical, pedantic drumbeat of a way to address targets in a very specific order over and over and over again, only paused because of the ongoing negotiations and ceasefire that my colleagues want to say, remove all forces in the midst of. That's their demand today. Remove all forces as they've demanded in the past.
I reserve.
Jeff Hurd
Gentleman from Florida reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
I yield one minute to the gentleman from Washington, the esteemed member of the House Foreign Affairs com Committee, representative Pramila Jayapal.
Joaquin Castro
Thank you, mister speaker. President Trump has illegally and unconstitutionally taken us into an expensive and dangerous war with Iran. The war has cost taxpayers $50,000,000,000 already, and the Pentagon will request 200,000,000,000 more on top of a record $1,500,000,000,000 budget request. We've already lost 13 US troops, including captain Ariana Savino from my home state of Washington. We've killed thousands of Iranian and Lebanese civilians and displaced millions more.
Speaker 23
Gas prices at home are up to $7 in my home state, and families are hurting. Another 10,000 US troops are being sent in to join 50,000 already stationed in the Middle East with absolutely no strategy, no plan, and no exit. Meanwhile, the madman in the White House tweets about exterminating an entire civilization, rages at the pope for calling for peace, and pretends he is Jesus. We cannot allow this to continue. Let's reign in this president and restore the sole authority of congress and congress alone to go to war.
Vote yes.
Jeff Hurd
Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. The gentleman from New York reserves, the gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
I'm very proud that we have a president that knows where he is, can find his way on or off of a stage. I know my colleagues said to literally remove their president that they did not ask for any war powers authorities for when he was conducting his attacks against Iran for about a year. They didn't ask for that, you know, even though it was somebody that they literally removed from the ballot because of senility. In that, I reserve.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from Florida reserves, the gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
And I yield one minute to the gentleman from New York, representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
Gregory Meeks
Thank you, mister speaker. In February, the Trump administration, in conjunction with the Israeli government, launched an illegal and disastrous war in Iran. They provided no rationale to the American people. They sought no legal authority from Congress, and they have since descended our world and our global economy into chaos. And that was just the beginning.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Now, president Trump has threatened to use the United States military to act carry out acts of genocide against the Iranian people, innocent civilians. Up until today, he has done this on his own, a rogue actor. But today, we vote on whether or not he will do this in the name of the American people. Congress must vote to exercise our power to stop this chaos or whether we sanction it, and we must vote to restrain it. I urge our colleagues that we vote yes and that we end and stop all that is imperiled before us.
And with that, I yield back.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from New York Reserves, the gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
I would just educate my colleague that The United States Of America goes to the greatest lengths to use the most pinpointed weapons at great expense. Precision weapons over and over again. So that if any civilian is killed, it is tragic, but it is never anything more than an accident because of the efforts that we go to to be pinpointed in any strike that we carry out. That is a fact. I reserve.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from Florida reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
I yield one minute to the gentleman from Minnesota, representative Ilhan Omar.
Speaker 4
I rise today not just as a member of congress, but as someone who knows the human cost of war. What it takes, what it destroys, and what it never gives back. We are already seeing thousands of civilians killed and wounded in Iran and in Lebanon. American service members lost millions forced from their homes with nowhere to go. This is what war looks like, and it it's only the beginning.
Ilhan Omar
And yet, this war of choice happened without Congress, without accountability, and without a plan for peace. The constitution is clear. The power to declare war belongs to congress. It is paramount that we act when a president abuses their power. I have seen what happens when the world looks away as violence spirals.
We cannot be silent. We cannot be complacent. I urge my colleagues to vote yes and I yield back.
Jeff Hurd
Gentleman from New York reserves, the gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
I hope my colleague would stay for more debate that was just speaking, but I would be curious. The gentlelady intends to vote to tell the president that all US forces must be removed from hostilities. Do they feel as though that is a sound strategy to reach the conclusion that they want in the midst of a ceasefire? Sounds like they haven't calculated that. I reserve.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from Florida reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
Yeah. One minute. To the gentleman from New Mexico, representative Melanie Stansbury.
Speaker 23
Mister speaker, as cosponsor of this war powers resolution, this debate is making me sick. The lies and colleagues who are so weak that they won't enforce the constitution to rein in a president who is clearly out of control. As we sit here, thousands of civilians are dead, thirteen service members have been killed, hundreds have been injured with brain injuries whose lives will never be the same. Millions of people displaced and our American bases bombed. And for what?
Brian Mast
Having been led into an illegal war by a madman who is attacking the pope, threatening war crimes and implicated in the Epstein files, and who can't explain why we were there or what happens the day after. That is why it is time to end this war, to stand with our troops and to stand with the American people. So we must pass this resolution and end this war now.
Jeff Hurd
Gentleman yields, members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. The gentleman from New York Reserves, the gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
I know the gentlelady is still here. She really not know why we're there? Really doesn't know about the American service members killed even before this that I mentioned? Doesn't know about the American based strike? Really?
You are a member of Congress that does not know this? That's crazy. Now I'll leave it at that. I'll leave it at that for this moment. But we can get you classified briefings on this.
We would be having one today were if not for this debate. I'll reserve.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from Florida reserves, members are reminded to direct their comments to the chair. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
I hear one minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island, representative Seth Magazena.
Speaker 11
Mister speaker, the American people are tired of morally bankrupt politicians who are always saying that there's not enough money for health care, there's not enough money for education, there's not enough money for housing, but are willing to spend more than a billion dollars a day on an unnecessary war of choice. A war that has taken the lives of 13 American service members, that has taken the lives of over a 100 elementary school children bombed in their school. Horrific. A war that has raised gas prices and home heating oil prices and fertilizer prices on the American people. Now that may not matter in Mar A Lago where everything looks good, but to the average working American they don't know why they're being asked to pay for this unnecessary war and neither do any of us.
Speaker 27
The administration has not given us any evidence, and I've gone to every briefing, classified briefings and otherwise, any evidence that Iran was plotting an imminent threat against The United States, an imminent attack, any evidence that they were close to getting a nuclear weapon, none. This is an unnecessary war, a costly war. We have an opportunity to end it today, and I urge my colleagues to do that. I yield back.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman yields. The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Florida is recognized. Reserve. The gentleman from Florida reserves.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
I yield one minute to the gentleman from Virginia, representative Don Baier.
Donald Beyer
Thank you, mister chairman and mister speaker. Mister speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Let's not forget that one of the opening acts of this war of choice against Iran was the massacre of scores of school children, little girls, committed by our military in our name in our name. And while the president mumbled, feudalize to escape his responsibility as commander of chief, Hagsheth did beat poetry about replacing politically correct legality with unhinged lethality. And if that wasn't reckless enough, it was amplified the president's own social media tirades where millions of people were reduced to targets and an early morning threat to obliterate an entire civilization.
A can't contemptible failure of moral leadership. Well, sorry for being PC, but those kids would be alive today if congress had done our job and restrained the president's lust for power. We have an a chance to do act before more lives are lost and more damage is done. And I've never been more embarrassed for my Republican friends in congress who've alternated between total silence and cheering on this madness. It's long past time for us to grow a brain, grow a spine, and stand up for the true interest of the American people.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman's time has expired. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
I would let my colleague that was just speaking know that almost all Democrats and Republicans literally gave the president the direction, voted to include the the top Democrat that's walking up right now. Use all means necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. That's literally what they voted for. Gave the direction. Use any and all means necessary.
I've said it many times. I'm saying it again. It's exactly what they voted for. The difference today is politics. The difference today is it's not Joe Biden who can't find his way off a stage.
It's president Trump. That's why there was zero war power power resolutions under Joe Biden and half a dozen or more at this point for president Trump. Pure politics, I reserve.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from Florida reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
It's with the distinguished pleasure that I have the opportunity to introduce, the gentleman from Kings County, Brooklyn, the minority leader, and the next speaker of the House of Representatives, the honorable Hakeem Jeffries.
Hakeem Jeffries
Thank you mister speaker. I also thank my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from the great state of New York, representative Gregory Meeks, the once and future chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee for yielding and for his leadership, for his courage, his character, and his conviction, and his patriotism. How dare anyone on this floor question the patriotism of Greg Meeks or any member on our side of the aisle. And you know what often happens, my Republican colleagues, when they can't defend the merits of a particular situation, can't defend the fact that Donald Trump as candidate promised not to start any wars, but to stop them, his words, not ours, when you can't defend the fact that billions of dollars are being spent every day to drop bombs in the Middle East. But Republicans are unwilling to spend a dime to make life more affordable for the American people when you can't defend the things that have taken place under this administration.
The fact that the American people know life hasn't gotten better for them, life has gotten worse. Life has gotten more expensive, less affordable. When you can't defend your policies, you question the patriotism of democratic members of congress. There are patriots on both sides of this conflict, of this issue. As a matter of fact, we know there are combat veterans on the Republican side and the combat veterans on the Democratic side who may share different views about the nature of this conflict.
Jason Crow is a combat veteran. He opposes this reckless war of choice. Are you going to question his patriotism? Pat Ryan is a combat veteran who opposes this reckless war of choice. You question his patriotism?
Mike Thompson served in Vietnam, combat veteran, opposes this reckless war of choice. You question his patriotism as well? Why don't you just argue the merits of your position as opposed to attacking the patriotism of people on the democratic side of the aisle? When as far as I'm concerned, the most patriotic thing that we can do is stand up to ensure that our men and women in uniform aren't being recklessly sent into a costly war of choice, more than 12 of whom have already lost their lives, hundreds of whom have been seriously injured. Let's just argue the merits of Donald Trump's reckless and costly war of choice and stop the ad hominem attacks, which aren't a sign of strength.
It's just a sign of Republican weakness in terms of your ability to persuade the American people as to why Republicans are on the right side of this unpopular war. Now this war of choice, this reckless and costly war was entered into without any plan, any objective, any exit strategy, any public support, and any approval of the United States Congress. Those are five different objective reasons to have a problem with what's going on in The Middle East right now. In fact, we're just trying to help Donald Trump bring to life his own words that as president, he wasn't going to start wars in The Middle East, he was going to stop them. Donald Trump's own words.
Question his patriotism? The reality is this war costing the American people taxpayers billions of dollars a day at the same time when Republicans are ripping health care away from the American people. It's reckless war of choice costing the American people billions of dollars a day at the same time when costs are going up because of the Trump tariffs. Thousands of dollars a year in additional expense that everyday Americans are paying. This reckless war of choice costing the American people billions of dollars a day when at the same time, Republicans are unwilling to spend a dime to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
This reckless war of choice costing the American taxpayer billions of dollars a day at the same period of time when grocery bills in this country are out of control, and far too many people are working hard. They're playing by the rules, but they're struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, can't thrive and can barely survive. We're standing up for the American taxpayer in expressing support for this war powers resolution so we can put an end to this costly and reckless war of choice. These are just some of the reasons why we oppose what is taking place right now. And in fact, there are many who are now arguing in the public domain that as a result of what Donald Trump and Republicans have done over in The Middle East, Iran in some instances is stronger now than they were before, have effective control of the Strait Of Hormuz.
They didn't have that before, But now they do. And as a result, Americans are paying increased gas prices that are soaring more than $4 a gallon, the largest, in fact, monthly increase in gas price gas prices from March to April than the country has seen in more than six decades. Just another reason to have a problem with Donald Trump's reckless war of choice. So I just asked my Republican colleagues, debate us on the merits. Enough with the ad hominem attacks.
It's a sign of weakness, not strength. Take your position. We take our position. We feel very comfortable that we're standing on the side of the American people, standing on the side of the constitution, standing on the side of the principle that if we're going to spend billions and billions of taxpayer dollars, it should actually be spent to make life more affordable for the American people, not plunge us into a reckless and costly war of choice that is actually making life more expensive for the American people in provable and tangible ways. Vote yes on the Meeks resolution so we can stop this reckless and costly war of choice and actually get back to doing the business of the American people and making their lives better, not worse.
I yield back.
Jeff Hurd
The gentleman from New York yields. The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Florida is recognized.
Brian Mast
When my Democrat colleagues come down here and just lie, they're deserving of ad hominem attacks. When they come down here and try to say something about service members killed but didn't take the time to learn a thing about them, learn their names, where they're from, but just want a number, you're deserving of an ad hominem attack. When the the minority leader comes to the floor and tries to say, even though he's had, you know, various gang of eight meetings and things like that, more more classified briefings than even I've had, and tries to pretend that he doesn't know the intelligence or what general Cain is doing or the methodical approach to what's going on here or the very slim number of Iranian ordinance that are making it past our defenses or the commitments of our allies or the threats of them obtaining a nuclear weapon or what they would do with it like the way Russia threatens the rest of the world, he is deserving of an ad hominem attack, and so is everybody else. I reserve.
Jeff Hurd
Gentlemen from Florida reserves, the gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
Mister chairman, let me just say that. I support 100% our troops, But I strongly disagree with anyone who would say, trust, just simply trust the president of The United States. That's not patriotism. That's not why we were here. That's why we have separate but equal branches of government.
Otherwise, if it's just trust the king. I now yield one minute to the esteemed gentleman from California, speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi.
Nancy Pelosi
Thank you, mister speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank for him for his courageous leadership bringing this legislation to the floor. We are the House of Representatives. Article one of the constitution gives the power to declare war to the Congress of the United States.
And why? Because we are the representatives of the people of The United States, and it is important for the people of The United States to understand the reason why, the purpose, the strategy of it all, and also to approve of the use of force. Of course, the president did not do that, and for some reason, there are those in this body who have been willing to abdicate the power of the House of Representatives and the Congress of the United States to declare war. But the gravest cost, of course, is to this war is not just that the American people have not had the explanation by way of the Congress having that explanation is the cost is human. 13 brave American service members have lost their lives.
Hundreds of more have been injured, and more than a thousand civilians in the region have perished. We all agree, of course, the cost is in the billions, and the president said we can't do childcare because we have to spend money on war. We don't have to spend money
Nancy Pelosi
Agree that that nuke they cannot have a nuclear weapon. President did
Speaker 27
President Obama did that diplomatically. The president threw that president current president threw that out and decided to go to war without a plan, without a strategy, without an exit plan, and really without even explaining his purpose to the American people. I urge our colleagues to respect who they are, members of congress with the power to declare war and insist on voting on this motion put forth by the distinguished soon to be chairman again of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Jeff Hurd
Mister yields. The gentleman from New York reserves, the gentleman from Florida is recognized. The gentleman from Florida reserves, the gentleman from New York is recognized.
Gregory Meeks
Mister speaker, quote from Abraham Lincoln. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars pretending generally if not always that the good of the people was the object. Donald Trump thinks he's a king. And as I said, I support the troops, but I don't trust the president of The United States just by this. He doesn't, you know, saying that he knows what he's doing.
Let's see what he's actually done. March 3, Trump says the navy will escort tankers no matter what and guarantee the free flow of energy to the world. March 9, he says he's thinking about taking over the state of Hormuz. March 15, he says it's someone else's problems, questions whether The US should even be there, and notes we have a lot of oil seemingly not understanding the price of oil is based on global prices. March 21, he threatens to bomb Iran's power plants within forty eight hours if they don't open the straight.
March 26, he announces a ceasefire and says Iran has agreed to open the straight. The same week, sitcom announces it is sending ships to clear mines from the straight Iran supposedly agreed to open. This past Sunday, March, he says the Navy is going to blockade the blockade and interdict ships in the strait. The man says something one day and something else, and we had some signs up earlier of what this man has said. We had young people in here and some of the words that he used on Easter Sunday, supposed to be the leader of the free world, then he puts a picture of himself.
Tells you who he thinks he is. He thinks he's Jesus. He thinks he can do whatever he wants to do because he's Donald Trump. He thinks that his word is what governs. This is a constitutional democracy and people died to create this Congress and to make sure that this Congress is a separate but equal branch of government, and that this Congress, if you are a patriot, would stand up and oversight a president.
And yes, that's what the people of The United States will do and the people of The United States
Brad Knott
says time has expired. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities towards the president. The gentleman from Florida is recognized. Thank you.
Brian Mast
I wanna thank the president for all of the work that he's done, working to end an imminent threat against The United States Of America. My Democrat colleagues used to agree on that it was an imminent threat. They did. And they wisely agreed that it was an imminent threat. They voted, as I've said many times, literally to say, my colleague over there, the one that was just speaking, use all means necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
They voted on Voted numerous times to say the existential threat that Iran is against us. They just don't believe it when the name is president Trump. When it's Joe Biden, no war powers resolutions. When it's president Trump, do them every week. Do them every day.
No longer do they believe that they're an imminent threat. No longer do they believe use any and all means necessary. I think my Democrat colleagues really want America to lose. I think they want America to lose. That is why in the midst of this ceasefire that's going on, they are literally offering a resolution to say, remove any and all US forces from hostilities in or within Iran.
I believe that's out of a desire to lose. It's really sad. They're over there laughing as we speak. As I levy an accusation that they want America to lose, they're over here chuckling and laughing. That's sad.
I could see in mouth, he said that I'm sad. I am sad. I'm sad that my colleagues talk about the numbers of service members killed, but don't know a thing about them. That's sad. Waving his hand.
Sad that my colleagues want The United States to lose, and they sit there and laugh about it. That's sad. I reserve. The
Brian Mast
Recognize myself for how long? How much time do I have remaining? A few seconds?
Brian Mast
I'll just close it with this. It's sad. Sad that they're over there laughing about this. I yield the remainder of my time.
Brad Knott
All time for debate has expired. Pursuant to the order of the house of 04/15/2026, the previous question is ordered on the concurrent resolution. The question is on adoption of the concurrent resolution. Those in favor say aye. Aye.
Those opposed, no. No. The noes have it. The concurrent resolution is agreed to.
Brad Knott
The yeas and nays are requested. Those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. A sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. Members will record their vote by electronic device. Pursuant to clause nine of rule 20, this fifteen minute vote on adoption of the concurrent resolution will be followed by five minute votes on the motion to recommit on six four zero nine, passage of HR six four zero nine if so ordered, the motion to recommit on HR six three nine eight, passage of HR six three nine eight if ordered, and adoption of House Resolution nine six five.
Hakeem Jeffries
This is a fifteen minute vote. On this vote, the yeas are 213. The nays are 214 with one answering present. The concurrent resolution is not adopted. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
Brad Knott
Pursuant to clause eight of rule 20, the unfinished business is the question on agreeing to the motion to recommit on HR six four zero nine offered by the gentleman from California, mister Min, on which the yeas and nays were ordered. The clerk will redesignate the motion.
Keith Self
Motion to recommit HR sixty four zero nine offered by mister Men of California.
Brad Knott
The question is on agreeing to the motion to recommit. Members will record their votes by electronic device. This is a five minute vote. The yeas are 213 and the nays are 215 with no votes voting present. The motion is not adopted.
The question is on the passage of the bill. Those in favor, please say aye. Those opposed, please say no. The ayes have it.
Brad Knott
The ayes and nays are requested. Those favoring a vote by the ayes and nays will rise. A sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. Members will record their votes by electronic device. This is a five minute vote.
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