On April 10, 55 Members of the House sent a bipartisan letter to President Trump and Attorney General Sessions demanding that President Trump seek authorization from Congress before escalating militarily in Yemen. Rep. Mark Pocan said, “Administration officials have proposed the U.S. participate directly in an attack on Yemen's major port. Such an attack could push the country into full-blown famine...this letter is a first step in reasserting our Constitutional check on presidential powers. I am committed to pursuing all tools at our disposal to ensure President Trump abides by our Constitution before possibly plunging our country into another senseless conflict.” Rep. Ted Lieu said, “President Trump does not have the authority to send U.S. forces to battle the Houthis in Yemen, period." [1]

Press your representatives to pledge to invoke the War Powers Resolution when they return from recess to explicitly prohibit military escalation in Syria and Yemen by signing our petition on MoveOn.

On April 6, President Trump attacked Syria without congressional authorization. Many Members of Congress have said that President Trump did not have authority for this attack and that the President must seek authorization from Congress before any further military action. [2]

But in his required 48-hour notification to Congress on April 8 on the Syria strike, President Trump said he would "take additional action, as necessary and appropriate." He did not say he would seek authorization from Congress before taking "additional action." [3]

On April 25, Congress returns from recess. Under the War Powers Resolution, a single Member of Congress can force a debate and vote on continued U.S. participation in an unauthorized war. [4]

Press your representatives to pledge to invoke the War Powers Resolution when they return from recess to explicitly prohibit military escalation in Syria and Yemen by signing and sharing our petition.

Thanks for all you do to help make U.S. foreign policy more just,

Robert Naiman, Avram Reisman, and Sarah Burns

Just Foreign Policy

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References:

1. http://pocan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bipartisan-effort-55-us-representatives-call-on-trump-to-come-to

2. http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/328015-sanders-calls-on-trump-to-come-to-congress-over-syria-strikes; https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-us-air-strike-in-syria-

3. https://www.lawfareblog.com/president-trumps-war-powers-report-syria-attacks

4. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/warpower.asp