Trahan votes yes on War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON D.C. — Congresswoman Lori Trahan, who represents Westford, announced that she voted in favor of the war powers resolution during the U.S. House of Representatives session on Thursday.

The War Powers Resolution is a bipartisan resolution introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California), aiming to require President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran within 30 days, unless Congress formally declares war or issues a specific authorization for the use of military force.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted to defeat a similar resolution led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), with 53 votes to 47.

Trahan has been critical of the Trump Administration’s military actions in Iran since they began last month.

These actions included coordinated joint attacks by the U.S. and Israel on several targets in Iran, which led to the death of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as at least six U.S. service members in retaliation.

Trahan and other Congress members have called the U.S. attacks on Iran  unconstitutional and illegal because they were launched without congressional authorization.

In a statement ahead of the vote, Trahan said “there are real consequences for our men and women in uniform and their families when we go to war. Congress must debate and decide when we go to war, not the Pesident alone.”

Trahan later issued another statement, which said “Trump has put American servicemembers in harm’s way in Iran with no imminent threat, no clear plan, no authorization and almost no support from the American people. The administration has not disclosed to Congress how much their mission has cost to date, yet they’re already asking for more money.”

Following the vote on Thursday, the resolution narrowly failed to be approved by the House, with 219 votes to 212, meaning the military operation in Iran is set to continue.

However, some members of Congress are now backing a more moderate alternative to the resolution, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey). This version would give Trump a 30-day period to end the attacks unless Congress provides a formal declaration of war, though this resolution has not yet been brought to the floor for a vote.