House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Ca.) on Sunday sent a letter to Democratic representatives announcing she will introduce legislation aimed at limiting President Trump’s military options vis-a-vis Iran.
On Thursday Trump ordered the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike without informing congressional leadership. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the strike was carried out in response to the threat of “imminent attacks” by Iranian forces in the region.
“Last week, the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials,” Pelosi wrote. “This action endangered our service members, diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran.”
Pelosi said the resolution would reassert “Congress’s long-established oversight responsibilities by mandating that if no further Congressional action is taken, the Administration’s military hostilities with regard to Iran cease within 30 days,” the speaker wrote.
Representative Elissa Slotkin (D., Mich.) will draft the legislation. Slotkin is a former CIA employee and Defense Department analyst who specialized in Shia militias. The representative won election in a swing district and has faced pushback from constituents over her support for impeachment proceedings against the president.
Trump has denied the actions against Soleimani were meant to instigate war or regime change.
“We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,” Trump said the day after the strike. “We do not seek regime change. However, the Iranian regime’s aggression in the region . . . must end, and it must end now.”