US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced that the legislative body will seek to limit President Donald Trump's "military actions regarding Iran" in the wake of increased tensions between the two countries. RNA - Tensions between the US and Iran escalated after Trump ordered the assassination of a top Iranian commander who had played a leading role in the Middle East in the fight against Daesh terrorists.
Fears of a new war in the Middle East emerged following the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
The "provocative and disproportionate" airstrike on Soleimani "endangered our servicemembers, diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran," Pelosi wrote In a letter to Democratic members of the House on Sunday.
"As Members of Congress, our first responsibility is to keep the American people safe. For this reason, we are concerned that the Administration took this action without the consultation of Congress and without respect for Congress's war powers granted to it by the Constitution."
Pelosi thanked lawmakers for their "patriotic leadership" during the tense period.
"I greatly appreciate the solemnity with which all of our Members are working to honor our responsibility to protect American lives and values," Pelosi wrote in concluding her letter. "Thank you for your patriotic leadership during this difficult time."
She is scheduled to present the new legislation limiting Trump this week.
It will mandate that military hostilities with Iran cease within 30 days unless further congressional authorization like a declaration of war is taken.
There is high probability that resolution will be endorsed in the Democratic-led House, but the Senate remains in Republican hands and it is uncertain whether the upper chamber will approve the motion.
Pelosi's promise to deliberate and vote on the war powers legislation comes as Congress returns from its holiday recess on Monday and could alter the politics around Trump's impeachment.
The House voted to impeach Trump on Dec. 18 but has declined to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate over concerns about a fair trial. Senate Democrats and Republicans have deadlocked in negotiations over the format of a trial.
On Sunday, the Iraqi Parliament voted to expel American soldiers from the country, drawing the threat of very intense sanctions from Trump.
"We will charge them (Iraqis) sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever. It’ll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame,” the US president said, in reaction to the Iraqi lawmakers' vote against US military presence.
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