In Their Own Words – Congressional Authority Over War Powers

Many citizens have expressed anger and anxiety that our Legislative branch is not acting as a check/balance to the Trump Administration, particularly with regard to the unauthorized war in Iran.

If you were a member of congress right now, how would you work to reclaim Congressional authority over war powers? What steps would you take to protect your constituents from the fallout of Trump’s attack on Iran?

Tim Cywinski

Congress has a constitutional responsibility to authorize the use of military force, and over time, that responsibility has been eroded. I would support efforts to reclaim that authority by repealing outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force and requiring clear, explicit congressional
approval before any new, long-term military engagement.
We cannot allow any president — of either party — to unilaterally move this country toward war, especially without a clear objective or strategy.

I also believe we have a responsibility to be honest about what’s at stake. I don’t want to see another generation of Americans sent into conflict in the Middle East — especially in situations that are recklessly executed and lack a coherent end goal.

Here in Virginia’s First District, the consequences of that kind of failure hit close to home. We have one of the largest veteran populations in the state, and far too often, we ask people to serve without fully supporting them when they come home. If we are going to send Americans into harm’s way, we owe them a clear mission, real accountability, and lifelong support. I never served, but I know many who have and have met even more on the campaign trail. I’ve
seen the courage it takes to step forward, the discipline it demands, and the sacrifice it requires — and it’s clear to me that our government does not do enough to match that level of commitment, both during service and after.

In the immediate term, I would push for strong congressional oversight of any escalation with Iran, prioritize diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, and work to protect constituents from the economic fallout — including energy price spikes that hit working families the hardest.

Salaam Bhatti

I would introduce legislation to repeal the Authorization
for Use of Military Force of 2001 (AUMF) and strengthen the War Powers Resolution with improved enforcement and close loopholes. I would force votes on this and build a coalition to this done.

As a result of Trump and Israel’s war on Iran, I see multiple issues impacting our constituents: Civil liberties, Economic impact, and Community impact. Here are the steps I would take right now:
Stop escalation of the Iran war by restricting funding, hold emergency sessions, and bring the President and members of the administration before Congress to hold them to account under the War Powers Resolution.

After 9/11, we saw an erosion of civil liberties like phones wiretapped without warrant, the NYPD secretly surveilling Muslims for years, etc. We cannot replicate that as this environment led to the PATRIOT Act. I’d work with civil rights groups in the district to ensure our neighbors are safe
while strengthening federal oversight.

Shannon Taylor

Shannon Taylor’s campaign has declined to participate in questionnaires.

You can learn more about Shannon on her campaign website.

Mel Tull

Congress has a clear constitutional responsibility when it comes to war powers, and it needs to take that responsibility seriously.

I would support legislation to reinforce the requirement that sustained military action must be authorized by Congress, and I would use the power of the purse to ensure that unauthorized conflicts cannot continue without oversight and accountability.

At the same time, we need to prioritize de-escalation and diplomacy wherever
possible. Military conflict carries real risks for our service members, our economy, and global stability.

To protect my constituents, I would push for greater transparency, strong
congressional oversight, and policies that avoid unnecessary escalation while
keeping our nation secure.

Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs

Congress has a constitutional responsibility to authorize and oversee the use of military force. Over time, that authority has shifted too far toward the executive branch.
If elected, I would support efforts to restore Congress’s role in war powers by strengthening oversight requirements and ensuring that military action receives proper authorization under the Constitution.

As a veteran, I understand the consequences of sending Americans into conflict. Decisions about war should never be rushed or treated as political theater. The American people deserve truth and honesty from their leaders, not misinformation from those who may benefit politically or financially from war. I am committed to telling the truth, even when it is uncomfortable or not what people want to hear. I respect my constituents enough to be honest with them about the costs and consequences of military action.

Restoring Congressional authority will also require members of both parties to take their responsibilities seriously. I would work to encourage my Republican colleagues to uphold the War Powers Act and support meaningful oversight of military engagement. Protecting constituents also means preparing for the broader impacts of international conflict, including economic instability, energy costs, and the wellbeing of military families in our district.

Responsible leadership requires both constitutional accountability and careful consideration of these real-world consequences.

Jason Knapp

I have flown combat missions in that part of the world. I know what war looks like from the cockpit and from the war room. What is happening right now is not a limited strike — it is an unauthorized war with potentially existential consequences, and Congress has been too slow and too timid to say so clearly.

The strategic damage alone should alarm every American. We have lost the support of our NATO allies. We have placed our regional partners in direct danger — countries are being attacked because of our actions. We have lost American servicemembers. We are engaged in armed conflict with a country being actively supported by Russia, which raises the scope and danger of this war in ways this administration has not been honest with the American people about. We have taken our eye off China — the actual greatest long-term adversary of the United States — at precisely the moment we can least afford to. We are burning through our most advanced and costly weapons systems at a rate that is leaving other regions less defended and inviting our adversaries to test whether we can fight on multiple fronts simultaneously. And we are doing all of this at a cost of billions of dollars a day, with a direct and growing threat to the American economy.

This is what unauthorized war looks like. This is what happens when Congress abdicates its constitutional responsibility.

If I were in Congress right now, here is exactly what I would do.

I would push immediately for impeachment and removal of those in this administration responsible for taking this country to war without authorization. I would move to halt funding for this military action and demand a complete cessation of offensive operations. I would launch formal investigations into the legal basis — or absence of one — for these strikes and pursue criminal referrals where the evidence supports it.

On the structural side, I would introduce legislation to codify in law a clear and enforceable definition of what constitutes an act of war and what authorization is required to wage it — with veto override provisions so that no president can simply ignore it. I would work to repeal the outdated AUMFs that administrations of both parties have stretched beyond recognition to avoid coming back to Congress for a vote. And I would introduce legislation to require explicit congressional authorization before any first use of nuclear weapons — no president should have unilateral nuclear first-strike capability. That is not a check that should exist only in norms. It needs to be law.

I was the Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for U.S. European Command. I have sat in the rooms where these questions were debated — when force is authorized, under what legal framework, with what oversight. I have also sat in a cockpit in that region and understood what it means when those decisions go wrong.

The men and women of this district who wear the uniform, and the families waiting for them at home, deserve to know that when their service members are put in harm’s way, Congress said yes. That their lives were weighed, debated, and authorized — not decided by one man in the middle of the night without a vote. That is what I will fight for.

Ericka Kopp

If I were a member of Congress right now, the minute I arrived, I would have filed Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth for their illegal war of choice on Iran. I would use Rule IX to force a vote on impeachment, requiring every member of the House to go on record about whether they take their oath to the Constitution seriously or let loyalty to a lawless president supersede their duty. This action serves to hold accountable past illegal actions and to protect not just my constituents but everyone from further reckless and lethal consequences. 

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