Tim Kaine

Mr. President, Claims · 272 wordsPresident Trump’s war against Iran has been deeply unpopular--from the very first day--in Virginia and among Americans, and it is growing more and more unpopular with each passing day. It is unpopular because Americans don’t want to see 18 troops lose their lives.¹ They don’t want to see the Pentagon undercounting troop deaths. It is unpopular because the American people don’t want to see hundreds of combat casualties for no legitimate purpose and a concern that the Pentagon is undercounting combat casualties. It is unpopular because Americans--and Virginians, in particular-- don’t want to see extended deployments of carrier strike groups and their loved ones away from home. A report came out yesterday that there were eight attempted suicides in the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group because of the extended deployment.² It is unpopular because having your sons and daughters deployed overseas, as 1,200 Virginia Guard members were last Saturday, in a war of choice and with no clear plan or strategy, leaves families uncertain about the future.³ It is unpopular because diesel prices are going up, and other prices are going up. It is unpopular because Americans don’t want to see a U.S. missile hit a school and kill hundreds of kids. It is unpopular because Americans don’t appreciate a leader who would tear up a diplomatic deal that was working and, instead, prefer a war that is not working. It is unpopular because it is depleting our munitions. It is unpopular because it is adding to our debt. It is unpopular because Americans have spent now more than 100 billion extra dollars in fuel costs than they would have without this war.⁴ Reasoning · 50 wordsThe good news is that we can do something about it.No reason givenVague promise We don’t have to stand back and just say: Wow, the President has decided, for silly reasons, to start an illegal war, and I guess we just have to go along. And that is what this vote is about. Claims · 136 wordsWe have taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution. The Constitution says the President cannot declare war, only Congress can.⁵ There has been no congressional declaration of war.⁶ The President is violating the Constitution with this war. There is a statute that allows the President to defend the country for 60 days without Congress, ⁷but it requires that that military action expire at the end of 60 days. We are well past 60 days.⁸ The President is not only not following the Constitution, he is not following the War Powers Act. Third, we have passed a concurrent resolution--Congress, both Houses, under a Republican majority--declaring the war illegal.⁹ The President has ignored that. We directed him: Withdraw troops or get an authorization. He has done neither, and it is not likely he will do either. Reasoning · 28 wordsBut the American public is speaking loud and clear and saying: You in the Senate--you can do something about it. And that is what this resolution is about. Claims · 17 wordsThe House, for the second time, has passed a concurrent resolution provided under the War Powers Act.¹⁰ The ask · 31 wordsWe will now vote, and it is my hope we will vote with them to declare, yet again, that this is an illegal war and that the President should stop it. Procedure · 7 wordsIn closing, I will just say this: ProcedureClaims · 41 wordsThe President appeared at the U.N. earlier this week and said it was his decision as to whether to do a peace deal or whether to annihilate the nation of Iran.¹¹ We have never had a President who talks like this, Reasoning · 28 wordsand we never should again. But it is not his decision; it is our decision. The time to make a decision to end this war is upon us. The ask · 9 wordsI urge a ``yes’’ vote on the concurrent resolution. Procedure · 4 wordsI yield the floor.Procedure