U.S. Sens. Warren and Markey push bill to keep U.S. from going to war with Iran

As Israel pursues war with Iran, both U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey have signed on to legislation that seeks to head off U.S. involvement without Congressional authorization.

President Trump campaigned on a promise to end U.S. involvement in foreign wars. But this week, he has not ruled out joining Israel's effort to destroy Iran's nuclear capability — a move that would bring America into another major Middle East conflict.

“I may do it,” he told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. “I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

Warren and Markey, along with Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont and other Democrats, have introduced the No War Against Iran Act, which would prohibit the use of federal funds for any military force against Iran without Congressional authorization.

"The Constitution is clear: Congress decides when our country goes to war," Warren said in a statement. "Not the President or the Netanyahu government."

Markey said Congress must reassert its authority to avoid drawing the United States into a "catastrophic regional war that would further imperil the safety of American citizens and forces, the stability of the Middle East, and the lives of innocent civilians."

Sanders blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the escalation, accusing him of “reckless and illegal attacks” on Iran, which he said “violate international law and risk igniting a regional war."

On Monday, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, another Democrat, introduced a similar war powers resolution that would prohibit U.S. armed forces from taking direct action against Iran without explicit authorization from Congress or a declaration of war.

Both measures face uphill climbs in Congress, where Republicans are in control. So far, no Republicans have signed on to the measures, which revive long-standing tensions between Congress and the White House around the power to wage war.