[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 16, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H2827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRESS SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS TO DECLARE WAR
(Mr. WELCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, the most solemn decision a country can make
is to send its sons and daughters to war. The most solemn
responsibility Congress has is to make that decision. Yet, Congress has
delegated that authority too often and too long to the executive.
It resulted from an AUMF vote, Authorization for Use of Military
Force, for a lie-based war in Iraq, resulting in the loss of life of
over 4,500 of our fellow citizens, 200,000 Iraqis killed, and
destruction and instability in the Middle East.
That authorization will be repealed by a vote of Congress, and I will
vote to repeal that authorization and restore to the Congress its
responsibility to make that solemn decision about whether and when we
send our sons and daughters to defend us abroad.
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