WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Warren Davidson (OH-08) today led a bipartisan letter to the Biden administration, signed by 43 Members of Congress, urging the president to receive authorization from Congress before involving U.S. armed forces in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“We strongly urge your administration to respect the separation of powers, U.S. law, and Congress’s constitutional war powers authority,” the lawmakers wrote. “Should your administration seek to introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities or decline to remove any U.S. military personnel currently deployed inside Ukraine from unauthorized hostilities or imminent hostilities, Congress stands ready to deliberate over the potentially monumental implications of such scenarios. The American people, through their representatives in Congress, deserve to have a say before U.S. troops are placed in harm’s way or the U.S. becomes involved in yet another foreign conflict.”
Erik Sperling, executive director of the advocacy organization Just Foreign Policy commented on the letter, “With the risk of war over Ukraine escalating rapidly, this level-headed bipartisan letter reaffirming that only Congress can authorize military action is very timely. While the Biden administration has ruled out sending additional troops, even allowing U.S. advisers and special forces to remain in harm's way in Ukraine without authorization creates the potential for direct conflict between the world’s leading nuclear powers. Regardless of one’s view on how the U.S. should respond to tensions over Ukraine, these are precisely the critical questions that the framers of our Constitution sought to entrust to the American people through their representatives in Congress.”
Marcus Stanley, Advocacy Director for the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft stated, "A direct military conflict between the two largest nuclear powers on Russia's border would be incredibly risky and dangerous. The Biden Administration has wisely stated its intent to avoid U.S. military involvement in the Ukraine conflict, but the situation on the ground is chaotic. It is critical that the President get explicit and official Congressional authorization before taking any steps involving U.S. military personnel in Ukraine, as required by the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution."
Cavan Kharrazian, Foreign Policy Campaigner for Demand Progress said, "We applaud the signatories of this letter for rightfully asserting Congress's jurisdiction over the involvement of US armed forces in hostilities. By no means should the President put American troops — including embedded military advisors and special forces — into harm's way in Ukraine without a debate and vote in Congress. While Congress remains divided on many issues, we are glad to see such a diverse range of representatives defending our Constitutional system of checks and balances when it comes to war."
The letter to President Biden reasserts the war powers authority vested in Congress under the Constitution and U.S. law, including the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Article I of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to finance and declare war, and the War Powers Resolution states that Congressional authorization is required before the “introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances.”
The lawmakers urge President Biden to make the case to Congress before involving the U.S. military in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The letter has been endorsed by a diverse collection of organizations: Just Foreign Policy, Demand Progress, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Concerned Veterans for America, Common Defense, Peace Action, RootsAction, FreedomWorks, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Heritage Action, and Global Zero.
To read the full text of the letter click here.