Forty legislators, including eight Republicans, addressed a letter to Montana’s congressional delegation on April 14. Democratic Rep. Tom France of Missoula said, failing legislation, state leadership should demand answers.
“I think the Congress needs to call in the Pentagon, it needs to call in the president’s spokespeople and say what really was the strategy, how are we gonna get out of this and what are the costs going to be to the American public and the American treasury?” France said.
On Thursday, April 16, the U.S. House of Representatives shot down another bid to pull American troops out of Iran until Congress provides authorization. It’s one of multiple attempts in Congress and failed along party lines, with Reps. Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing voting against.
YPR reached out to Montana’s congressional delegation to request interviews and ask for their response to state legislators’ letter, the second lawmakers have sent since March.
None agreed to interviews by the deadline for this coverage, and YPR did not receive a response from Sen. Steve Daines or Zinke by the deadline for this coverage.
A spokesperson with U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy said, “Senator Sheehy supports the Trump administration’s righteous effort to bring an end to the Iranian regime that has brutally targeted, tortured, and killed Americans for nearly 50 years.”
A number of conflicting reasons have come from the White House and the president for the current military action in Iran.
In an email, Downing said, “Just as Congress may assert its sole authority over armed conflict abroad, this body reserves the right to permit the President to conduct military activity for a limited duration under the War Powers Resolution. President Trump acted within his Article II authorities when pursuing action against Iran and reported these actions to Congress within 48 hours of deploying U.S. forces. He is therefore presently under no obligation to terminate operations.”
The War Powers Resolution gives the president 60 days from the start of a military conflict before Congress must take action.
