1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to use Congress’s constitutional war powers to ensure that no offensive military action is taken against Iran without explicit congressional authorization. Public reporting has not identified a specific, imminent threat to the United States that would justify further offensive action, and escalation could endanger American personnel and facilities throughout the region. President Trump has publicly stated that recent U.S. military actions significantly degraded Iran-related capabilities, which raises questions about whether additional strikes are necessary. Public opinion polling has also shown substantial concern among Americans about expanding U.S. military involvement in the region. The Constitution grants Congress—not the president—the authority to declare war, and the War Powers Resolution was enacted to prevent unilateral presidential military action without congressional oversight. I urge you to publicly affirm that there is no authorization for offensive war against Iran, support binding legislation to prohibit the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran without explicit congressional approval, and ensure that no funds are used to initiate or expand such hostilities absent such authorization. Many Americans are deeply concerned about the risk of another major war in the Middle East, particularly without clear congressional approval. I respectfully ask you to uphold Congress’s constitutional role and act to prevent unauthorized military escalation.