1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose President Trump's unauthorized military strikes against Iran and to support enforcement of the War Powers Resolution. The President has launched what amounts to a declaration of war without seeking congressional approval, violating the constitutional requirement that Congress authorize military action. Within three hours of the initial U.S. strike that targeted Iranian officials in downtown Tehran, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at four U.S. bases in the region. Iranian forces successfully struck inside Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, while air defenses intercepted missiles aimed at Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the region, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Israel. This rapid escalation demonstrates the serious risk of a broader regional conflict that could result in significant American casualties. President Trump has explicitly stated his goals include demanding that armed factions in Iran lay down their arms and calling for regime change, marking the first time the U.S. has pursued regime change in Iran in 47 years. He acknowledged the possibility of American casualties and stated that "no president was willing to do what I am doing tonight." This represents a massive escalation from previous strikes in June that focused on nuclear facilities. The President is pursuing this war despite little appetite among his base for another U.S. regime-change operation in the Middle East and over the objections of several regional allies who fear a broader conflict. The lack of congressional authorization for what is clearly an act of war violates the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. I urge you to take immediate action to enforce the War Powers Resolution and demand that the President seek congressional authorization before continuing military operations against Iran. No president should have the unilateral authority to launch a war that puts American lives at risk and destabilizes an entire region.