1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

Demand Accountability and Congressional Action on War with Iran We, the undersigned, demand immediate transparency and accountability regarding the United States’ movement toward or engagement in war with Iran. History shows that a central feature of the authoritarian playbook is war. War dominates headlines. War drowns out criticism. War divides the public, branding dissent as disloyalty. War concentrates power in the executive branch under the guise of emergency authority. War consumes public attention, resources, and democratic safeguards. If our nation is entering, escalating, or preparing for war with Iran, the American people deserve clear answers: • What specific threat justifies this action? • What legal authority is being used? • What are the defined objectives? • What is the exit strategy? • What will this cost in American lives and taxpayer dollars? Under Article I of the Constitution, Congress—not the President—holds the power to declare war. Congress has a duty to debate, authorize, or reject military action openly and publicly. Failure to do so is not neutrality; it is complicity. We call on members of Congress to: 1. Publicly state their position on any military action against Iran. 2. Hold immediate hearings on the justification and scope of such action. 3. Reassert their constitutional authority over war powers. 4. Refuse to fund unauthorized military escalation. Patriotism is not blind obedience. It is the defense of constitutional principles, democratic accountability, and the lives of the people affected by decisions of war. We demand answers. We demand debate. We demand that Congress do its job.