Demand Progress Endorses Bipartisan Letter Seeking Answers on Unauthorized Military Action in Syria

Yesterday, Representatives Peter DeFazio, Nancy Mace, and Jamaal Bowman led more than 30 others in a bipartisan letter, endorsed by Demand Progress, to the Biden Administration seeking clarification on its legal justifications for airstrikes it launched this year in Syria and Iraq.

Particularly, the letter expresses concerns with the administration's citation of Article II constitutional authorities to bypass congressional approval for these airstrikes, provides analysis on why the lawmakers believe the administration may be acting in violation of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, and asks a detailed set of questions on its legal and policy positions on the matter.

In response to the letter, the following statement can be attributed to Cavan Kharrazian, Progressive Foreign Policy Campaigner, Demand Progress:

"The Biden Administration's use of Article II powers to justify continued military presence and hostilities in Syria has set a dangerous legal precedent that threatens to continue our endless wars. Congress has a real opportunity to reclaim its powers over war, and to curb an executive branch eager to take unilateral and unconstitutional actions resulting in escalating cycles of violence. We applaud this bipartisan letter for its sharp analysis and important questions. It is a crucial step in transparency, accountability, and reclamation of Congressional war powers."