Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-23

WAR POWERS RESOLUTION

James E. Risch

RID · Senator

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Context

On 2026-06-23, Senator James E. Risch (R-ID) delivered a floor speech titled "WAR POWERS RESOLUTION" in the Senate.

Full Text

WAR POWERS RESOLUTION

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] WAR POWERS RESOLUTION Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I am going to talk for a minute about H. Con. Res. 86, the item of business that is before the U.S. Senate this morning. This is a House concurrent resolution, which states, in operative part: Congress directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran. I am going to urge everyone to vote no on this. It is wrong on so many levels, starting with the fact that a concurrent resolution process, which this attempts to do, has been held unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. So whatever happens with this, it is going to have no effect. The President isn't going to pay any attention to it. That is one thing. The second thing that is wrong with this is it directs him to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities. There are no Armed Forces at this moment that are engaged in hostilities with Iran. The third thing--and the most important thing--is that voting on this, whether it passes or fails, sends a message to Iran. If this passes, the Iranians are going to simply stand up and walk away from negotiations. They are going to say: This thing is over. The Congress has told the President of the United States: Leave us alone. We can do whatever we want to do. And they will walk away. If you think that is a good idea, you should vote for this. On the other hand, if you believe in what the President of the United States has done--and that is, bring the Iranians to the table to negotiate on items that they have refused to negotiate on for a long time in the past--and that he has used the Armed Forces of the United States to bring them to the table, then you should vote no on this. Let diplomacy work. Give the President, give the Department of State, give the current administration the ability to, once again, give Iran the opportunity to do the right thing. Maybe they will. We don't know for sure yet because we have 50-some days left of the negotiations. But we ought to at least give that an opportunity to work. I urge everyone to vote no on the resolution. I yield the floor. ____________________

Referenced legislation: HCONRES86, HCONRES86

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WAR POWERS RESOLUTION Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] WAR POWERS RESOLUTION Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I am going to talk for a minute about H. Con. Res. 86, the item of business that is before the U.S. Senate this morning. This is a House concurrent resolution, which states, in operative part: Congress directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran. I am going to urge everyone to vote no on this. It is wrong on so many levels, starting with the fact that a concurrent resolution process, which this attempts to do, has been held unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. So whatever happens with this, it is going to have no effect. The President isn't going to pay any attention to it. That is one thing. The second thing that is wrong with this is it directs him to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities. There are no Armed Forces at this moment that are engaged in hostilities with Iran. The third thing--and the most important thing--is that voting on this, whether it passes or fails, sends a message to Iran. If this passes, the Iranians are going to simply stand up and walk away from negotiations. They are going to say: This thing is over. The Congress has told the President of the United States: Leave us alone. We can do whatever we want to do. And they will walk away. If you think that is a good idea, you should vote for this. On the other hand, if you believe in what the President of the United States has done--and that is, bring the Iranians to the table to negotiate on items that they have refused to negotiate on for a long time in the past--and that he has used the Armed Forces of the United States to bring them to the table, then you should vote no on this. Let diplomacy work. Give the President, give the Department of State, give the current administration the ability to, once again, give Iran the opportunity to do the right thing. Maybe they will. We don't know for sure yet because we have 50-some days left of the negotiations. But we ought to at least give that an opportunity to work. I urge everyone to vote no on the resolution. I yield the floor. ____________________ Referenced legislation: HCONRES86, HCONRES86