John –

As he campaigned, Donald Trump signaled, again and again, that he planned to escalate the US conflict with Iran.

As president, he broke our commitment to a treaty that made our country safer, and that Iran had honored.

Last month, as Congress debated Trump's sprawling, bloated 2020 defense budget, I fought for an amendment to prevent the use of military force against Iran without Congressional approval.

That language passed the House with strong bipartisan support. But the administration and Mitch McConnell stripped it out, giving Donald Trump unchecked authority to rush our country into another endless war.

Last week, Trump confirmed our fears when he ordered the assassination of Iran's top military official, then sent thousands of American troops to the Middle East.

Now, Trump's impulsivity and might-makes-right ignorance, along with Congressional Republicans' abandonment of their constitutional duty, have led our country to the brink of another Iraq/Afghanistan/poorly-conceived, no-end-in-sight war.

This has to stop, John, and I will continue to lead the effort to reassert Congress's constitutional responsibility before any further escalation.

Courage,

Earl