Peace Action Reacts to Narrow Failure of Kaine War Powers Resolution: A Moment of Constitutional Concern
Contact: Kevin Martin, kmartin@peaceaction.org, 301.537.8244 (mobile)
Peace Action Reacts to Narrow Failure of Kaine War Powers Resolution: A Moment of Constitutional Concern
June 27, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action and Kevin Martin, President of Peace Action, issued the following statement in response to the Senate narrowly failing to pass Senator Tim Kaine’s War Powers Resolution:
“Today’s narrow vote against the Iran War Powers Resolution, by 53 to 47, was a missed opportunity — a moment when the Senate could have stood up for the Constitution and for peace. Those Senators voting ‘no’ chose to sideline Congress and the American people, handing the president a black check for endless war and military strikes. We thank Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and every legislator who voted to restore Congress’s rightful role in decisions of war.
Without a War Powers Resolution the country is soon likely to be right back where it was: facing a dangerous war with Iran. President Trump has repeatedly claimed the bombings caused ‘total obliteration’ of Iran’s nuclear program. But the facts tell a different story. Early U.S. intelligence assessments, echoed by nuclear experts, show the strikes did not destroy the core components of Iran’s nuclear program and likely only set it back by a few months. Much of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and expertise remain intact. Critically, much of its enriched uranium stockpile appears to have been moved before the attack and remains available for Iran’s use. Without a War Powers resolution, the President will be free to launch these kinds of illegal, reckless and ineffective strikes again soon without public debate or accountability.
The current ceasefire is a welcome pause, but it is not a substitute for robust congressional oversight and clear legal standards for U.S. military engagement. Ceasefires are inherently fragile and in this case nothing has been resolved. Iran is likely to rebuild and in the worst case these attacks could actually trigger an Iranian decision to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and move towards actually assembling a nuclear device. Diplomacy is the only way out of this dangerous cycle.
The American people deserve leaders who uphold the rule of law and prioritize diplomacy over war. Effective diplomacy is not just superior because it is a more peaceful, less deadly, and less dangerous approach. It’s superior because only a diplomatic agreement, such as the effective multilateral Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiated with Iran by President Obama in 2015 and foolishly abrogated by President Trump in 2018, with robust inspection and verification, can craft a sustainable solution to concerns about Iran’s nuclear programs. Military strikes are too blunt an instrument for such a complex challenge.
Peace Action will continue to press every senator and representative to do their constitutional duty. We call on all who believe in peace, democracy, and restraint to keep fighting for a Congress that stands up to unauthorized wars—before the next crisis, not after it’s too late.”
posted by Rich Gardner | 8:45 PM
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