Crow Leads Resolution to Block Illegal U.S. Military Strikes

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06), a former Army Ranger who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced a War Powers Continuing Resolution to block the Trump Administration from conducting unauthorized & illegal military strikes.

Congressman Crow was joined by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05), House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Jim Himes (D-CT-04), House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05).

“We need to stop the flow of illegal drugs into our communities, but President Trump does not have the legal authority to launch military strikes in the Western Hemisphere,” said Congressman Crow. “In the briefings I’ve had on these strikes, I have yet to see a coherent strategy from this administration on their illegal actions. After decades of overseas wars, trillions of dollars spent, and thousands of lives lost, the American people deserve a public debate and vote on military actions and putting our servicemembers in harm's way.”

Crow’s resolution comes in the wake of at least 21 unauthorized military strikes against boats in the Western Hemisphere that were not authorized by Congress. The Congressman supports bipartisan efforts to ensure that the federal government has the resources necessary to prevent drugs from entering the U.S. illegally, but this is not a problem we can bomb our way out of. This resolution clarifies that Congress has not authorized the use of lethal military force to address the harms of drug trafficking.

Congressman Crow has been vocal about the need for Congress to re-assert its authority over the use of military force. In September, he introduced a Joint War Powers Resolution with the Senate to block future military action without approval from Congress following the unauthorized use of force in the Caribbean Sea. He also serves as the top Democrat on the bipartisan Cartel Task Force within the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This bipartisan task force is working to identify legislative actions that can combat the threat from dangerous cartels in the Western Hemisphere, including narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, the arms trade, and other illegal and destabilizing activities.

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