Walden explains ‘no’ vote on War Powers Resolution

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., released the following statement Thursday after he voted no on the War Powers Resolution.

The measure was adopted 224-194 on a largely party-line vote:

“I came away from yesterday’s classified briefing more convinced than ever that the President, as Commander in Chief, was right to protect American troops and diplomats in Iraq--and to prevent terrorist attacks there and elsewhere--by taking out Qassem Soleimani. General Soleimani was directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American military members and the maiming of many more. He was the mastermind of terrorist activities, often through surrogate organizations, all across the region. Even President Obama’s former Secretary of Homeland Security said he was ‘...a lawful military objective.’ I can only imagine what the political narrative would be today if the President had not acted based on the intelligence data we had, and the terrorists had carried out their plans.

“Meanwhile, the action of the House today plays into the hands of the Iranians who want us to leave the Middle East to them.  Moreover, because we voted on a House concurrent resolution -- unlike a joint resolution -- it could never have the force of law and could never reach the President’s desk. That makes it little more than a press release."