Pelosi announces vote on war powers to limit Trump's military actions in Iran

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday announced that the House will vote this week on a resolution to limit President Donald Trump's war powers as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.
• Pelosi said the vote would orderthat if no further Congressional action is taken, the administration's hostilities with Iran would cease within 30 days.
• It appears Trump did not consult with Congress before arranging the killing of Iran's top military official Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike last week, igniting a fierce debate about presidential power and the legality of such a move.
• According to Insider's political correspondent Sonam Sheth, although Trump is not legally obligated to consult with Congress over a military action deemed an emergency, only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war.
• The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Sunday advised Trump to "read the War Powers Act," a federal law adopted in 1973 that seeks to limit the president's ability to engage in an armed conflict without backing from Congress.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday announced that the House will vote this week on a resolution to limit President Donald Trump's war powers as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.

Trump on Thursday ordered an airstrike against Iran's top military official Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a move which experts say may lead to a dangerous escalation and possible retaliation.

It appears Trump did not consult with Congress before taking military action against Iran, igniting a fierce debate about presidential power and the legality of such a move.

In a letter to her Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said that the vote on a War Powers Resolution would "reassert Congress's long-established oversight responsibilities."

"Last week, the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials," she wrote in her letter. "This action endangered our servicemembers, diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran."

"As Members of Congress, our first responsibility is to keep the American people safe. For this reason, we are concerned that the Administration took this action without the consultation of Congress and without respect for Congress's war powers granted to it by the Constitution."

Pelosi said the vote would mandate that if no further Congressional action is taken, the administration's hostilities with Iran would cease within 30 days.

"Thank you for your patriotic leadership during this difficult time," she signed off in her letter.

Pelosi's statement comes hours after the House Foreign Affairs Committee hit back at Trump after he tweeted that he was not required to give Congress notice before striking Iran.

In his tweet on Sunday, Trump wrote that his social media posts now count as official notice to Congress on his military plans.

"These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any US person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner," he wrote.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee responded to Trump's tweets on Sunday evening and advised Trump to "read the War Powers Act," a federal law adopted in 1973 that seeks to limit the president's ability to engage in an armed conflict without backing from Congress.

"This Media Post will serve as a reminder that war powers reside in the Congress under the United States Constitution," the committee wrote in a post mocking Trump's tweet. "And that you should read the War Powers Act. And that you're not a dictator."

According to Insider's political correspondent Sonam Sheth, tweets do not constitute official notifications, and although Trump is not legally obligated to consult with Congress over a military action deemed an emergency, only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war.

Iran has vowed to seek "severe revenge" for Soleimani's killing, and on Sunday completely withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. Experts say that revenge may include cyberattacks, which could be devastating.

Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to hit dozens of Iranian sites if Iran strikes "Americans" or "American assets."

NOW WATCH: Each year, the US gets around 4 times as many twisters as the rest of the world combined - here's why