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Tags: house | war | spanberger | amash

7 House Members: Declaring War Resides in Congress

rep. justin amash is shown wearing glasses, suit with white dress shirt.
Rep. Justin Amash (Tom Williams/AP)

By    |   Friday, 17 January 2020 08:38 AM EST

Seven House members, including three Republicans, three Democrats and an independent, have written a column for The Washington Post, saying they are "united" in their determination to "safeguard the constitutional duty of Congress to declare war"

The column was authored by Reps. Justin Amash, I-Mich., Ken Buck, R-Colo., Jared Golden, D-Maine, Scott Perry, R-Pa., Dean Phillips, D-Minn., Chip Roy, R-Tex., and Abigail Spanberger, D-Va.

“This duty is essential to providing the men and women of our armed forces the support and clarity of mission they deserve,” the lawmakers said.

“Leaders from across the political spectrum have too often avoided that responsibility — and the full debate and engagement it brings. Congress must act now, before our inaction irrevocably undermines our constitutional separation of powers and endangers lives.”

They noted that less than half of 1% of American serve in the armed forces.

“Too often, military families experience multiple deployments while the rest of us, including members of Congress, go about our lives disconnected from their sacrifice,” the seven lawmakers wrote. 

The House member say they “firmly agree that Congress must reclaim” its constitutional responsibility when it comes to the use of force.

“Our debates and votes must affirm that the decision to proceed with war-making resides in Congress,” the said.  

“In the halls of Congress and at gatherings around the country, let us lay down our partisan swords and commit to do better by the men and women in uniform who take up arms on behalf of our nation and the Constitution we swore to support and defend,” the lawmakers said.

Jeffrey Rodack

Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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Seven House members, including three Republicans, three Democrats and an independent, have written a column for The Washington Post, saying they are "united" in their determination to "safeguard the constitutional duty of Congress to declare war"
house, war, spanberger, amash
261
2020-38-17
Friday, 17 January 2020 08:38 AM
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