In a historic move Senator Tom Udall has introduced S.1039 - The Prevention of an Unconstitutional War Iran Act 2019. This bill underscores Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution that Congress has the sole power to declare war. The aim for this act is to stop Trump and his warmongering advisors drag us into a war with Iran without congressional support.

Check out the full text of the bill here.

Trump, Bolton, and Pompeo have crafted a maximum pressure campaign that has placed some of the most destructive sanctions that are hurting the Iranian people. Time and time again, the Trump administration has made it clear that they want the Iranian regime to topple or give in to U.S. demands. Trump violated the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement made between the U.S., Iran, Europe, Russia, and China. He has placed a Muslim ban that has separated families and tough sanctions that have caused tremendous hardships for the Iranian people. The administration designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. Now, U.S. aircraft carriers and bombers are heading to the Persian Gulf and Bolton has overseen war plans that would send 120,000 troops to the Middle East.

We must not repeat the same mistakes of the past and let the Trump administration use the failed Iraq playbook to drag us into military intervention with Iran aimed at regime change. Congress must take immediate action to prevent any military escalation between the U.S. and Iran.  

Timeline of Trump Administration Escalating Conflict with Iran

• Trump withdrawal from historic Iran nuclear deal.
• Bolton speaks at Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) rally and calls for end of the Iranian regime by 2018.
• First round of sanctions hits Iran in August.
• Trump tweets explosive threat to Iran’s President.
• Trump tweets Game of Thrones inspired poster about Iran sanctions.
• Second round of sanctions hits Iran in November.
• Bolton calls for military strike plans from the Pentagon on Iran.
• Pompeo plans an anti-Iran summit in Warsaw, Poland.
• Trump designates Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization.
• Bolton's statement on moving striker group and bomber task force to the Persian Gulf
• White House reviews military plans against Iran, in echoes of Iraq war

Senate Cosponsors of S.1039

House Cosponsors of H.R.2354

Sample Social Media Messages to Share

• Hey @____, Trump and his advisors are beating the drums for war with Iran. Will you cosponsor S.1039/H.R.2354 to prevent an unconstitutional war with Iran?
• STOP Bolton and Pompeo from provoking military confrontation with Iran. Be a cosponsor S.1039/H.R.2354 to prevent an unconstitutional war with Iran. https://www.codepink.org/noiranwar
• Trump and his warmongering advisors are provoking a war with Iran. Congress must act now to stop Trump from dragging us into another war in the Middle East. https://www.codepink.org/noiranwar
• Bolton and Pompeo are ripping the same failed tactics from the Iraq playbook on Iran. We need diplomacy and peace with Iran. Congress must assert its war powers to prevent this admin from instigating military intervention with Iran.

Email Template to Set Up a Meeting

You want to set up a meeting with your Senators to be a cosponsor of S.1039--that’s wonderful! One of the most effective things you can do is show up and meet with your Senators and talk about why we need to prevent this administration from dragging us into another war in the Middle East. Use this sample email template to send to your Senator’s scheduler.

Dear (scheduler’s name),

I am writing to you as a constituent and member of CODEPINK to request a meeting with the Senator or a staffer to discuss actions Congress can take to prevent a war with Iran.

I am deeply concerned by the Trump administration provoking a war with Iran that is ripped from the same pages of the failed Iraq playbook. Withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, appointing John Bolton as National Security Advisor, and sending troops to the Middle East are just some indications that concern me. There is bicameral legislation, S.1039 and H.R.2354, The Prevention of an Unconstitutional War with Iran Act 2019 that will reassert Congress’ war powers. I would be happy to discuss with the Senator/Congressperson or a staffer the importance of supporting this bill.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me at (email) or (phone) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
(your name)

Talking Points

• Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the sole power to declare war. Which makes it clear that it is illegal to attack Iran under the War Powers Act and U.S. constitution. Congress must act now to reaffirm its powers and not let the administration take us into another costly war.
• National Security Advisor John Bolton has been obsessed with war with Iran for many years. In September 2018, he sought plans to strike Iran, a move that worried defense officials that war was imminent. He published an article in 2015 titled To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran and gave a speech in 2018 claiming that he would overthrow Iran’s regime before 2019. Congress must not let John Bolton overstep his boundaries and start a war with Iran.
• This is a repeat of the Iraq war lead up. The Trump administration is framing Iran as the greatest threats the U.S. faces similar to how Bush portrayed Iraq and Saddam Hussein. They are attempting to sell false narrative by cherry-picking issues that will fit their narrative for regime change and destabilization in Iran. The Trump administration complains that Iran has not met its obligations under the Iran nuclear deal. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the organization monitoring Iran’s compliance to the nuclear agreement, has confirmed 14 consecutive reports that Iran is adhering to the deal. Trump’s own CIA intelligence confirmed that Iran is still complying with the Iran nuclear agreement.
• Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign weakens moderate and reformists in Iran. This diminishes chances of engagement and diplomacy with Iran and the West. Hardliners who were against the Iran Nuclear Deal became more powerful and use this leverage to crack down on civil society and human rights activists.
• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo organized an anti-Iran summit in Warsaw, Poland. In February 2019 Pompeo invited 70 countries to discuss a new pressure campaign with our allies against Iran. This however, failed because of pressures from our European partners who still support the Iran agreement.
• Classifying Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization can lead to escalation in the Middle East. In retaliation, Iran has named the U.S. Central Command as a foreign terrorist organization.  The IRGC and U.S. have often worked jointly in Syria and Iraq against ISIS. Pompeo and Bolton’s goals are to stir up more conflict in the region in order to justify U.S. intervention.
• Our European allies have rejected U.S. escalation with Iran. British General Chris Ghika, has contradicted all U.S. claims of increased threats from Iran. The EU urges the U.S. to use "maximum restraint" with Iran and encourages dialogue and diplomatic engagement.