Democrat Rep. Max Rose to Vote Against War Powers Resolution

Army combat veteran and Congressman Max Rose (D-NY) has released a statement breaking party lines to oppose Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s War Powers Resolution.

The statement, published to Representative Rose’s official feed, makes Rep. Max Rose’s case against what he characterized as an attempt to “play politics with questions of war and peace.”

I know all too well the real costs of war and sending troops into harm’s way is the most consequential decision I could make. Unfortunately, today’s War Powers Resolution is a non-binding resolution that simply restates existing law and sends the message that war is imminent. I refuse to play politics with questions of war and peace and therefore will not support this resolution.

Rose also vocalized his support for President Donald Trump’s strike on Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, calling him “a terrorist who was responsible for the murder of hundreds of American service members.”

“I appreciate the President’s efforts to de-escalate conflict in the face of Iranian retaliation,” Rose said, “and support his diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions to advance our goals of ensuring Iran does not gain nuclear weapons and to end their support of terrorist activities.”

Rose also used the opportunity to turn the narrative back toward the role of the House, saying:

Going forward, Congress must be proactive in living up to our Constitutional duties to declare war and authorize the use of military force. This resolution is not that. I continue to believe the decades-old Authorizations for Use of Military Force should be repealed and replaced with a framework that authorizes continued operations against global terrorists while properly constraining presidential war powers.

Rose, a freshman Democrat whose district includes all of Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, is one of the most endangered Democrats going into the 2020 congressional elections. President Trump won his district by several points in 2016, and Republicans are heavily targeting the seat as former mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis is challenging him for it.

Rose’s vote for both articles of impeachment against President Trump late last year threw him into even more of the spotlight, so this latest move to break ranks with Speaker Pelosi and his party’s leadership could be an effort to regain his footing after casting those politically troublesome votes.

“Let me be crystal clear: under current law, no President has the authority to engage in protracted hostilities or war with Iran without Congressional approval and funding,” Rose concluded. “That is the role Congress must play.”