By Stephen Witt
Los Angeles County lawmakers elected to Congress in Washington were unanimous in questioning or outright critical of President Donald Trump’s decision to bomb targets in Iran that held the ability to make nuclear weapons.
“I am grateful for the professionalism and bravery of our armed forces, and I commend the meticulous planning and execution that kept servicemembers out of harm’s way during last night’s complex operation,” said U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the bipartisan Senate National Security Working Group.
“Nevertheless, in the absence of evidence that Iran had made the decision to build a bomb and was constructing the mechanism of a bomb, and without the approval of Congress, the order to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities was unconstitutional and should never have been given.”
Schiff called the Iranian regime a malevolent actor that supports terrorism against Americans and poses an existential threat to Israel. Still, he is also not aware of any intelligence concluding that Iran’s acquisition of a bomb was imminent, and that would therefore justify this strike.
“We simply do not know what will happen next, and a war with yet another country in the Middle East is not what Americans want, nor what Congress has authorized. The President may declare this will be a one-time operation, but that is far from guaranteed,” said Schiff.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) echoed Schiff in saying dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons program is imperative for America’s national security and essential to Israel’s safety and right to exist.
“Before any further military action is taken, President Trump must come before Congress. That’s not just a matter of process — it’s a matter of law. Trump risks igniting a wider war in the region that puts American lives at risk and that he himself has warned repeatedly against. That’s why we must exhaust every diplomatic channel, working with our allies and partners to contain escalation in the region.”
U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Valley Village), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the attack nearly destroyed Iran’s ability to enrich uranium in the future, but that Iran already has stockpiled enough near-weapons-grade uranium for about nine bombs.
“Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium probably survived and is immediately dangerous. If Iran can salvage or reconstruct even a small portion of its enrichment capacity, it can turn this stockpile into enough weapons-grade uranium for roughly nine bombs. And even if they have no enrichment capacity, they can probably create crude bombs out of the 60% uranium, though crude bombs probably could not be delivered by missile. Only diplomacy, backed by coercion, can eliminate the threat posed by Iran’s stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium,” Sherman said.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Inglewood, Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Lomita), a ranking member of the Financial Services Committee, said she believed Trump’s attack on Iran is tantamount to a declaration of war.
“The President must be confronted by Members of Congress to be reminded that the President must come before Congress to seek approval before a declaration of war. This action by the President is typical of a president out of control. The United States at one time had an agreement with Iran, and that agreement was monitored closely. But Trump withdrew from that agreement when he took office,” noted Waters.
“Trump is out of control and does not contribute to the establishment of peace. It was my understanding that Trump would give two weeks’ consideration to his response to Israel’s attack on Iran, and Iran’s attack on Israel, and he has not done so. This president must be stopped. Members of Congress and I must confront this issue as soon as we return to Congress. We need peaceful negotiations, not another war.”
U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Culver City, View Park-Windsor Hills, parts of South LA), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, said the ‘President of peace’ just bombed Iran without Congressional authorization, without clear evidence that Iran is imminently close to having a nuclear weapon, and with no clear plan for what comes next.
“I support the longstanding U.S. policy that Iran, an adversary and state-sponsor of terror, must never acquire a nuclear weapon. However, I have not received any classified briefing on the intelligence that shows Iran could imminently develop a nuclear weapon, which directly contradicts DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s testimony to Congress in March.
“Equally concerning, President Trump and his incompetent national security team have not shown to the American people what their day-after plan is and how they will manage the possibility of another forever war in the Middle East.
“The U.S. must not be dragged into a wider war in the Middle East, and I pray for the U.S. servicemembers Trump has now placed in harm’s way. The Trump Administration must come before Congress to seek approval for further actions and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle must reassert Congress’s constitutional authority to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of past conflicts,” the lawmaker said.
U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Downtown LA, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said Trump’s unilateral decision to strike these facilities may lead the U.S. into a war with Iran — without Congressional authorization.
“He chose to launch this strike on his own, knowing full well it could provoke retaliation and put American lives at risk. Now, the American people and Congress are left to deal with the fallout of a reckless decision we had no role in,” said Gomez.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is an oppressive and dangerous regime that supports terrorism, targets Americans, and silences its own people. It should never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon — plain and simple. That would be a direct threat to peace and security around the world,” said Gomez.
“However, we must not forget the Iranian people are not our adversaries. They deserve compassion, dignity, and the same human rights we fight for everywhere,” he added.
