U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia’s 10th District issued a statement after voting in favor of the Iran War Powers Resolution. Subramanyam, who is also a co-sponsor of the resolution, criticized former President Donald Trump’s decision to take military action against Iran.
“Somehow President Trump found the money to start a unilateral war with Iran and spend billions of dollars a day in the Middle East, and yet he could not find the money for health care, food for kids, and benefits for veterans and seniors. What’s more, this was a war of choice without buy-in or notice to our allies. I have not been shown any concrete evidence that the threat was imminent or that immediate military action was required,” Subramanyam stated.
He also raised concerns about how American citizens were affected by the situation overseas. “The lack of foresight also left thousands of Americans stranded overseas, including several Virginians. My heart goes out to the 6 servicemembers who have been killed, 18 who have been wounded, their families, and all who are in harm’s way in the region – due to the lack of notice. While our military assets were quietly repositioned in the last few weeks, the State Department failed to issue travel advisories until the eleventh hour, effectively telling our citizens ‘you’re on your own.’ That is unacceptable.”
Subramanyam emphasized his reasons for supporting congressional oversight over military actions: “My vote today was to assert very clearly that President Trump must get buy-in from the American people and Congress. This conflict is a profound misuse of taxpayer funds, especially while American families struggle to afford health care and groceries. The American people must have a say.”
Earlier this week, Subramanyam requested information from Secretary Rubio regarding evacuation plans for Americans currently at risk in the Middle East. After calls from Subramanyam and other officials for action on this issue, evacuation flights from several countries in the region have begun.
