While Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman broke from his party Wednesday by opposing a war powers resolution aiming to stop U.S. military action against Iran, Western Pennsylvania’s House delegation is expected to vote along party lines Thursday on a similar measure.
U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly of Butler and Guy Reschenthaler of Peters, both Republicans, have expressed support for the military action in the Middle East, while Democratic U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio of Fox Chapel and Summer Lee of Swissvale oppose it.
On Wednesday morning, Deluzio and other members of the House Democratic Veterans Caucus held a news conference outside the Capitol to condemn the military action.
“My standard for whether we send Americans to fight is a pretty straightforward one. … Can you look the American people in the eye, people of fighting age and say this is something you should be willing to risk your life and die for?” said Deluzio, a former Navy officer who served in Iraq.
“What I see out of the Republicans and this president, they haven’t even tried. And if they were to try, the American people would say no because they understand this is not a war that we have to fight,” Deluzio added. “This is a war the American people do not want, a war that we are going to try to stop. That’s what our Constitution requires, that’s what our oath requires.”
In a social media post over the weekend, Lee described the military action as an “insanely unpopular, dangerous and illegal act of war.” She called on Congress to pass a war powers resolution.
Reschenthaler took to X for the first time in months Sunday to back the military action.
“I strongly support President Trump and our nation’s warfighters as they carry out combat operations against the Iranian regime. This joint effort with Israel is essential to safeguarding American lives at home and abroad,” said Reschenthaler, a former Navy JAG officer who served in Iraq.
“Since 1979, Iran has waged war against the United States. I witnessed this firsthand when I deployed to Iraq and prosecuted Iranian-backed militia groups that targeted and killed American troops during the War on Terror,” Reschenthaler added. “Today, the regime’s nuclear ambitions, expanding ballistic missile program and continued sponsorship of terrorism pose a direct threat to the United States and our allies.”
Kelly has also endorsed Trump’s decision to take military action.
“Iran has proven time and time again it should not have nuclear weapons,” Kelly said. “The Iranian regime remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terror and has repeatedly targeted America and its allies for years.”
Heading into Wednesday, the separate Senate and House resolutions faced long odds in the Republican-controlled Congress and the likelihood of a Trump veto even if they did manage to pass both chambers. To override a veto, Democrats would have needed two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate.
In an appearance on the conservative Salem News Channel, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, called the process “political theater.” McCormick and Braddock’s Fetterman both voted against the war powers resolution Wednesday in the Senate, where the measure failed 53-47. Fetterman was the lone Democrat to do so.
