, A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives pushed legislation on Jan. 18 to prohibit a U.S. attack on Iran without congressional permission.
The effort, led by Rep. Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican who in 2005 joined calls from many Democrats for a phased U.S. withdrawal from the Iraq war, came as lawmakers voiced concerns the Bush administration might provoke a confrontation with neighboring Iran.
“The resolution makes crystal clear that no previous resolution passed by Congress” authorizes a U.S. attack on Iran, Jones told reporters, referring to the 2002 vote by Congress authorizing the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The joint resolution would have to be passed by the House and Senate and signed by President George W. Bush to acquire the force of law. It would waive the congressional authorization only if Iran attacked the United States or its armed forces, or if such an attack was “demonstrably” imminent.
So far, Jones
