US lawmakers: Biden must ask Congress before sending troops to Ukraine

While Washington rolled out its propaganda offensive against Russia over Ukraine, a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers told US President Joe Biden that he must seek authorization from Congress before sending in troops or launching military attacks.

In a letter to Biden on Tuesday, the group of 43 lawmakers acknowledged that the US president previously said he would not send troops into Ukraine but noted the decision could change following escalation of tensions between the US and Russia.

"If the ongoing situation compels you to introduce the brave men and women of our military into Ukraine, their lives would inherently be put at risk of Russia chooses to invade," the letter reads. "Therefore, we ask that your decisions comport with the Constitution and our nation's laws by consulting with Congress to receive authorization before any such development."

Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), among others, signed the letter which was shared by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) on Twitter.

 Davidson wrote that Biden should "follow the Constitution and the law."

I’m urging Pres Biden to follow the Constitution and the law and receive authorization from Congress before involving US forces in Russia-Ukraine conflict. The American people deserve to have a say before we become involved in yet another foreign conflict.👇 pic.twitter.com/0RJKEi1k9u

— Rep Peter DeFazio (@RepPeterDeFazio) February 22, 2022

"The American people deserve to have a say before we become involved in yet another foreign conflict," DeFazio wrote.

The letter comes amid growing tensions between the US and Russia. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the breakaway Lugansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine as independent republics and instructed Russia's Defense Ministry to deploy peacekeeping troops to the two regions.

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Biden on Tuesday said that the United States would impose financial penalties on Russia because of its deployment of troops into two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, which Moscow has already recognized as independent republics.

He also directed additional US troops to Eastern Europe. “As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well,” Biden told reporters at the White House.  

“Today, in response to Russia's admission that it will not withdraw its forces from Belarus, I have authorized additional movements of U.S. forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen our Baltic allies, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.” 

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Washington has already deployed some 6,000 US forces to Germany, Poland and Romania near the countries’ borders with Ukraine.  

“We want to send an unmistakable message that the United States together with our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO,” Biden said, adding that Washington will also continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine. 

Lawmakers wrote in the Tuesday letter that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 has been abused by previous American presidents, but they noted that the measure restricted Biden from not only engaging troops in battle but also launching a "pre-emptive strike."

"Congress stands ready to deliberate over the potentially monumental implications of such scenarios," lawmakers said.

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