Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) on Saturday ripped into Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Democratic lawmakers pushing for a war powers resolution to rein in President Trump after the U.S. and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iran.
Lawler said the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops or carrying out an attack, since "many of my Democrat colleagues don't seem to understand the War Powers Act."
"The President must then withdraw troops within 60-90 days, unless Congress declares war,"
Lawler wrote on the social platform X. "In this instance, Congress was notified in advance and briefed before the strike on Iran. A full classified briefing will be forthcoming."
The New York Republican added that Congress can pass the resolution co-sponsored by Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), but Trump still has the authority to act under Article II of the Constitution.
"The notion that this strike is illegal or that the President needed Congress' authority is wrong," Lawler said. "Furthermore, Biden and Obama conducted numerous strikes in numerous countries without Congress and none of the people screaming now, seemed to have any objections. For historical context, Congress has not declared war since WWII."
He also called on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to stop Democratic opposition to funding the Department of Homeland Security due to "the situtation in the Middle East and the potential for Iran and its terrorist proxies to attempt some type of attack."
Earlier in the day, Massie said he was "opposed to this war" and vowed to work with Khanna when Congress reconvenes to force a vote on a war powers resolution.
"This is not 'America First,'" Massie posted on X.
Following the U.S. attack, members of Congress called on convening earlier than planned to force a vote. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) called on senators to vote on Sen. Tim Kaine's (D-Va.) version of a war powers resolution.
"Trump once again started a cycle of violence that has already escalated and could spiral out of control," Kim wrote in a post on X. "This is unacceptable. The Senate should vote on Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution immediately. I stand ready to do so today."
The large-scale operation dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" began at 1:15 a.m. ET, with strikes targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command and control facilities, ballistic missile and drone launch sites, military airfields and Iranian air defense systems.
The joint attack killed over 200 people in Iran and left almost 750 injured, Iran's Red Crescent said to Iranian state TV, adding that the strikes hit 24 out of the 31 provinces. U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said it was looking into reports that strikes hit a girls' school in southern Iran, which Iranian officials said killed more than 80 students.
Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes on U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, along with several attacks on Israel.