U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to President Donald Trump’s announcement of U.S. military strikes in Iran with a statement expressing her concerns about the decision and its implications.
“The President’s unilateral decision to strike Iran for purposes of regime change is a clear violation of the Constitution, which gives Congress, not the President, the sole power to declare war. What’s more, this President has not articulated a clear strategy for what comes next. I fear that he is recklessly putting the lives of our servicemembers and personnel in the region at risk. Today, my thoughts are with American servicemembers and personnel and their loved ones, as we work to ensure their safety and avoid a broader conflict. With President Trump dragging our country toward yet another endless war in the Middle East, it’s critical that Congress immediately votes on Senator Kaine’s War Powers Resolution to reassert our constitutional authority and prevent further escalation,” Hirono said.
Senator Hirono represents Hawaii in the U.S. Senate as its first female senator and as the first Asian American woman elected to this body. She participates in several committees including Armed Services, Judiciary, and Energy and Natural Resources while focusing on support for veterans, servicemembers, immigrants, minorities, and underserved communities (https://www.hirono.senate.gov/). As part of her role as senator, she also provides assistance to constituents dealing with federal agencies such as Social Security claims or veterans benefits (https://www.hirono.senate.gov/).
Hirono immigrated from Japan to Hawaii with her mother and brother during childhood (https://www.hirono.senate.gov/). She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with Phi Beta Kappa honors before receiving a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center (https://www.hirono.senate.gov/).
