نائب من كنتاكي يعلن قرارًا لعزل وزير الدفاع بيت هيغسيث

For what purpose does the gentleman from Kentucky seek recognition?

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Clause 2A1 of Rule 9, I seek recognition to give notice of my intent to raise a ques- a question of the privileges of the House.

The form of the resolution is as follows.

Impeaching Peter Brian Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Resolved, that Peter Brian Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, also referred to as Secretary of War by the administration, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America,

in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Peter Brian Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article one, waging war in contravention of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Section 2C.

The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment, and that civil officers of the United States, including the Secretary of Defense, shall be removed from office on impeachment for,

and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors-- and misdemeanors.

In his conduct while Secretary of Defense, Peter Brian Hegseth, in violation of his oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,

especially with regard to the commission of war, has abu-abused the powers of the Department of Defense in that: the Declare War Clause of the United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11, vests in Congress the exclusive initiatory powers of war,

while the Military, Administrative, and Clemency Clause of the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1, establishes the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and vests in him operational control over wars lawfully authorized by Congress.

In an effort to statutorily delineate the circumstances under which the President may introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities absent congressional authorization, the 93rd Congress of the United States enacted into law House Joint Resolution 542,

the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Public Law 93-148, by overriding the veto of President Richard Nixon.

Peter Brian Hegseth, in his capacity as Secretary of Defense, has executed unlawful orders in contravention of Section 2C of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Section 1541C of Title 50, United States Code.

Section 2 provides that, quote, "The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances are exercised only pursuant to, one,

a declaration of war, two, specific statutory authorization, or three, a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces," unquote.

The War Powers Resolution further expressly provides that nothing contained therein shall be construed as granting any authority to the President to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities which the President would not otherwise possess in the absence of the resolution.

Accordingly, the reporting and termination procedures subsequently established by the resolution do not themselves constitute affirmative statutory authorization to commence hostilities.

Rather, the introduction of the United States Armed Forces into hostilities must rest upon one of the authorities or circumstances identified in Section 2C in order for a conflict to be considered lawful.

With respect to United States Armed Forces being entered into hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28th, 2026, Secretary Hegseth directed and caused United States Armed Forces to be introduced into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran,

notwithstanding that, one, Congress had not declared war against the Islamic Republic of Iran, two, Congress had not enacted any specific statutory authorization for the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and three,

no national emergency had been created by an attack by the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.

Furthermore, no imminent attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces existed, as affirmed in the March 17th, 2026 resignation letter of Joe Kent, then Director of the National Counterterrorism Center,

in which he stated, quote, "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.

Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation," unquote.

The introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran therefore satisfied none of the circumstances expressly identified in Section 2C of the War Powers Resolution.