Gallego on Cuba: ‘Trump Has Handed Over the Keys to the War Hawks’

Republicans Block Senator Gallego’s Cuba War Powers Resolution WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate voted on a War Powers Resolution led by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) to block the use of U.S. forces in unauthorized hostilities against Cuba. Ahead of the vote, Senator Gallego took to the Senate floor to make clear that the American people want their politicians to fight for lower costs, not more forever wars. “The American people are not asking for another war. They want us focused on building housing in Arizona – not bombing housing in Havana. They want us to lower the cost of healthcare – not condemn a generation of veterans to a lifetime of hospital visits. They want us to make their lives more affordable – not spend their tax dollars on unnecessary wars,” said Senator Gallego. Republicans voted to block the resolution 51-47. Watch Senator Gallego’s remarks here and read them as prepared below: When I talk to people in Arizona, they tell me they want their politicians to focus on helping them afford healthcare, buy a home, put groceries on the table, and fill up the tank. Not once has anyone said to me: “You know what we need? Another war.” And yet, that’s exactly what this administration keeps delivering, one conflict after another. Right after New Year’s, Trump illegally invaded Venezuela with no plan for a democratic transition. Less than 2 months later, he led us into a war with Iran with no justification or definition of what victory looks like. Now 13 servicemembers are dead, we’re deploying more troops overseas, and gas prices are up 40% as a direct result of Trump’s failing foreign policy. But as if the disaster of the Iran War and the resulting spike in oil prices weren’t enough, Trump is continuing to threaten to invade Cuba as well. And what we’ve seen in the past 5 months tells us we can’t just ignore these threats. Trump’s go fast and break things approach doesn’t work. When you rush into a war without a plan, people die. When you send servicemembers overseas with no clear justification, they come home broken. And we can’t afford the consequences of that, not when it comes to Americans’ lives. Trump has zero understanding of what it means to make life-and-death decisions because he’s never served a day in his life. It’s not his or his friends’ children he’s sending to die, it’s young, working-class Americans. I would know. I served in Iraq alongside the bravest men I’ve ever known. 23 didn’t make it back, including my best friend. Their lives, the lives of our servicemembers, are what Trump is playing with. The American people are not asking for this. They want us to focus on building up their communities – not nation building abroad. They want us focused on building housing in Arizona – not bombing housing in Havana. They want us to lower the cost of healthcare – not condemn a generation of veterans to a lifetime of hospital visits. They want us to make their lives more affordable – not spend their tax dollars on unnecessary wars. But instead of focusing on what the American people want, President Trump has decided instead to focus on satisfying the neo-cons in his circle like Marco Rubio who are always asking for a new war, and who see every crisis as an opportunity to score points in South Florida. Donald Trump, the man who ran on “America First” and ending forever wars, has handed over the keys to the war hawks. And it’s American families paying the price. This resolution says clearly: no unauthorized war in Cuba, and no more bypassing Congress. If military force is necessary, then Trump and Rubio need to come to Congress and make their case in full view of the American public and let the country decide if it’s really America’s best interest. But the people I talk to in Arizona, the troops I served with, and the families who’ve buried loved ones who didn’t come back know the answer. It’s not.