{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222210922/http://hultgren.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=555", "Hultgren Urges President Obama to Seek Congressional Approval Prior to Military Engagement in Syria", "2013-08-29", "2013", "2013-08", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Randy Hultgren", "H001059", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) this week, along with 115 Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, signed a letter urging President Obama to follow the Constitution and convene Congress to seek their authorization before using military force in Syria.\n\n\t\u201cThe horrific conflict in Syria only gets worse as more and more lives are lost, but that does not give the President authority to ignore our Constitution in matters of military engagement,\u201d said Rep. Hultgren. \u201cThe Constitution is definitive when it comes to engaging U.S. military forces and we expect that the president would seek congressional authorization prior to committing U.S. military assets. We are ready to come back to Washington to deal with this issue head-on, carefully consider our options and, if necessary, act.\u201d\n\n\tThe full letter is available here: http://rigell.house.gov/uploadedfiles/8.28.13_letter_to_potus_with_signatories.pdf.\n\n\t\u00a0Excerpts of the letter follow.\n\n\tDear Mr. President,\u00a0 We strongly urge you to consult and receive authorization from Congress before ordering the use of U.S. military force in Syria. Your responsibility to do so is prescribed in the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973.\u00a0 While the Founders wisely gave the Office of the President the authority to act in emergencies, they foresaw the need to ensure public debate \u2013 and the active engagement of Congress \u2013 prior to committing U.S. military assets. Engaging our military in Syria when no direct threat to the United States exists and without prior congressional authorization would violate the separation of powers that is clearly delineated in the Constitution.\u00a0 \u2026If you deem that military action in Syria is necessary, Congress can reconvene at your request. We stand ready to come back into session, consider the facts before us, and share the burden of decisions made regarding U.S. involvement in the quickly escalating Syrian conflict.\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222210922/http://hultgren.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=555"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8702030647546053, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}