WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) issued the following statement:

“Qasem Soleimani had the blood of thousands on his hands. To be clear, the Iranian regime – in large part, under Soleimani’s leadership – has supported terrorism around the world and consistently worked to undermine the national security of the United States and our allies.

“Our President ordered this strike before appropriately consulting Congress and without making clear how this escalatory action aligns with a larger strategy to protect American national security interests and counter Iranian aggression. This is a perilous moment, and our nation must prepare for what the Iranian regime has already threatened will be a violent retaliation.

“My immediate concern is for the safety and security of American servicemembers, diplomats, and civilians working in the region, and I will be asking the Administration for its plan to keep our personnel safe.

“The Congress and the American people deserve answers: it is imperative the President explain what precipitated this destabilizing decision in what is already an extremely volatile region and what strategy there is going forward.”

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She’s in her first term representing Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.

###