Dear Mr Neece,
Thank you for contacting me opposing the United States military action in Iran. In order to make sound voting decisions, I need to hear from constituents in the Fifth Congressional District. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me with your thoughts on this issue, as I know how important it is to you.
On February 28th, 2026, the United States military, under President Trump’s command, began Operation Epic Fury – a precise, overwhelming military campaign to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, destroy its ballistic missile arsenal, degrade its proxy terror networks, and cripple its naval forces. This operation, executed in partnership with regional allies, follows exhaustive diplomatic efforts and comes after forty-seven years of Iranian aggression, including attacks on U.S. citizens, sponsorship of global terrorism, and brutal oppression of its own people. On February 28th, 2026, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with forty plus senior Iranian officials were killed in a targeted military strike in Tehran. This was part of a larger joint U.S. Israeli operation against Iranian leadership and military infrastructure. For nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, has killed and maimed American citizens and service members through its own forces and proxy militias.
More Americans have been killed by Iran than any other terrorist regime on Earth. President Trump is doing what Presidents over the last five decades have refused to do, eliminate the threat once and for all. By destroying Iran’s missiles, annihilating their navy, and ensuring they can never obtain a nuclear weapon, the Trump Administration’s bold and decisive action is protecting American lives and advancing American interests. On March 2nd, while speaking with reporters in the Capitol, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “Our mission and our focus is the destruction of missiles and the ability to manufacture them, as well as their naval capabilities. That said, we hope that the Iranian people can overthrow this government. Whoever runs the regime, the goal is to ensure that they don’t have missiles and drones to threaten us.”
Ahead of the United States military action, the White House confirmed that officials informed members of the Gang of Eight, a small bipartisan group of congressional leaders. On March 2nd, 2026, President Trump sent a War Powers letter to Congress regarding military actions against Iran. This letter fulfills the requirement for the president to inform Congress within forty-eight hours of deploying armed forces into hostilities. On March 3rd, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine briefed the full membership of the House and Senate. The War Powers resolution of 1973 is a federal law intended to limit the President’s authority to wage war without congressional approval, requiring notification within forty-eight hours of deploying troops and mandatory withdrawal within sixty-ninety days unless authorized. Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the Commander in Chief clause, states that the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States.” Past presidents have conducted military action in foreign nations without the approval of Congress. In 2011, President Obama bypassed congressional approval before the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, instead relying on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). Additionally, President Biden, in 2024, conducted military strikes in Yemen, without congressional approval, asserting the president’s Article II powers, claiming they were defensive in nature to protect U.S. forces and interests.
Since 1979, the Iranian regime has waged a blood-soaked war against Americans when Iranian students, backed by the Iranian regime, seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking sixty-six Americans hostage in a 444-day standoff. Many world leaders have praised the actions taken by the United States in Iran that include: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since 1979, Iran has chanted “Death to America” and America’s position has been clear: the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons capabilities. Thank you again for contacting me on this issue.
It is my great honor to serve as your Member of Congress. It is my number one priority to represent you and the best interests of the Fifth Congressional District. Please do not hesitate to call, write, or e-mail me in the future with any concerns or questions. For federal-related issues, you may reach my Washington, D.C. office by phone at (202) 225-6405, or my District office at (800) 541-6446 for constituent services. I encourage you to visit my website at http://latta.house.gov where you can sign up for my e-newsletter filled with periodic updates on work accomplished in Ohio and Washington. Also, feel free to follow me online at www.facebook.com/boblatta/ or Twitter at @boblatta, which helps bring my work in Washington, D.C. home to you.
Sincerely,
Bob Latta
Member of Congress
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