October 21, 2026
Congressional candidate pledges to oppose funding for unauthorized military escalation, protect American servicemembers, and prioritize investments at home
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Bethany Mann for Congress
Melanie Nowlin, Campaign Manager
melnowlin@bethanymann4congress.com
Download the original press release (PDF, 2 pages)
MISSOURI — Bethany Mann, candidate for Congress in Missouri's 3rd Congressional District, announced her support for a war powers resolution directing the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities against Iran, calling on Congress to exercise its constitutional authority over military action and federal spending.
Mann emphasized that Congress has both the authority and responsibility to prevent unauthorized military escalation, protect American servicemembers, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are directed toward the needs of the American people.
In a statement addressing U.S. military involvement in Iran, Mann said:
"I would vote in favor of a war powers resolution directing the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities against Iran.
The Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the authority to declare war. That responsibility exists for a reason. No president, regardless of political party, should be permitted to unilaterally commit American servicemembers to another prolonged conflict without congressional authorization, public accountability, and a clearly defined national security objective.
As the daughter of an Air Force veteran and the granddaughter of a World War II servicemember, I take our responsibility to the men and women serving in uniform seriously. Supporting our troops means more than thanking them for their service. It means refusing to put their lives at risk for military interventions that have not been justified to the American people.
We also have a responsibility to recognize the enormous economic cost of war. Every dollar spent expanding an unnecessary military conflict is a dollar that cannot be invested in the needs of the American people. Here at home, our communities are struggling with aging roads and bridges, rising healthcare and food costs, and public schools that desperately need resources.
Missouri families are being asked to make difficult financial choices every day, yet our government continues to find billions of dollars for military escalation overseas. We should be investing in the infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic security of the people we were elected to serve, rather than committing their tax dollars and the lives of our servicemembers to another war without a clear justification or end in sight.
If elected, I would support legislation to end unauthorized hostilities against Iran, demand congressional oversight of military operations, and insist that diplomacy and de-escalation take priority over further military escalation. I would also oppose attempts to circumvent Congress through emergency declarations or expansive interpretations of executive war powers.
Congress also has the power of the purse, and I believe we have a responsibility to use it. I would oppose funding for unauthorized offensive military operations against Iran while ensuring that our servicemembers continue to receive the resources, protections, and support necessary to defend themselves and return home safely.
We cannot claim to oppose an unauthorized war while continuing to finance its expansion. Congress must be willing to exercise both its constitutional authority over war and its responsibility for how taxpayer dollars are spent.
The American people deserve a government that exercises restraint, respects the Constitution, and exhausts diplomatic solutions before considering war. Our servicemembers and their families deserve nothing less."
Mann's position reflects her commitment to constitutional accountability, responsible federal spending, and protecting the lives and livelihoods of American families. She maintains that Congress must exercise meaningful oversight of military operations and reject efforts to expand unauthorized conflicts without the consent of the American people through their elected representatives.
About Bethany Mann
Bethany Mann is a chemist and candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Missouri's 3rd Congressional District. Her professional background includes work in agriculture, food safety, critical infrastructure, water quality, and environmental contamination.