I am a Marine Corps veteran, and while I was fortunate not to be caught up in any conflict during my service, the gravity of military decisions still weighs heavily on my mind. In the past 80 years, since the end of World War II, the United States military has been involved in numerous conflicts that were not only costly in terms of resources and lives but also had significant geopolitical ramifications, because merely convenient decisions were made, and many times, made wrongly. The core issue stems from the continuous sidelining of the constitutional authority that dictates how and when the United States enters war. We must build a bridge with guardrails to make sure who/whereever we fight and no matter our agendas/ambitions for war, that we don't fall out of line, and that we don't lose sight of our goals. The Constitution of the United States clearly assigns Congress the power to declare war. Congress makes war, the President manages war. This is not merely a procedure but a necessity to ensure that the decision to go to war reflects the will of the American people, who bear the ultimate cost through the sacrifice of our friends, our families, our loved ones. This established process is intended to prevent extended conflicts that lack accountability and clear objectives. An informed and collective decision-making process should precede any military engagement, ensuring that it is undertaken for the right reasons and with a clear exit strategy. Sadly, over the years, this principle has often been bypassed, leading to prolonged engagements with unclear aims and devastating consequences. History has witnessed unnecessary extensions of conflicts, with profound impacts on soldiers, families, and nations involved. It is essential for the future of our military and the safety of our service members that the U.S. respects and adheres to the constitutional processes laid out for military actions. The President should not act unilaterally in matters of war. Instead, Congressional approval should not only be sought but mandated, as it was intended by the architects of our Constitution. This petition seeks to reinforce the governance of military engagements so that our next steps in any conflict are deliberate and grounded in constitutional authority. We call upon Congress and the President to uphold and respect these foundational guidelines, ensuring transparency, accountability, and proper management in future military decisions. For those in Congress, the Executive, and our country who worry about flexibility and accountability/restraint outweighing the other, we must make the two work with and balance each other, no matter what situation we're in. In 1941, when the US was recovering from a global crisis only to be thrust into another, Franklin D. Roosevelt had every moral cause to simply thrust our armed forces into battle. However, he knew that the will of the US to fight should be a national will, not an individual one. He still trusted the process to do what it was entrusted and in the end, it paid off, we won. Yes, times were different then, but as the enemy changed their T&T (Tools and Tactics), so did we. We changed how we fight our enemies and what to use to fight them with, not who decides we fight. We must recognize that same distinction and respect the rule of law and who the law entrusted their respective responsibilities to. The President must be able/willing to manage the situation in front of him as already shaped; manage the laws as they are already written & passed; and Congress must be willing to make the hard choices/votes and be willing to own responsibility on their own behalf. One must step back, the other must make a stand. We The People of the United States, wish to have the final say through the Voice of Congress on whether or not to fight, to preserve national will instead of individual will. Our troops are not a private force, they may serve at the pleasure of the President, but their loyalty is still to the United States Constitution. Sign this petition to demand that our leaders remain true to the constitutional processes and remember that Congress, as the voice of the people, holds the power to declare war. Let us honor the principles of our founding fathers and ensure that the reasons we send brave men and women to war are justified, transparent, and accountable. In addition, kinetic strikes against suspected enemies of the United States have been conducted arbitrarily, not just by our Armed Forces, but by other instrumentalities of the United States. Intelligence apparatuses such as the Central Intelligence Agency have unlawfully moved beyond their role of intelligence and into their own kinetic strike actions. It must be made clear that the role of conducting kinetic actions against any enemy of our country lies with the troops that we entrust. Thus, I present this following bill which will hopefully be considered by the Congress of the United States, as a wake up call to them, to take and make their stand. To remind them that they're the ones who make the rules, that they're the ones who decide whether it's ok or not for the US to engage in any offensive hostilities. In addition, the line between non state groups and soveriegn nations has also been deliberately ignored & blurred. The 2 forms of enemies don't and won't attack the United States the same way which means that line must be recognized. Also, the financial cost of US wars and armed conflicts has greatly strained out economy, leaving vast parts of the country unable to support their families, basic services, civilian and troop welfare, domestic security, etc. Economic power and profits have been unevenly funneled to the military-industrial complex, allowing them to hold massive influence in political decisions, allowing politicians to wage war unchecked. We must make clear that no matter what tools the contractors make, they don't make the rules. Every apparatus of our national security must either step back or make a stand, and they should all know their role/place in such. I sincerely hope that the effects of this bill will make our leaders and representatives think before embroiling us in another possibly protracted and costly affair; and if we do go in, it's our say, not one man or group. "No X without Representation."  https://docs.google.com/document/d/15rU7qSGorJssmgjYD24HOfKAtyNb-cYu_wSBWjXXcZY/edit?usp=drivesdk