GEOFF BENNETT: For perspective on how# Congress is weighing the unfolding## situation in the Middle East, we're joined now# by Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama.

Senator Katie Britt, welcome to the program.

SEN.

KATIE BRITT (R-AL): Thank you,# Geoff.

I appreciate you all having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: The Senate this evening# rejected a war powers resolution that## would limit the president's ability# to strike in Iran.

It would require## congressional approval.

What about# that did you find objectionable?

SEN.

KATIE BRITT: Look, the president# has the authority under Article II to## conduct the strikes that# he is executing right now.

The president's mission has been well# laid out.

He wants to make sure that## we keep Americans safe and secure, that# we ultimately destroy Iran's military,## their missile capability, the# ability to manufacture those,## also their naval fleet, and any ability to# regain or reconstitute nuclear enrichment.

When we're looking at bad actors across the# world, Iran has been at the top of that list.## So allowing the president to finish the mission# that was begun I think is critically important.## We have seen this authority be given to# presidents certainly over my lifetime,## and I, for one, am proud that the president# continues to put Americans front and center.

GEOFF BENNETT: When you say finish the mission,## at what point do you believe Congress# should have a formal vote on this conflict?

SEN.

KATIE BRITT: Well, the president# will have a number of days to obviously## complete this.

He's laid out that it'll take# a little bit of time to be able to do that,## but that we are well ahead of# schedule of where they planned to be.

So the president, not only with the number of# their military leaders and obviously the ayatollah## that have been taken out, but their number of# munitions, missile capabilities and capacity## that has already been diminished.

So I think# they have got a plan in place to finish the## job.

It will not be done overnight, but we will# certainly hopefully conclude in the weeks ahead.

There are no plans at this point# to put boots on the ground,## and the president obviously wants# the safety and security of our troops## to be of paramount importance.

And certainly our# heart is broken and our prayers go out to the## family of those who have already lost loved# ones.

We know that their selfless sacrifice## ultimately are going to keep Americans# safe both in the region and here at home.

GEOFF BENNETT: A question about that, because# regime change in the Middle East has often## produced instability.

History shows that conflicts# with Iran can escalate quickly through proxies.

How confident are you that the U.S.

won't# be pulled into a broader regional war?

SEN.

KATIE BRITT: Look, the president has# made it very clear.

He is going to make## sure that we actually achieve# peace through strength again.

For over 47 years, we have had leaders that look# the other way or tried to placate the regime,## and what happened is, they enriched it.

We# look at what happened to the Iranian people,## not only the conditions in which they were# living, but also the 30,000 Iranians that## were slaughtered just by this# ayatollah that we know about.

It is clear that now is the time to act.

The# president knew, given what happened in the## previous administration, the lax sanctions# when you go even go back before that with## President Obama and the JCPOA, that this# regime utilized that funding to build up## their military capabilities that ultimately put# people there in the region, on our military bases## and obviously our allies, but even has the# ability to put people here at home at risk.

And so I feel confident that the president# will continue to make decisive decisions,## that he is committed to making sure that# we finish the job, and do it thoroughly## and as quickly as possible.

So I know that# one other thing that is important is that,## when he says he's going to do something,# Geoff, he follows through with it.

He gave Iran an opportunity to come to# the table, to make the right decisions,## to move it forward.

But gone are the days# that we're going to look the other way at## the expense of American citizens.

We have seen# that with securing our border.

We have seen that## with making sure that we actually halt fentanyl# and halt that movement throughout our country.

And the president means it when it comes# to the largest state sponsor of terrorism,## which is Iran, the actual head of the snake.# The ayatollah is now gone.

We need to make## sure that their proxies do not have the# funding or the resources or the equipment## to be able to hurt Americans# in the region or here at home.

GEOFF BENNETT: Given, though, that the# Constitution gives Congress the authority## to declare war, if Congress doesn't debate or# take a vote on this conflict in particular,## how are you and your colleagues fulfilling# your roles as representatives of the public## on a decision as consequential as war,# especially when six in 10 Americans,## according to a new CNN poll, say they# disapprove of the strikes in Iran?

SEN.

KATIE BRITT: My question would be,## then how did President Obama do it# and how did President Biden do it?

When you are creating strikes from the air and# you're taking out other people's capabilities,## we have seen parties -- and I actually have# seen clips of Nancy Pelosi telling us that## it is absolutely well within Barack# Obama's constitutional authority to## be able to carry out those strikes and# carry them out for a number of days.

So, at this point in time, we have airstrikes# that are targeted at various targets throughout## Iran.

We have a mission that's been set in# front of the American people.

And I have## full confidence in President Trump and Secretary# Rubio, Secretary Hegseth to finish that mission.

Now, if there is a different -- a# different change of events that occurs,## I feel confident in our ability here in the# Senate to have those kinds of conversations## that need to be had.

And I think that# we're certainly all up to that task.

GEOFF BENNETT: Meantime, the Department# of Homeland Security, as you well know,## remains partially unfunded amid negotiations# over immigration enforcement policies.

You have said that you have reengaged in# negotiations with Democrats.

What concrete## progress has been made toward# ending this partial shutdown?

SEN.

KATIE BRITT: Yes.

And I would say, loo.. it is not just a partial shutdown.

It# is a complete shutdown with regards## to us not doing our job.

So I think it's# imperative that we come back to the table.

What we have seen over the last 18 days is# conversations between the minority leader's## office and the White House.

At this point# in time, I think it is time for members## who were elected by the people in their states# that stood up and said, yes, I want to serve,## yes, I want to get in a room and have# tough conversations to actually do that.

I think there's absolutely a pathway forward here,## but there's not ever going to be one if we're# not having conversations.

So I've reengaged## with conversations with my Democratic colleagues.# Other Republicans have been doing the same thing.

But I think, at this point in time, where# you have a heightened threat environment here## in our interior, it is of the utmost importance# that the people whose job and mission it is## to keep Americans safe here at home are# not worrying about financial insecurity,## but rather are receiving a paycheck,# that the mission is fully funded,## and that we put the safety and# security of Americans before politics.

And that's certainly what I'm trying to do.

GEOFF BENNETT: Republican Senator Katie# Britt, thanks for joining us this evening.

SEN.

KATIE BRITT: Thanks so# much, Geoff.

I appreciate it.