House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyTrump's sharp words put CDC director on hot seat House GOP leader says he trusts Trump over CDC director on vaccine timing The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine, masks MORE (R-Calif.) accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Pelosi must go — the House is in dire need of new leadership MORE (D-Calif.) of “lying to the American public” about the strength of the nonbinding war powers resolution slated to come to the floor on Thursday, arguing the measure has no power to curb the president’s ability to take additional military action against Iran.

McCarthy argued President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE did not need congressional approval to launch an airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and blasted Democrats' decision to take up the war powers resolution introduced by freshman Rep. Elissa Slotkin Elissa SlotkinWray: Racially motivated violent extremism makes up most of FBI's domestic terrorism cases Overnight Defense: House chair announces contempt proceeding against Pompeo | Top general says military has no role in election disputes | Appeal court rejects due process rights for Gitmo detainees Top general: Military will play no role in resolving any electoral dispute MORE (D-Mich.), a former Department of Defense official and CIA analyst.

McCarthy noted concurrent resolutions are not sent to the president and do not become law, equating the power of the measure to the resolutions used by Congress to “invite the soap box derby to Capitol Hill.”

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“Make no mistake, today's war powers resolution cannot become law, by definition, it will never be sent to the president, and it will never limit his constitutional authority to defend the American people,” he told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.

“This is a meaningless vote that only sends the wrong message that the House Democrats would rather stand with the socialist base than stand against Iran.”

He continued, “Well, first of all, they're [Democrats] lying to the American public by concurrent resolution. It has no power. It has no power whatsoever. It's equivalent to when we invite the soap box derby to Capitol Hill."

“So the Speaker just stood before you, and either does not know the meaning of the Constitution, or she lied to you — I'm not sure which one it is. The idea that they want to curb the ability of the president to react when more than 600 Americans have been killed, when our embassy has been attacked, when an American was killed and that was a red line.”

McCarthy said he welcomes a debate on war powers, but criticized the timing of the resolution, accusing Pelosi of “defending Soleimani,” and taking aim at her remarks at a press conference that “we have no illusions about Iran, no illusions about Soleimani — he was a terrible person, did bad things. But it's not about how bad they are, it's about how good we are."

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“What do you say to all the Gold Star families? Did you listen to what the Speaker just said? That Soleimani was a bad person, but — there is no but. He's a bad person because he kills American soldiers, he's a bad person because he led against the embassy, he's a bad person because he went after the tankers, he's a bad person because he bombed the refinery, he's a bad person because he was planning more against the Americans,” he said.

“The president was right in his actions and we are safer today for it. I think that part of what the Democrats are doing today is wrong.”

McCarthy’s comments came shortly after Pelosi asserted the measure has “real teeth” despite its nonbinding nature, telling reporters the decision to move forward with the concurrent resolution instead of binding legislation was strategic and intentional.

“We're taking this path because it does not require a signature of the president of the United States,” she said at a press conference on Thursday morning. “This is a statement of the Congress of the United States and I will not have that statement be diminished by whether the president will veto it or not.”

While two Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulSecond GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by National Industries for the Blind - Trump seeks to flip 'Rage' narrative; Dems block COVID-19 bill MORE (Ky.) and Mike Lee Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeMcConnell shores up GOP support for coronavirus package McConnell tries to unify GOP Davis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump MORE (Utah) — said they plan to support a similar measure introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine Timothy (Tim) Michael KaineBiden promises Democratic senators help in battleground states Second GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep MORE (D-Va.) in the upper chamber, GOP lawmakers in the House are expected to largely remain unified in their stance against the resolution.