WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) released the following statement on the United States missile strikes against Syrian targets:

“Last night’s missile strikes were a proportionate response to the Assad regime’s brutal use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians. They will lessen the ability of the Syrian military to continue its crimes and send a message that there will be consequences for those who violate the laws of war.

“This strike is not a coherent military strategy in a country torn by a conflict for which there is no military solution. It also represents the latest act of war by a U.S. president not authorized by Congress, as required by our Constitution. The U.S. is all too often pulled into conflicts in the Middle East that either do not end, or end badly. I urge the President to work with the Congress to develop a clear strategy to avoid that fate and bring this horrendous conflict to an end.”