Senate blocks bid to limit Trump’s Iran war powers

The Senate on Thursday rejected the latest Democratic attempt to limit President Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran, hours after the House approved a separate resolution rebuking the president as fighting between the two countries intensified.

The Senate vote was 47 to 49 on a resolution led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland that would have directed the president to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force.” One Republican, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, joined Democrats in voting to advance the measure. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to oppose it. Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky, Republicans who have previously backed similar war powers measures, did not vote.

Earlier Thursday, the House voted 214 to 208 to adopt a war powers resolution introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat. Four Republicans — Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — joined Democrats in supporting it.

“This is a vote that requires us to find the strength to do what is right for the American people, and to send the clearest, even stronger message to this president of the United States that the United States Congress, the House of Representatives, is reasserting our authority over war,” Jayapal said from the House floor Wednesday. “This war must end.”

The votes came nearly a week after three U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan. CBS News reported that the U.S. death toll has risen to 18, including another service member who died in Iraq during a controlled explosion to destroy an Iranian drone. The United States launched a 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military infrastructure Wednesday, CBS News reported.

Democrats have forced a series of votes since the conflict began in February, seeking to highlight the administration’s handling of the war and pressure Republicans to assert Congress’ role. Thursday’s Senate vote was the chamber’s first since a shaky U.S.-Iran ceasefire collapsed earlier this month.

Under the Constitution, Congress has the power to declare war. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, presidents must report to Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces without a declaration of war, and unauthorized military engagement is generally capped at 60 days, with a possible 30-day extension. The administration has argued that the deadline did not apply because hostilities ended with an April 7 ceasefire. Trump told congressional leaders in a May 1 letter that “hostilities” with Iran had “terminated,” and formally notified Congress this month that “military action” against Iran restarted on July 7.

War powers experts and some members of Congress have said that argument flouts the law, Al Jazeera reported. David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight, said Thursday that the House vote “reaffirmed what people across the country have been saying all along: We want no part in an illegal war.”

“Contrary to the administration’s claims, the latest hostilities are not a new war. We’re now months past the constitutional deadline for the administration to end this unauthorised war,” Janovsky said.

Republicans defending the administration argued that Trump was responding to a long-running threat from Iran. Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana, a former Navy SEAL, said on the Senate floor that before Trump, “there’s never been a single president who has stood up to Iran and hit back.”

“For 47 years, our troops and our families have been absorbing attack after attack after attack,” Sheehy said. “We didn’t start this war, we did not. But we will finish it.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would continue pressing for limits on Trump’s war powers and urged Republicans to join them “to end this war, get our troops out of harm’s way, and force Trump to face the reality of this catastrophe.”