House votes for measure that would end Iran war, in blow to Trump
by Patricia Zengerle reuters · KSL.comKEY TAKEAWAYS
- The House voted 215-208 to block the Iran war's continuation on Wednesday.
- Four Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the resolution, reflecting bipartisan concern over President Donald Trump's handling of the war.
- The resolution is symbolic, as it needs Senate approval and a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a certain veto.
WASHINGTON — The Republican-led House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to block President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran, reflecting growing concern among members of his party about the three-month conflict.
The House voted 215-208, as four Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the war powers resolution. It was the latest setback for Trump in Congress despite his party's slim majorities in both the House and Senate.
The vote is largely symbolic. Any resolution would also have to pass the Senate to become effective, and garner the two-thirds majorities in both chambers to overcome an almost certain Trump veto.
The vote, nonetheless, reflects unease among some Republicans over Trump's handling of the conflict and marks a rare bipartisan effort to curb presidential war powers. The war has entered a fourth month with no end in sight and after three previous war powers resolutions had failed in the House by increasingly slim margins.
The Senate advanced a separate but similar resolution last month in a procedural vote, after seven previous attempts had failed.
The four House Republicans who voted for the war powers resolution were Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
No Democrats voted against it, although seven House members did not vote.
Recent pushback against Trump
Trump has recently faced some opposition in Congress, after months during which very few Republicans pushed back against his policy initiatives.
In a separate vote on Wednesday, the House voted to advance a bid for a floor vote on providing security aid to Ukraine and imposing new sanctions on Russia. The measure came up for a vote after a petition reached a 218-signature threshold last month to move ahead.
Six Republicans and one independent who normally votes with Republicans voted in favor.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers on Tuesday that the administration was abandoning a fund to pay his political allies who said they had been the subject of government abuse, after some Republicans came out against it.
Republican lawmakers on Wednesday also criticized Trump's pick of loyalist Bill Pulte, a mortgage regulator with no national security experience, to serve as acting Director of National Intelligence.
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Iran conflictPoliticsU.S.
Patricia Zengerle