Democrats' war powers resolution on Iran fails in Senate

by · UPI

March 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate voted down a resolution by Democrats seeking to limit President Donald Trump's authority to take further military action against Iran.

The resolution sponsored by 24 Democrats, two independents and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., failed by a 53-47 vote. Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans.

If passed, the resolution would stop Trump from ordering more strikes on Iran without Congressional approval. However, it would have required a signature from the president or a two-thirds vote in both House and Senate chambers to override a likely veto.

The measure faced the Senate after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran last week. So far, six U.S. soldiers have died, and U.S. forces have killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The bill would have forced the removal of U.S. troops from hostilities within or against Iran that Congress has not authorized. It only needs 51 votes in the Senate, and it's not clear whether it has enough supporters to pass.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Thursday on a similar war powers resolution.

"The idea that we would take the ability of our commander in chief ... to finish this job is a frightening prospect to me," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters. "It's dangerous, and I am certainly hopeful -- and I believe we do -- have the votes to put it down."

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., disagreed.

"I pray so hard for my colleagues to exercise the judgment that this is not the right time for more war," Kaine said on the Senate floor Monday, the Washington Post reported.

Wednesday marks the second time Kaine forced a vote on a war powers resolution related to conflict with Iran in the past year. He also forced a vote in June after the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.

There have been seven other war powers resolutions since June. All of them have failed.

Sen Todd Young, R-Ind., voted for a war powers resolution in January to block the president from military action in Venezuela, but he said Wednesday that he wouldn't support this bill, The Post reported.

The Venezuela resolution in January passed the Senate, but didn't advance.

"The United States and our allies are now in conflict with a brutal, hostile, and dangerous regime," Young said on X. "I believe that danger will only grow if we limit the president's military options at this critical moment. Abrupt disengagement could increase danger to American lives and interests. I want to do my part to help this effort succeed and end Iran's reign of terror. Congress must take an active role to help keep our constituents informed and engage in oversight."

Most Republicans support the war in Iran.

"We should let [Trump] finish the job," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters. "We should cheer him on, in my view."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday that the administration needed to seek the OK from Congress to continue the Iran campaign.

"I think the president has the authority that he needs to conduct the activities, the operations that are currently underway there," Thune told reporters. But he said he hoped the campaign wouldn't last long.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he believed the administration is in line with the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

"I think they're in compliance with the statute. The statute gives them 60 days, gives the administration 60 days to conduct activity without having to come back to ... Congress for authorization, unless they're ground troops. My view has always been, ground troops will require congressional authorization. So they're currently none involved, none have been involved, and they're following the War Powers Act," ABC News reported Hawley said.

Briefings for Congress by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials convinced Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., that the campaign could last a long time, The Post reported he said.

"I think they have contempt for Congress," Murphy said. "They have no plans to come to Congress for any authorization, even if they were to insert ground forces."

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