Senate Rejects Trump’s Iran War Powers Resolution Narrowly

Washington – The Senate narrowly rejected a war powers resolution on Iran, as President Trump promotes a framework agreement with Tehran to end the ongoing conflict. The motion to discharge the resolution from committee was defeated 47-48, with four Republicans and nearly all Democrats voting against it.

The vote occurs amid lawmakers’ desire for more information about the terms of the U.S.-Iran deal, which remains secret. In 2015, Congress passed the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, mandating review of any Iran nuclear program deals before sanctions can be lifted. Senate Majority Leader John Thune requested the text and a briefing from the administration.

The resolution, led by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, would direct President Trump to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran unless authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force. Warnock urged colleagues to stand up to the president on Tuesday.

GOP support for the war has weakened in recent weeks. For the first time last month, the Senate advanced a resolution to limit Trump’s war powers in Iran after seven failed attempts. The motion passed 50-47 with Republican support, tipping the scales in Democrats’ favor for the first time since the conflict began.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference that they want all votes recorded before moving the Kaine resolution forward. The House recently passed a separate resolution to force Trump to end the war in Iran without congressional authorization, marking the first successful attempt in the lower chamber to rein in the president as GOP support for the conflict declines.

The administration argues that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is unconstitutional and asserts that a statutory 60-day deadline for terminating hostilities was paused by a ceasefire in early April. A group of Democratic senators sent a letter to President Trump, pressing him on the administration’s legal justification that hostilities had terminated after the ceasefire announcement.

The letter also stated that the 60-day clock does not have a pause button and urged the president to publicly release the legal theory underlying his interpretation in a timely manner.