House GOP Leaders Cancel Vote To Limit Trump War Powers in Iran

The U.S. House GOP leaders canceled a vote Thursday on a Democratic-led resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran, delaying planned votes into June as Republicans struggled to find the numbers due to absences.

New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks said he thought House Speaker Mike Johnson had been stalling the measure, arguing, “Here we are on the eve of Memorial Day, with prices for gasoline going up, prices for food going up.”

Anadolu Ajansı

Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern pressed the House floor question of why lawmakers were not voting, asking, “Are we not voting on it because the American people are sick and tired of this illegal war that is costing tens of billions of dollars?”

The AP reported that Republicans declined to hold the vote once it became clear they would not have the numbers to defeat the bill, and that GOP leaders were also working to ensure they have the votes to dismiss a similar Senate war powers resolution that advanced earlier this week.

In the Senate, NBC News said the chamber voted 50-47 on Tuesday to move forward with a resolution to force Trump to end the war in Iran, with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., voting “yes” after repeatedly voting “no.”

Cassidy said the White House and Pentagon had left Congress “in the dark on Operation Epic Fury,” adding, “Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified.”

AP News

NBC News reported that the resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., directs Congress 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.

The Hill described the House vote as “punt[ing]” a Democratic-led war powers resolution aimed at limiting Trump’s military action on Iran, saying House Republicans appeared to have pushed the vote over attendance issues after narrowly rejecting a similar resolution last week.

The Senate procedural advance still faces major obstacles, with Anadolu Ajansı reporting that the bill would need to pass two additional votes in the Senate before final passage and then be sent to the White House amid broad expectations that Trump will veto it.

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Anadolu Ajansı also tied the War Powers Act’s 1973 framework to congressional control, saying it requires the U.S. president to notify Congress in advance of any decision to wage war and to withdraw U.S. troops from any conflict not approved by Congress within 60 days.

Politico said the House and Senate votes to halt the military campaign could deliver Democrats a rare victory even though the action is “largely symbolic” given a likely presidential veto, and it quoted Sen. Tim Kaine saying, “The story today is the momentum is growing for Republican members to say, ‘You can’t do this war without us.’”

CNN reported that a recent CNN poll showed 77%—including a majority of Republicans—say Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their own community, while Trump told reporters at the White House that he believes the U.S. campaign against Iran is “very popular” when people hear it involves nuclear weapons that could take out major cities.