U.S. House Passes Iran War Powers Resolution, Reining In President Donald Trump 215-208

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to rein in President Donald Trump’s powers to attack Iran without congressional authorisation in Washington, DC, voting 215-208 on Wednesday.

“The United States House of Representatives has passed a resolution to rein in President Donald Trump’s powers to attack Iran without congressional authorisation”

Al Jazeera

The resolution, offered by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, directs Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress votes to declare war or authorizes using military force.

Al Jazeera

The vote came as the House had been heading for action before it left for its Memorial Day recess May 21, and the Iran war powers resolution was abruptly pulled from the floor when it appeared too many Republicans were absent to defeat it.

Al Jazeera said the passage was a “stark rebuke” against Trump’s decision to join Israel in attacking Iran on February 28, launching an ongoing conflict that will reach its 100th day on Sunday.

NBC News reported that the House resolution passed 215-208 with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting yes: Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan and Warren Davidson of Ohio.

After the House vote, Trump hit back by calling the lawmakers “unpatriotic” in a post on Truth Social, writing: "Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers".

The BBC reported that the White House dismissed the measure’s merits and described it as an unconstitutional attempt to restrict presidential power, while also noting the House vote passed 215-208 to adopt the war powers resolution.

BBC

Michael Glennon, a professor of constitutional and international law at Tufts University, said the vote had a “political impact” because “a majority of one House of the Congress have gone on record” that U.S. armed forces need to be withdrawn from hostilities in the Persian Gulf.

The BBC also described the measure as a concurrent resolution, meaning it would not require the president’s signature if an identical version passed the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate.

NBC News added that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and most Republicans opposed the House rebuke, with Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., calling it “just a total BS vote.”

Al Jazeera said the resolution is unlikely to become law, but it represents the first successful House war powers push this year and comes after the House vote was cancelled for May 21 before being picked up again after the recess.

“Washington — The House on Wednesday passed a measure that would force President Trump to end the war with Iran without congressional authorization, marking the first time the lower chamber has defied the White House on the conflict”

CBS News

The BBC reported that the Senate advanced a similar resolution in May but had not yet held a full floor vote, and it described enforcement as involving political, procedural, and legal hurdles.

CBS News said the Senate’s procedural vote was only the first step and that Republicans would have another opportunity to block it in the coming days, while House Democratic leaders called on Senate Republicans “to do the right thing.”

CBS News also tied the pressure to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, saying the war passed the statutory 60-day deadline on May 1 and that the administration argued a fragile ceasefire stopped the clock in early April.

Al Jazeera reported that the Pentagon estimated in May that $29bn had been spent so far, and it added that a Harvard University public finance expert projected the price tag could soar to more than $1 trillion.