Senate defeats effort to curb presidential war powers in Iran conflict
A 49-50 vote blocked a resolution that would have required the president to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran without congressional approval, as hostilities continue.
The Senate voted 49-50 on Thursday to reject a resolution that sought to limit the president's authority to conduct military operations against Iran. The measure, which would have required explicit congressional authorization before further U.S. engagement, fell short by one vote.
Republican senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul joined Democrats in supporting the resolution, while Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman voted with Republicans, becoming the only Democrat to oppose it. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was absent due to health reasons.
The vote comes amid a recent surge of U.S. airstrikes in Iran, described by the Pentagon as retaliation for an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. The conflict, now over five months old, has resulted in at least 18 U.S. service members killed and more than 450 wounded, according to Pentagon figures. The Pentagon has requested an additional $80 billion to fund the operation, on top of the $37 billion already spent.
Earlier in June, the Senate had passed a similar war-powers resolution by a 50-48 margin, but several senators reversed their votes within 24 hours, allowing the measure to fail. The House of Representatives has passed its own symbolic resolutions calling for an end to the war, but those do not carry the force of law.
Public opinion appears to be shifting. An Associated Press-NORC poll released on Thursday found that about two-thirds of U.S. adults consider the war not worthwhile, including a majority of Democrats and independents and roughly 37 % of Republicans.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged colleagues to support the resolution, arguing that Congress has the constitutional authority to end the conflict and that the war is affecting household budgets.
"This reckless war is driving up monthly bills and making everyday life harder for working families," Gillibrand said.
The Senate's rejection underscores ongoing debate over the balance of war-making powers between the presidency and Congress as the Iran conflict persists.