The U.S. Capitol as seen on March 21, 2024. (Gianna Gronowski/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Friday against moving forward with a resolution that would have reined in President Donald Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran, rejecting an effort by Democrats to reaffirm congressional war powers.
The 53-47 vote followed a heated debate over the legality of last weekend’s American strikes on major Iranian nuclear facilities and whether lawmakers were unconstitutionally shut out of approving the bombing.
A resolution led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., would have required congressional authorization for the U.S. to take offensive hostilities against Iran through either a declaration of war or specific authorization for the use of military force.
“Congress needs to fully debate any military mission before he sends our sons and daughters into war,” Kaine said. “War is too big an issue to leave to the moods and the whims and the daily vibes of any one person.”
But Republicans dismissed the need for such a measure, arguing Trump acted within his presidential authorities when he decided to join Israel in attacking Iran’s growing nuclear program.
“National security moves fast. That’s why our Constitution says ‘give the commander in chief real authority,’ ” said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. “President Trump seized the moment. He did it responsibly, he did it decisively and he did it constitutionally.”
Democrats countered that Trump only has the constitutional authority to unilaterally initiate military action in the event the U.S. is attacked. The assault on Iran’s nuclear sites failed to meet that standard, they said.
“There was no imminent threat against the United States. There was no army marching on this nation. There was no nuclear bomb that even existed that could be dropped on the United States or our soldiers in the region,” said Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “And so it is required, under the Constitution, that the president come to Congress.”
The vote Friday marked the first congressional action on several resolutions introduced in recent days by lawmakers eager to reassert war powers that have been increasingly ceded to the White House.
Two separate legislative efforts were underway in the House this week: a bipartisan resolution led by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and a resolution introduced Monday by top national security Democrats.
A dozen military veterans serving in the House sent a letter to Trump on Monday voicing their support for curbing his ability to attack Iran, saying they worried the U.S. could get bogged down in another war in the Middle East without lawmaker input.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has expressed opposition to allowing a vote on a war powers resolution and said he believed the 1973 War Powers Act requiring congressional approval for the use of military force is unconstitutional.
Congress has not provided such an authorization in years. Two authorizations passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have been used by presidents of both parties to carry out a wide range of military operations in the Middle East.
Senate Republicans said they would not support a resolution that they believe ties the president’s hands during a tenuous Israel-Iran ceasefire and removes his ability to act decisively in the defense of national interests, American allies and the U.S. armed forces.
“The idea that the president, in the face of escalating threats, can only sit idly by until Congress can hold hearings and schedule votes is not just naive, it’s reckless,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.
Democrat John Fetterman of Pennsylvania joined Republicans in opposing the resolution, while Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky voted with Democrats.
Trump on Friday indicated he was willing to take additional military action against Iran, saying he would “without question” attack the country again if intelligence concluded Iran could enrich uranium to concerning levels.
