A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft refuels a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft during Operation Epic Fury in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility April 5, 2026. (U.S. Air Force)
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked Democrats’ sixth attempt to move forward a resolution that would have opened debate about ending U.S. military operations against Iran as Operation Epic Fury nears its 60th day.
The 47-50 vote fell on similar partisan lines as the previous efforts in the Senate to pass measures that would “direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from the hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.”
Democrats speaking in favor of the latest resolution, introduced Thursday by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., implored Republicans to support the measure because the 60-day deadline for Congress to authorize military actions under the 1973 War Powers Act is Friday. Under that law, American forces must be withdrawn from conflict after 60 days unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of force, although the White House can request a 30-day extension for national security reasons.
“This sixth vote on the Democratic war powers resolution is different than the first five,” the Senate Democrats’ leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, said ahead of the vote. “The 60-day threshold of war powers is upon us. No more dodging, no more hiding, no more shirking. Republicans need to help us end this illegal costly war, as they should have done all along.”
Senate Republicans have shown little appetite for reining in President Donald Trump’s efforts against Iran, although two Republicans voted with Democrats in support of the measure on Thursday. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voted for the resolution, as he has in past votes. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine on Thursday also voted for the resolution.
Collins, who had voted against the previous war powers resolutions, said she changed her vote Thursday because of the 1973 law, in a post on X after the vote.
“That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” she wrote. “ … Further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close. I voted to end the continuation of these military hostilities at this time until such a case is made.”
One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against the resolution. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., did not vote.
In a hearing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, Republican senators largely voiced support for the operations, which Hegseth described as “a historic military success.”
The Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, said Trump’s efforts against Iran were just and part of his “peace through strength strategy.”
“In this approach, we seek first to avoid war, but we take military action when necessary to achieve U.S. interest,” Wicker said Thursday.
Hegseth, speaking Wednesday before the House Armed Services Committee and Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, blasted Democrats as “reckless, feckless and defeatist” for not supporting Trump’s decision to attack Iran.
Since launching Operation Epic Fury Feb. 28 alongside Israel, U.S. military forces struck more than 13,000 targets across Iran, according to U.S. Central Command. At least 13 U.S. service members have been killed during the conflict — seven in Iranian drone attacks on Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and six in a KC-135 tanker crash in Iraq.
The conflict has remained in a tentative ceasefire since April 6. But the U.S. Navy has since April 13 engaged in a blockade of Iranian ports along the Strait of Hormuz at Trump’s direction.
Hegseth on Thursday told lawmakers the 60-day clock to conduct military activities without Congress’ approval stopped when the ceasefire began. Democrats rejected his claim, citing in part the continued blockade of the Strait.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., labeled Hegseth’s interpretation of the law “a pile of nonsense.”
“We have a full-on blockade, which we know is an act of war, and the secretary of defense, who clearly just makes things up as he goes, is arguing that that somehow paused the statute,” Van Hollen said on the Senate floor before Thursday’s vote.
Other Democrats conceded that the resolution — which would move the bill out of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to open full debate on the matter on the Senate floor — was doomed to fail. Nonetheless, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., pledged to continue to bring the measures before the Senate every week until the conflict ends.
Without congressional action, Booker argued, the legislative branch is ceding its own war powers to the executive branch.
“Clearly, we know the outcome of the vote. Why are we doing this?” Booker said. “We’re bringing these war powers resolutions to the floor to force this body not to treat this like another normal day. American soldiers are in the line of fire. This is not normal that a president for almost 60 days has been able to conduct a war with this body being silent on it.”
Stars and Stripes reporter Svetlana Shkolnikova contributed to this report.
