A move in the United States Congress to limit President Donald Trump’s authority over military action against Iran has failed once again, after lawmakers in the House of Representatives narrowly voted down a war powers resolution. The vote came just a day after a similar effort was blocked in the Senate, showing continued resistance to Democratic attempts to tighten congressional control over the conflict.
The measure in the House, which was largely seen as symbolic, failed by a single vote, 213-214. Even if it had passed, it was expected to face a presidential veto and had little chance of becoming law. The debate has been driven by concerns over the president’s authority to extend military action without full congressional backing.
Most Republicans in both chambers opposed the resolution, although a small number of lawmakers have indicated they could reconsider their stance if the conflict between the United States and Iran expands or continues beyond the current timeline.
Donald Trump has given shifting timelines on how long the conflict may last. He recently said the war was "close to over."
In the House vote held on Thursday, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the only Republican who supported the measure alongside Democrats. Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democrat who voted against it. Warren Davidson of Ohio, who had backed a similar push in March, voted present, which is considered an abstention.
Democrat Gregory Meeks of New York, who introduced the resolution, said after the vote that he would continue pushing for support, including lobbying Golden and other lawmakers. He also said he plans to bring forward another war powers resolution as Democrats keep pressing to reassert congressional authority over decisions on military action.
An earlier version of the same effort had also failed in the House last month, when two Republicans supported it and four Democrats opposed it. The latest defeat continues a pattern of narrow, divided votes on the issue.
Even if the House had approved the measure, it would have faced an even tougher path in the United States Senate, where a similar resolution was rejected the previous day in a 47-52 vote that largely followed party lines. Any successful bill would also be vulnerable to a veto from Donald Trump.
Some Republicans have said their position could change if the conflict widens or goes on for longer than expected. Under federal law, Congress must approve continued military action beyond 60 days. The US-Israel strikes began on 28 February.
The legal framework guiding this debate is the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was passed to limit the ability of presidents to continue military operations without congressional approval, following concerns from the Vietnam War era.
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