The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected a war powers resolution seeking to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to carry out further military action against Iran.
Gatekeepers News reports that Lawmakers voted 53 to 47 against advancing the measure, falling short of the simple majority needed for the resolution to proceed.
The vote largely followed party lines. Democratic senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania sided with Republicans in opposing the motion, while Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky voted with Democrats in support of it.
The resolution, introduced by Tim Kaine, sought to require the withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities involving Iran unless United States Congress explicitly authorises military action through a declaration of war or a specific use-of-force mandate.
The vote marked the first congressional effort to restrain the president since Trump ordered U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend, a move that has heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Democrats argued the measure was necessary to reclaim Congress’ constitutional authority to declare war.
Kaine told fellow senators that the administration itself had characterised the conflict as a war.
“You can’t stand up and say this is a pinprick that doesn’t lead to the level that would be characterised as war,” Kaine said during debate.
“Members of the Senate, this is war.”
The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, also urged lawmakers to back the measure, saying Americans were increasingly weary of prolonged military engagements in the region.
“Today, senators face a choice: stand with the American people who are tired of war in the Middle East, or side with Donald Trump, who bumbled America into another war most Americans fiercely oppose,” Schumer said.
Republicans, however, defended the president’s actions, arguing that he was acting within his authority as commander-in-chief to safeguard U.S. interests.
“This is not a forever war, indeed not even close to it. This is going to end very quickly,” said Jim Risch of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The resolution had faced long odds in the Republican-controlled Congress, where lawmakers have previously blocked similar efforts to limit presidential war powers.
Meanwhile, the United States House of Representatives is expected to vote on a similar measure on Thursday.
