The chamber voted 50-47 Tuesday to advance a measure requiring Trump to end military action in Iran or seek congressional approval, with four Republicans joining Democrats.
7:31 PM
The Senate advanced a war powers resolution Tuesday aimed at forcing President Donald Trump to end military action in Iran or obtain congressional authorization to continue the conflict.
The vote passed 50-47, marking the first time the chamber has advanced the measure. Four Republicans joined all but one of the Senate's Democrats in supporting the motion. The result represents a significant shift in Republican support, as previous attempts to advance similar resolutions since the conflict began in February had failed.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana provided the decisive Republican defection. Cassidy, who recently suffered a primary election loss in a race where Trump endorsed his opponent, voted to take up the measure. In a statement, Cassidy said, "While I support the administration's efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury."
The resolution, formally known as a war powers resolution, would require Trump to either withdraw military forces from Iran or seek explicit congressional approval to continue operations. The measure still faces significant procedural hurdles before becoming law. It must pass a final Senate vote, clear the House of Representatives, and would almost certainly face a presidential veto from Trump.
Despite these obstacles, the vote demonstrates that the Senate could potentially have sufficient votes to compel Trump to either withdraw from Iran or pursue formal congressional authorization for continued military action. The advancement of the resolution marks the eighth attempt by Democrats to force a vote on ending the Iran war since the conflict began.
The war powers resolution reflects ongoing tension between the executive and legislative branches over military action in Iran. Democrats have repeatedly sought to reassert congressional authority over military decisions, while the administration has maintained its authority to conduct the operation.
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