BUSINESS
Senate Votes To Stop Trump From Continuing Iran War Without Congressional Approval
Four Republicans joined Democrats to vote in favor of the resolution.
By Vannessa Viljoen ·
Topline
The Senate voted Tuesday to prohibit President Donald Trump from continuing the Iran war without congressional approval—the latest show of bipartisan backlash to the military conflict—though it’s unclear how the measure will be enforced.
Key Facts
The Senate voted 50-48 to approve the resolution, with four Republicans—Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine and Bill Cassidy, R-La.—joining Democrats to pass the measure, following House approval earlier this month.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the only Democrat to vote against the resolution.
It’s the first time both chambers of Congress have approved a resolution to stop a president from using his military powers under the War Powers Resolution since it was adopted in 1973.
It’s unclear if the measure will have any tangible impact since resolutions are typically not legally binding and Trump is likely to ignore it.
Tangent
Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Dave McCormick, R-Pa., were absent, contributing to the resolution’s ability to pass as they likely would have voted against it.
Key Background
Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran last week to end military hostilities, pending a 60-day negotiating period to reach a final agreement. Some Republicans expressed support for ending the war, but stopped short of praising the agreement. Others, including Cassidy and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, strongly rebuked the deal, with Cassidy calling Trump’s handling of the conflict “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.” Cruz, among others in Trump’s base, criticized the agreement for allowing Iran to access a $300 billion private fund that will seed investments in its economy.
further reading
Trump Blasts NYT As ‘Treasonous’—For Iran War Criticism Shared By Many (Forbes)
Vast Majority Of Americans Say Iran War Wasn’t Worth It, Polls Find (Forbes)
Some Republicans Finally Express Support For Trump’s Iran Deal—Without Praising It (Forbes)