House approves war powers resolution to halt military action against Iran, in a rebuke of Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, the House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution Wednesday that would stop wars. US military operation against Iranchallenging President Donald Trump A handful of Republicans joined with Democrats to end a three-month conflict that reshuffled politics at home and abroad.
House Speaker Mike Johnson He tried to prevent an outcome that would show growing opposition to the war, abruptly turn off ground motion two weeks ago when the decision was about to be approved. But as the conflict dragged on and Trump made decisions, discontent grew. struggling to negotiate A plan for peace.
“Enough is enough,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee who is leading the effort.
“It’s time for the president to do the right thing,” he said. “People are tired of suffering because of the war he chose; suffering at the gas pump, suffering in supermarkets.”
Polling on Wednesday was 215-208, but next steps are unclear. Trump will likely reject any action by Congress that would limit the commander-in-chief’s authority. Still, the tally showing four Republicans joining Democrats was a rebuke of the president’s war strategy, and cheers rose in the House chamber.
Opposition to the war grows
This is the fourth time the House of Representatives has tried to block the US war against Iran. senate advanced When a handful of GOP senators broke ranks with the Republican president last month, he made his own war powers decision. rare show of political pushback from his own party.
Each time Democrats introduced a war powers resolution, their vote share rose further as political unrest over the war in the United States grew. Trump had campaigned for the White House on promises to end U.S. entanglement abroad and focus more on domestic issues, but the war shifted attention back to the Middle East.
Johnson insisted Trump was “laser focused” on the home front, especially ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
The speaker said he spent three hours with the president at the White House this week, where Trump called on allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart the flow of trade.
Since the United States joined Israel in attacks on Iran on February 28, Americans have seen this: Increase in gasoline prices In addition to pumps inflationary pressure About consumer spending.
Iran was able to disrupt shipping by sea Strait of HormuzIt is a vital conduit for much of the world’s oil, natural gas and related products such as fertilizer.
“We are working on the final piece,” said Johnson, R-La. “It is in the interest of the whole world to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to trade. That is what he is working on.”
Although a ceasefire was declared in the conflict in April, the situation remains tense and uncertain. Talks over a more permanent end to the conflict have been prolonged and increasingly complicated by Israel’s expanding war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Meanwhile, military attacks between the USA and Iran continue to flare up.
Congress uses war powers
The House war powers resolution would not immediately stop the war, but would provide a symbolic, if not legal, step against further military action.
The decision then goes to the Senate; where four Republican senators last month joined Democrats to advance a similar measure to thwart the U.S. campaign against Iran. The Senate has yet to take a final vote to approve or reject its own war powers resolution.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday that Iranians would think the administration’s “hands would be tied” if Congress approved a war powers resolution. “We can’t do anything to them, so why make a deal?” He said they would think.
This isn’t the only national security action Congress is taking, as minority Democrats seek to cut Republican support for measures beyond war against Iran.
The House also voted Wednesday on another Democratic-led effort; It’s a procedural step toward a measure that would allow the United States to support Ukraine’s military operations as it fights Russia and help rebuild the war-torn country. That vote is expected to take place later this week. The House is also expected to consider a war powers resolution that would block US action in Lebanon.
While Congress has the authority to declare war under the Constitution, the president as commander in chief also has the authority to initiate military action, creating a legal dispute over which branch of government has the final say on matters of war and peace. If the Senate joins the House in approving the resolution, it could set the stage for a new legal test on war powers.
Under the war powers act, the White House has 60 days to seek approval from Congress for military action. However, the administration stated that hostilities have ended due to the declaration of a ceasefire in the current conflict in Iran.
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Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.
