Senate advances resolution to limit Trump’s Iran war powers for first time, after 4 Republicans abstain
washington – The Senate advanced a resolution to limit President Trump’s war powers in Iran on Tuesday, marking a victory for Democrats after seven failed attempts.
Senators approved the motion to issue the committee’s decision 50 to 47. Four Republicans – Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana – joined the majority of Democrats in favor of the resolution. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to object.
The vote marked the first time Cassidy supported an increase in military power. It came days after he failed to garner enough support head on in the Louisiana GOP Senate primary, where Mr. Trump endorsed one of his opponents.
And three Republicans – Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Thom Tillis of North Carolina – did not vote, tipping the scales in favor of the Democrats for the first time since they began bringing up military power resolutions related to Iran.
The resolution, led by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, would direct the president to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless expressly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization of the use of military force.”
The vote marked only the first step in the Senate. And even if both chambers agree to this decision, the president is expected to vote on it. But the Democrats say that this step will be carried out, and there is a way to change the way the president thinks about the war.
Kaine told reporters before the vote that he could not predict whether it would attract more GOP support, noting that he “didn’t know we would get more votes last week” when Murkowski became the third Republican to support moving the resolution forward.
“But I do know this: I know what we all hear from the people we voted for, which is, they are very opposed to this war,” Kaine said.
The vote came as the president announced on Monday that the US would not agree follow up with “planned” attacks. in Iran on Tuesday, although he noted that he had “one hour left” to make a decision to order new strikes. Kaine said the threat makes it “the right time to do what we should have done in February, and have a conference discussion about the thinking, the plan, the difficulties.”
The Virginia Democrat also pointed to the economic fallout from the war and high gas prices affecting Americans.
“Come Memorial Day. A lot of people are doing a lot of driving, they’re going to be paying a lot more for gas — a lot more than they paid last year, and they remember that,” he said.
Kaine said public support for the war is “very strong right now.”
“And that’s what’s going to get us through the decision here,” Kaine said. “Is it there yet? I don’t know, but it’s coming.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Republicans to “be honest with themselves” ahead of Tuesday’s vote.
“Last week we got another Republican to join us,” Schumer said. “Republicans, it’s time to break the cycle — support the resolution of our war powers. No president, no president should be able to drag this country into war alone.”
