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Reuters, WASHINGTON
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The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected an effort to stop US President Donald Trump’s war on Iran and require that any hostilities against Iran be authorized by the US Congress, backing Trump’s military campaign on the sixth day of the expanding conflict.
The vote was 219 to 212, largely along party lines. Two Republicans voted in favor of the resolution and four Democrats voted against it.
Opponents said Democrats were taking the issue to a vote only because they oppose Trump, putting Americans at increased risk.
US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington on Monday.
Photo: Reuters
“We all know that we wouldn’t be here today if the president’s name wasn’t Donald Trump,” US Representative Rick Crawford said.
Sponsors of the resolution described it as a bid to take back the Congress’ responsibility to authorize war, as spelled out in the US constitution.
Supporters said the resolution, which would require Trump to come to the Congress for a war authorization, would force him to explain to Americans why the US is fighting and how it might end.
“This is a war of choice, launched by this administration without authorization, without clearly stated objectives or a defined endgame, and without explaining how they intend to keep Americans safe,” US Representative Gregory Meeks said.
Just before the resolution vote, House members from both parties overwhelmingly passed a measure “reaffirming Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism.”
The vote would not have stopped the conflict even if the House had voted yes.
To go into effect, the resolution would also have had to pass the US Senate and garner the two-thirds majorities needed to override Trump’s expected veto.
The Senate backed Trump’s military campaign against Iran in a vote on Wednesday, voting to block a bipartisan resolution similar to the measure passed by the House.
The votes this week are not the end of the matter. The War Powers Resolution of 1973, which provides for votes on the resolutions, says a president can only involve the military in an armed conflict when Congress has declared war or provided specific authority, or in response to an attack.
Trump and the Republicans said that Iran posed an “imminent threat,” so his actions were legal under that law.
However, the War Powers measure also requires unauthorized military actions to be terminated within 60 days, giving the Trump administration a deadline at the end of next month to seek the Congress’ approval.
