Lawmakers fail to curb Trump’s Iran war powers

A resolution was defeated in the Republican-controlled House by a single vote, a day after a similar measure was blocked in the Senate

A Democratic-led effort to limit US President Donald Trump’s authority to keep waging war on Iran has been rejected in the House of Representatives, a day after a similar measure was blocked in the Senate.

On Thursday, a war powers resolution was defeated in the Republican-majority House by a single vote, 214 to 213, with voting largely split along party lines. Every Republican except Thomas Massie of Kentucky opposed the measure, while Warren Davidson of Ohio voted present. One Democrat, Representative Jared Golden of Maine, also voted against it.

Earlier this week, the Senate blocked a similar war powers resolution in a related procedural vote by a tally of 52–47. It marked the fourth attempt by the chamber to limit presidential authority since the US-Israeli bombing campaign began in late February.

Thursday’s House vote dealt was what is called a concurrent resolution, which would also have needed approval from the Senate had it passed the lower chamber.

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Following the latest failed vote, Democrats accused Republicans of giving unchecked power to Trump. 

“Service members have been killed, gas prices are soaring, and the US [is] in a worse position than before,” Representative Bill Foster, a Democrat, said in a post on X. “Congress cannot abdicate its power as a co-equal branch of government and let this rogue President continue to unilaterally wage war.”