The resolution passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 215 to 208 and will now proceed to the Senate. In the Senate, however, it may face a presidential veto.
The Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), “This is a loud and clear message to Donald Trump on behalf of the American people: It is time to end his deeply unpopular and illegal ‘war of choice’ in Iran.”
This marked the first time that the Republican controlled House approved such a resolution, one aimed at pressuring Trump to halt military operations against Iran and it occurred just three months after the conflict began.
Democrats view this vote as a potential turning point in their efforts to reassert Congress’s constitutional role in decisions regarding war and peace.
A similar resolution had cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate late last May. The Upper House could give its final approval to the measure as early as this week—a House where the Republican Party also holds a slim majority. However, Republican leaders may attempt to block its final passage. The Trump administration insists that the war against Iran has already concluded, even as exchanges of fire continue between the forces of both sides and there are scant signs of any substantive progress in peace negotiations.
War Powers:
Democrats are accusing Donald Trump of violating the Constitution. They contend that, in late February, Trump launched attacks on Iran in coordination with Israel actions for which no authorization was sought from Congress.
Under the ‘War Powers Act,’ the President has a 60-day window following the deployment of U.S. forces into a conflict to obtain authorization from Congress. This deadline expired several weeks ago, and Democrats argue that Trump is now in violation of the law.
The White House, however, rejects this interpretation, arguing that the 60-day clock was effectively paused due to a ceasefire announced in April. Nevertheless, Trump has repeatedly threatened to resume attacks, and tensions have escalated significantly this week.
Even on Tuesday night, the U.S. reported that it had shot down several Iranian drones and struck an Iranian ‘ground control station.’ Meanwhile, the Iranian military has also fired drones and missiles toward several of its neighboring countries in the Gulf region.
Republican leaders, who support Trump , argue that the proposed resolution would weaken the United States at a time when the situation with Iran remains volatile. However, their frustration is becoming increasingly palpable as political pressure mounts ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for November.
