NEW: Senate Votes Against Bid To Curb Trump’s War Powers Against Iran

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday defeated a War Powers Resolution aimed at restricting President Donald Trump’s military actions against Iran. The resolution ultimately failed to advance out of committee.

The War Powers Resolution in question was designed to halt U.S. military hostilities against Iran and require explicit congressional approval for any further armed actions. The Senate version, which was introduced by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY), invoked the 1973 War Powers Act, which mandates that presidents consult Congress before introducing U.S. forces into hostilities and limits such engagements to 60 days without authorization.

Proponents argued that the resolution would prevent an open-ended conflict similar to past engagements, ensuring legislative oversight. A similar measure introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) is set to be considered in the House on Thursday.

In the Senate, the motion to discharge the resolution from the Foreign Relations Committee failed by a vote of 47-53. The vote largely adhered to party lines, with 46 Democrats and one Republican supporting advancement, while 52 Republicans and one Democrat opposed it.

Senator Paul was the lone Republican to vote in favor of the resolution, while Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) also opted to cross party lines, becoming the lone Democrat to do so.

BREAKING: The Senate War Powers resolution vote fails 47 to 53. Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Democrat to vote against it, while Sen. Rand Paul was the lone Republican to support it. pic.twitter.com/lsThoANKui

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Senator Paul invoked the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when explaining his reasoning for introducing the measure. “Sometimes it turns out worse to be anticipated. Nobody thought when they voted for the war in Afghanistan that we’d be there 20 years and spend $2 trillion,” he said.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told reporters that the resolution “sucks,” adding that it would result in “an unconstitutional shift of power from the commander in chief to the Congress.”

The rejection means President Trump retains broad latitude to conduct military operations against Iran without needing immediate congressional approval. This affirms the executive branch’s interpretation of its authority under the War Powers Act and prior authorizations, allowing continued strikes and support for allies like Israel amid the conflict, which began five days prior.

Should the House adopt a similar measure on Thursday, another attempt could soon be brought in the Senate. War Powers measures benefit from procedural privileges that enable the minority party to compel votes, bypassing typical committee hurdles.

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