Senate Republicans managed to reject what was the sixth bipartisan attempt on Thursday to limit President Donald Trump’s Iran war powers since the conflict began more than two months ago, but the results foreshadowed obstacles ahead from members of his party over a legal deadline.
The vote underscored growing Republican frustrations with the war ahead of Friday, the 60-day mark that under the War Powers Resolution of 1973 should compel Congress to either authorize or end U.S. involvement in foreign hostilities.
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The administration is largely shrugging off the legal deadline by suggesting they could ignore it, a move past presidents in both parties have embraced. The White House is still weighing whether to request authorization. And GOP leadership in both chambers has little desire to put its members on the spot with a recorded vote, instead sending lawmakers home Thursday for recess. Lawmakers won’t return to Washington until the week of May 11.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), a centrist up for reelection in a battleground race, voted to advance the resolution for the first time since nearly all Democrats and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) began forcing votes to require congressional approval for the war.
“That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” Collins wrote in a statement. “Further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close. I voted to end the continuation of these military hostilities at this time until such a case is made.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), a populist conservative, told the Washington Examiner he may soon consider supporting a war powers resolution contingent upon what the administration does next.
“I would hope it wouldn’t come to that,” Hawley said. He added that Senate leadership denying a vote on an authorization for use of military force, or AUMF, which would set limits on Trump’s unilateral wartime decisions, may push him closer to backing a war powers vote.
“We’d have to look at one of these resolutions,” Hawley said.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), another centrist, plans to introduce an AUMF after Congress returns from recess, if there remains what she criticized as “a lack of a credible plan and information from the administration.”
The latest war powers resolution needed a simple majority and failed to advance 47-50. Paul and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted across party lines, as they’ve previously done. Other Republicans, such as Sen. John Curtis (R-UT), have expressed concern about the 60-day deadline but ultimately opposed the latest resolution.
Trump’s team is considering whether to request congressional authorization for the war, according to a senior White House official. Trump can grant himself a one-time 30-day extension, subject to limitations on offensive operations.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth testified Thursday to the Senate Armed Services Committee that the administration believes the ongoing ceasefire paused the 60-day countdown clock, which began when the White House officially notified Congress of the war on March 2. That occurred two days after the first U.S. air strikes on Feb. 28. The perceived timetable echoes an argument made by Republicans that the president is actually weeks away from 60 days of active conflict and therefore can continue without Congress intervening.
“Ultimately, I would defer to the White House and White House counsel on that,” Hegseth said. “However, we are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire.”
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Democrats scoffed at the notion, countering that the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz is a hostile act of war.
“It’s absurd,” Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ). “A blockade is an act of war. Does he not know that? He’s supposed to be the secretary and the leader of our military.”
Christian Datoc contributed to this report.
