Senate stops a Democratic attempt to limit Trump's Iran war powers

The Republican-majority Senate on Wednesday blocked a war powers measure aimed at limiting the authority of President Donald Trump to conduct additional military operations against Iran. Lawmakers rejected the proposal after a final 53-47 vote, falling short of the simple majority needed to advance it. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to oppose the resolution alongside Republicans, while Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was the only Republican to join Democrats in backing it.

The votes marked the first formal effort by Congress to limit Trump's actions since he authorized strikes against Iran over the weekend. The initial joint offensive with Israel resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials, and dealt a major blow to the Middle Eastern nation's military infrastructure. The Republican leader has refused to specify how long the conflict could last, indicating that it could extend four to five weeks or even longer.

A similar resolution is expected to fail in the House of Representatives

The initiative, introduced by Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, sought to order the withdrawal of "the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force." Kaine and other Democrats have argued that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, noting that Trump and senior officials in his administration have openly described the conflict in Iran as such.

"You can’t stand up and say this is a pinprick that doesn't lead to the level that would be characterized as war. You can’t stand up and say this is one and done and no troops are engaged in hostilities against Iran. Members of the Senate, this is war!" said Kaine on the floor before the vote. A similar resolution is widely expected to fail in the House of Representatives when it comes up for a vote Thursday.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a former chairman of the Armed Services Committee who had urged Trump to attack Iran, warned that passing Kaine's resolution would restrict the president in the midst of a war. "TYou’ll set in motion a system where 535 people, after 60 days, become the commander in chief, grinding this nation’s ability to defend itself to a halt," Graham said, referring to the entire membership of Congress.