US Senate rejects fourth attempt to curb Trump’s military authority in Iran

The US Senate has for the fourth time rejected a resolution intended to limit President Donald Trump’s military authority against Iran, with the chamber voting 47-52 against the measure.

The decision was reached as the ongoing conflict with Iran approaches the 60-day threshold mandated by the War Powers Act of 1973.

The vote largely fell along party lines. Republican Senator Rand Paul joined Democrats in voting for the bill, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman broke with his party to oppose it.

The positions held by these two senators have remained unchanged since the initial vote on Iran war powers conducted in March. Republican Senator Jim Justice did not participate in the vote.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, the Democrat who brought the resolution to the Senate floor, stated on the social media platform X that she forced the vote to “end Trump’s unnecessary and costly choice-based war against Iran.”

“The American people do not want higher costs, widespread misinformation, and chaos. The Senate must act,” Duckworth said.

Despite the fact that the voting balance in the Senate remained static, some Republican senators expressed reservations regarding the president’s rhetoric concerning the conflict and stated that the hostilities should be concluded swiftly.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, while voting against Duckworth’s bill, is reportedly working with several colleagues within her party on a new authorization that would extend the use of military force against Iran beyond the 60- to 90-day window.

This initiative aims to move beyond the constraints of the 1973 War Powers Act, which permits the use of force against national security threats for a limited period without prior congressional approval.

Some Republican lawmakers believe that if the conflict continues through late May, Congress will be required to intervene and formally authorize the war. These members also maintain that the legal framework must be clarified before they support the Trump administration’s requests for additional military funding.

Republican Senator John Curtis stated that he would not support any funding package unless the Trump administration more clearly defines its objectives. Referring to the War Powers Act, Curtis argued that military activities exceeding 60 days without congressional approval must be terminated.

In a statement on Monday, Curtis warned against the option of deploying large-scale ground troops to Iran, remarking that such a course of action “is not a place I would want to go.”

Democrats have repeatedly brought votes on Iran war powers to the floor in both chambers in an effort to increase pressure on Republicans as the conflict persists and fuel prices rise.

House Democrats plan to bring a resolution to end the conflict to a vote this week. Party leadership had intended to hold the vote only after securing sufficient support.

However, Greg Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, indicated he is ready to force a vote to pressure undecided Republicans.

“I can no longer wait to see what they are going to do,” Meeks said. “Let them vote, and let’s see what happens.”