Republicans struggled Thursday to find the votes to dismiss legislation that would compel President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, delaying planned votes on the matter into June.
The House had scheduled a vote on a war powers resolution, brought by Democrats, that would rein in Trump’s military campaign. But as it became clear that Republicans would not have the numbers to defeat the bill, GOP leaders declined to hold a vote on it.
Republicans are also working to ensure they have the votes to dismiss another war powers resolution in the Senate that advanced to a final vote earlier this week, when four GOP senators supported the resolution and three others were absent from the vote.
The actions by congressional leaders showed the increasing difficultly of maintaining political backing for Trump’s handling of the war. Rank-and-file Republicans are increasingly willing to defy the president over the conflict.
Frustration with Iran war grows on Capitol Hill
On Capitol Hill, patience with the war has worn thin as the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz disrupts global shipping and elevates gas prices in the U.S. Another House war powers resolution nearly passed last week, falling on a tie vote as three Republicans voted in favor.
Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, who sponsored the war powers resolution, had said he expected to have the votes this time around.
“Congress has a constitutional duty. It has a duty to act, not to cheerlead, especially not to cheerlead an open-ended war of choice,” Meeks said.
The lone Democrat who voted against the war powers resolution last week, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, had said he would vote in favor of the legislation this time. Meanwhile, leaders of both parties dealt with several absences that could have shifted the vote either way in the closely divided chamber.
Republicans have been broadly supportive of Trump’s efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but some are now saying the president’s legal timeline to wage a war without congressional approval has expired. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, presidents have 60 days to engage in a military conflict before Congress must either declare war or authorize the use of military force.
“We have to follow the law,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican, shortly after he voted for an Iran war powers resolution for the first time last week.
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Its too late to stop buds. Its fucking all or nothing now. Trumps griff has entered the world into a fucking no won scenario.