US Senate rejects resolution curbing Trump's Iran war powers

The US Senate voted 50 to 49 along party lines to reject a Democratic-led resolution that would have required congressional authorization for hostilities against Iran. The resolution had passed the House in July with support from seven Republicans.

The US Senate voted 50 to 49 on Thursday to reject a Democratic-led resolution that aimed to curb President Donald Trump's authority to engage in hostilities against Iran without congressional approval. The vote was largely along party lines, with most Republicans opposing the measure and almost every Democrat supporting it. The resolution had previously passed the House of Representatives in July, where seven Republicans crossed party lines to back it. The resolution invokes Section 5(c) of the 1973 War Powers Resolution, directing Trump to remove US forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress formally declares war or authorizes military force. It preserves the president's ability to defend against an imminent attack. The legal force of such congressional efforts has long been disputed, and previous resolutions have not changed the course of US military operations. The Senate would also have to act for Congress to present a unified challenge to the administration.