By THE ALASKA STORY
May 13, 2023 – Lisa Murkowski broke with most Senate Republicans on Wednesday and voted in favor of a Democratic-led resolution seeking to force the withdrawal of US military forces from hostilities involving Iran, arguing that the Trump Administration has now exceeded the constitutional and statutory limits of the War Powers Act.
Murkowski presses Hegseth on Iran war powers as Trump administration claims authority to strike without Congress
The Senate vote on Senate Joint Resolution 163 failed narrowly, with the chamber rejecting an effort to advance the measure by a vote reported as either 49-50.
The resolution, sponsored by Oregon Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley, would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities involving Iran unless Congress explicitly authorized continued military action under the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
Murkowski had voted against seven previous war powers resolutions related to Iran this year. But in a statement released after Wednesday’s vote, she said two key developments changed her position: the expiration of the 60-day limit established under the War Powers Act and the Administration’s assertion that active hostilities had effectively ended.
“Today, the Senate voted on a resolution directing the president to remove US Armed Forces from hostilities in Iran, the eighth such resolution on this matter,” Murkowski said. She didn’t mention that the effort failed.
“I voted against the previous seven resolutions because I believed an abrupt withdrawal would endanger American forces and civilians in the region, but also because the president was operating within his constitutional authority under the 60-day threshold established by the War Powers Act.”
She said the administration now faces a different legal and constitutional landscape.
“We have now surpassed the 60-day limit for hostilities without congressional authorization, and the administration has asserted that hostilities have ended, despite the blockade and continued fire directed at members of the US Armed Forces, as well as our assets, allies, and partners,” she said.
“The administration’s own position removes any justification for keeping our servicemembers in harm’s way without congressional authorization.”
Murkowski also said that if military operations resume or continue, Congress must formally authorize them through an Authorization for Use of Military Force, commonly known as an AUMF.
“If U.S. forces are still required to operate in the region or hostilities are resumed, the administration is obligated to seek authorization from Congress and should come before this body, and the American people, making that case,” she said.
She added that she has been working with colleagues on a possible AUMF proposal but said the administration’s recent claims that hostilities have ceased make such a measure premature for now.
“Should hostilities reignite and military action resume, I will reconsider the introduction of an AUMF,” she said.
Only two other Republicans joined Murkowski in supporting the resolution: Libertarian-leaning Rand Paul and reliably left-leaning Susan Collins. Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted against advancing the measure.
The vote marked the closest margin yet on repeated Democratic efforts to force congressional oversight of US military operations involving Iran. It was also the first Senate vote on the issue since the May 1 expiration of the 60-day War Powers deadline.
3 thoughts on “Murkowski breaks with most Republicans, backs Democrats’ Iran troop withdrawal resolution”
Inconvenient and uncomfortable, to say the least, but Lisa has the high ground here. I am very surprised the US is losing this war but no objectives have been achieved by the US, and nothing is better anywhere than it was the day before the war began. The only way to end this without losing much is to make Tehran look like Gaza (blackened and lifeless), and the US has the capability to do that. I think everyone I know still believes that eradicating DEI has largely fixed the problems that brought us entirely unsatisfactory results in Vietnam and Afghanistan, but anything other than a clear win in this war would bring Democrats back into power that could last until mid-century.
I can’t say I know the right answer on this one but Murkowski’s predictable opposition to all things Trump and most Senate Republicans inspires zero respect.
I’m hoping Damien will weigh-in on these latest MFugliest photos of Princess. My theory about them is that some clever prankster has installed a remote-control goosing device in her seat cushion. A VERY effective goosing device. Only the best for Princess.