By SUZANNE DOWNING
The US Senate on Wednesday rejected a War Powers Resolution that was aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military operations against Iran, voting 47-53 to block the measure as US and Israeli strikes continue in what has been described in some reports as Operation Epic Fury.
The resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, and co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, would have required congressional authorization for continued U.S. military action against Iran. Supporters argued that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and that lawmakers should formally approve any sustained military campaign.
Most Democrats supported the resolution as a way to reassert congressional authority over war powers, while most Republicans opposed it, arguing that restricting the president during active military operations could undermine US forces and embolden Iran.
The vote broke party lines in two notable cases. Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, was the lone Democrat to vote against the resolution, siding with Republicans. Fetterman has publicly supported the strikes, saying they helped thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions and stating that national security concerns outweighed party considerations.
Conversely, Paul was the only Republican to vote in favor of the resolution, consistent with his long-standing view that military action must receive explicit authorization from Congress under the Constitution.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted against the resolution, aligning with most Republicans in opposing limits on the president’s authority during the current conflict. Her vote contributed to the measure’s defeat. Sen. Dan Sullivan also voted against it.
After the vote, Murkowski indicated that her decision should not be interpreted as dismissing Congress’ role in war powers decisions. She said lawmakers must still ensure there is a clear strategy and endgame for the conflict but ultimately concluded that the resolution was not the appropriate mechanism to address those concerns while military operations are underway.
The failed vote represents the first real congressional attempt to curb the administration’s military actions against Iran since the latest round of strikes began. Similar war powers resolutions have been introduced during past conflicts, but they rarely succeed unless large bipartisan majorities form in both chambers.
For now, the Senate’s vote allows the Trump administration to continue the current military operations without additional congressional authorization, though lawmakers in both parties have indicated the debate over Congress’ role in the conflict is likely to continue.
One thought on “Senate rejects Iran War Powers Resolution; Murkowski sticks with Republican majority”
In a recent option piece by Bob Bird titled Foreign wars and the Constitution https://thealaskastory.com/bob-bird-foreign-wars-and-the-constitution/ I commented on the lack of any references to what the Constitution actually says.
If we want to have a discussion about constitutionality, we need to actually reference the constitution.
Article II, Section 2, Clause 1:
“The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States;”
Article I, Section 8:
“The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;”
“To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;”
By reading the US Constitution we know that the President is the Commander in Chief and Congress is responsible for funding the military and declaring war (something that has happened only 11 times and the last time was WWII). We also know that Congress has constitutional authority to create laws in accordance with the constitution.
This vote is a showing of how our Constitutional Republic with democratically elected representatives is supposed to work.