The US Senate on Tuesday approved a measure seeking to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran without congressional approval, in a rare bipartisan challenge to the White House.
The 50-48 vote highlighted growing unease among lawmakers over presidential war powers and the risk of deeper US involvement in the Middle East. While the measure does not carry the force of law, it signals unease in Congress over the possibility of future military escalation involving Iran.
According to CNN, four Republican senators crossed party lines to support the resolution. Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy joined Democrats in backing the measure. Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it.
The resolution directs the president to remove US armed forces from hostilities involving Iran. However, the White House argued that such action was unnecessary because there were no ongoing hostilities following a ceasefire announced on April 7.
The measure’s passage was aided by the absence of Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick, both of whom had previously opposed advancing similar war powers initiatives, CNN reported.
The vote follows months of efforts by Democratic lawmakers to limit the president’s authority to launch military operations against Iran without congressional consent. Support for those efforts has expanded among a small group of Republicans in recent weeks.
Earlier, the resolution cleared the House of Representatives by a narrow 215-208 margin, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
Trump had criticised lawmakers backing the measure after the House vote, calling them “GRANDSTANDERS” and describing their actions as “unpatriotic” in a post on Truth Social.
White House dismisses impact of Senate vote
The White House downplayed the significance of the resolution after its passage in the Senate.
A White House official told CNN that the measure was a concurrent resolution and therefore did not require the president’s signature.
“Concurrent resolutions do not go to the president and have no force of law,” the official said.
The administration also argued that the resolution was largely symbolic and would not affect current policy.
Democrats dispute White House interpretation
A Democratic aide involved in advancing the measure disputed the White House position, according to CNN.
The aide argued that the resolution would be binding and suggested any disagreement over its legal effect could ultimately become a matter for the courts.
Congressional debate over war powers continues
The Senate has voted ten times on Iran-related war powers measures since the beginning of the year, CNN reported.
An earlier proposal advanced in the Senate last month but has yet to receive a final vote as Democrats continue efforts to build broader support.
The latest vote underscores a continuing debate in Washington over the balance of power between Congress and the president when it comes to military action overseas, particularly in the Middle East.