The House voted Wednesday to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in a sign that the push to rein in the president has moved beyond Democratic protest votes.
The measure, introduced by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-New York), passed 215-208 after failing in three previous votes.
Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Tom Barrett of Michigan and Warren Davidson of Ohio joined Democrats in supporting the measure. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, the only Democrat who previously voted against similar measures, flipped this time.
The measure would direct Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress authorizes continued military action.
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The procedural vote came just over two weeks after the Senate advanced its own measure, following repeated failed attempts in both chambers. Since then, lawmakers have grown frustrated with Trump’s refusal to seek congressional approval for the war even as the conflict has stretched past 90 days.
Under the 1973 war powers law, presidents are supposed to seek congressional authorization after 60 days of sustained hostilities, with up to 30 additional days allowed only to safely wind down U.S. involvement. Trump has not sought such authorization and has argued instead that hostilities have ended.
That has given Democrats and wary Republicans a sharper argument that Congress has waited long enough to assert its role.
Fitzpatrick told NOTUS the 60-day mark changed the vote for some Republicans.
“The 60-day point clearly changed for a lot of people,” he said ahead of the vote. “You either follow the law or you change the law. Those are the options.”
Supporters of the war powers resolution believed they had the votes to pass it before the Memorial Day recess, but House Republican leaders pulled the measure before it went to a vote.
The Senate’s resolution is still pending. Before the recess, senators advanced their own measure in a 50-47 vote after seven previous failed attempts.
Senate Democrats held off on their next vote this week, giving the House room to move first on its procedural vote and hoping action in both chambers would put more pressure on the White House.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana became the newest Republican to back the Senate effort, joining Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Paul has consistently supported the votes, while Collins and Murkowski’s support was tied to the 60-day war powers deadline. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote no.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) acknowledged the vote math remains tight in the Senate.
“If everybody’s here, we need one more vote,” Kaine said Tuesday. “And so we got to work on that.”
Three Republicans missed the previous Senate vote and are likely to oppose the measure if it comes up again.
Trump could also veto the measure even if it passed both chambers. Supporters are unlikely to have the two-thirds majority needed to override him.
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