House lawmakers on Thursday rejected, 212-219, a war powers resolution that sought to curb ongoing U.S. military operations in Iran, one day after the Senate voted similarly to quash its own effort.
The concurrent resolution, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was essentially a messaging vehicle that would have been nonbinding even if adopted in both chambers, as it would not have required the president’s signature. The Supreme Court in 1983 ruled that a “legislative veto” on executive branch actions, undertaken without the president’s signature, is unconstitutional.
Still, the vote was an opportunity for lawmakers to take a position on the issue. The votes fell largely along party lines, as most Republicans voted against the measure in a bid to give President Donald Trump room to maneuver, and most Democrats supported it as a check on the president’s ability to wage war.
Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine and Juan C. Vargas of California joined 215 Republicans to help sink the resolution.
Massie and Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, bucked their party in voting for the resolution along with 210 Democrats. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., was the resolution’s lead Democrat co-sponsor.
The Senate on Wednesday blocked further consideration of a similar war powers resolution, rejecting a motion to discharge the measure from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on a 47-53 vote.
During House floor debate on Wednesday, Massie said if that American blood is to be shed, that decision should be voted on by Congress.
“That debate is meant to be arduous. And that vote is meant to be hard,” Massie said. “I think my colleagues don’t want to go on record, because we have a terrible track record of meddling in the Middle East.”
In social media posts this week, Davidson said Congress was responsible for declaring war, but currently “can’t even define war.”
Prior to classified briefings from Trump administration officials earlier this week, Davidson said he would make a decision regarding his vote once he was briefed on the intelligence that led to the U.S. attacks on Iran. As of Monday, six servicemembers have been killed in an Iranian strike on a base in Kuwait, according to U.S. Central Command.
On Thursday, lawmakers also adopted, 372-53, a resolution sponsored by House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., that would affirm Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism, a designation first levied by the U.S. against Iran in 1984.
That resolution was adopted with broad bipartisan support.
In a statement released after the vote, House Armed Services Committee ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash., said he agreed with the principal assertion of the resolution — that Iran is a bad actor.
“I have never contested this. What I do contest is that going to war is the reasonable response to this assertion. I support this resolution. I do not support the president’s war of choice with Iran,” Smith said.
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