The Senate rejected a resolution calling for the United States to cease military action in Iran, just hours after the House of Representatives passed a similar measure amid renewed hostilities following the collapse of the ceasefire.
The procedural vote on the resolution, which was introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and held on July 23, was 47–49. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted no, while Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted yes. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) did not vote.
This came shortly after the House voted 214–208 to pass a similar resolution.
All Democrats were joined by four Republicans in voting for the House resolution: Reps. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.).
Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) forced a vote on the war powers resolution.
Even if both chambers were to pass the resolution, it would have marked a symbolic attempt by Congress to constrain the president’s actions in Iran. The War Powers Resolution of 1973, also known as the War Powers Act, doesn’t require a president to sign these resolutions, and the Trump administration has disputed the legality of such measures.
“The War Powers Act is unconstitutional, 100 percent,” Rubio told reporters during a White House briefing in May.
U.S. hostilities in Iran have resumed since Trump said that the memorandum of understanding with Iran was over, citing violations of the agreement by Iran such as attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The resolutions follow the deaths of several U.S. service members who were killed in Iranian attacks in the Mideast and as the cost of the war increases with no end in sight.
Crow said in a statement on his resolution: “18 American servicemembers have been killed since this war began. Hundreds more have been injured. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent. The President’s war with Iran has been an unmitigated disaster. The costs are rising every day, yet the President is choosing to double down on his failures.”
In remarks on the House floor Wednesday ahead of the vote, Jayapal said: “This is a vote of conscience. This is a vote that requires us to find the strength to do what is right for the American people, and to send the clearest, even stronger message to this president of the United States that the United States Congress, the House of Representatives, is reasserting our authority over war. This war must end.”
Trump has warned that the United States would militarily attack Iran in response to attacks in the Red Sea by the Houthis, a terrorist group backed by Iran that controls much of Yemen.
In a Truth Social post, Trump responded to overnight Houthi attacks against two Saudi Arabian vessels.
“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the United States will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves,” Trump wrote.
Trump notified Congress on July 10 that hostilities against Iran had formally resumed. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president must inform Congress within 48 hours of the start of military hostilities. The president has 60 days until Congress must approve of the war. Otherwise, the president has another 30 days to withdraw military troops.
A similar war powers resolution passed the House in June after the same four Republicans crossed the aisle.
The Senate had passed a resolution last month and then reversed it the next day after Trump confronted Republicans about the vote.
Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.
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