House Republicans abruptly canceled a vote on a War Powers resolution that would have curtailed President Donald Trump’s military operations against Iran, drawing sharp criticism from Democrats.
Though similar measures requiring presidential authorization for hostilities in the region have previously failed, the margins for passage have narrowed significantly since the U.S. and Israel began their attacks on February 28. House GOP leaders canceled the vote after determining that Republican defections and absences within their conference would allow it to succeed. A comparable measure advanced in the Senate this week but was a procedural vote with a final vote still pending.
The last House attempt to pass such a resolution failed on a tie vote of 212-212. Under House rules, a tie results in defeat. Three Republicans voted for the resolution: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Tom Barrett (MI), and Thomas Massie (KY). Several lawmakers were absent.
Reps. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Jared Golden (D-ME), who opposed the previous resolution, are expected to support this measure Thursday. Because of the narrow Republican majority in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) can afford just two defections on party-line votes when all members are present. The House had planned to vote Wednesday but delayed it amid concerns about attendance within their conference.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) noted: “We’ve gone from losing by one to tying last week to this chicken [expletive] retreat they did tonight.”
Last week, the Senate rejected a War Powers resolution for the seventh time. Three Republicans—Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Rand Paul (KY)—voted with Democrats. Sen. John Fetterman (PA) was the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. The Senate’s vote marked its first on a War Powers resolution since the 60-day deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution expired.
Several GOP senators who voted against the resolution, including John Curtis (UT), Thom Tillis (NC), Josh Hawley (MO), and Todd Young (IN), have suggested Congress should assume greater oversight if military operations continue beyond the statutory limit. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has argued that the War Powers Resolution’s statutory clock stopped once the U.S. and Iran reached a ceasefire on April 7. President Trump has also contended that the War Powers Resolution itself is unconstitutional.
Even if Congress passes a War Powers resolution, President Trump could veto it. To override, Congress would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers—a threshold lawmakers are not close to achieving. Congress might attempt to pressure the administration through other means if Trump vetoes such a resolution, including restricting funding for military operations against Iran or attaching authorization requirements to future defense spending bills. However, these efforts face significant political and procedural obstacles.
