The US Senate on Wednesday voted to block a bipartisan resolution that sought to halt the ongoing military campaign against Iran and require congressional approval for further hostilities.
Lawmakers voted 53 to 47 against advancing the measure, largely along party lines. Nearly all Republicans opposed the procedural motion, while almost all Democrats supported it. The resolution was introduced by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and backed by several lawmakers from both parties who argued that Congress must reclaim its constitutional authority to declare war.
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Supporters of the resolution said it aimed to prevent the United States from entering another prolonged conflict in the Middle East without proper legislative oversight. They warned that the expanding confrontation with Iran could escalate into a wider regional war.
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Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer said lawmakers faced a clear choice between supporting the American public’s desire to avoid another Middle East war or backing President Donald Trump’s military strategy.
Opponents of the resolution rejected the criticism and defended the president’s actions. They argued that Trump has the authority as commander in chief to order limited military operations to protect US interests and forces.
Republican Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the campaign would not turn into a prolonged conflict.
“This is not a forever war, indeed not even close to it. This is going to end very quickly,” Risch told the Senate during debate.
The vote was widely expected to fail because Republicans hold narrow majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and have previously blocked similar efforts to curb the president’s war powers.
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Despite the defeat, supporters said they would continue pushing for greater congressional oversight and demand public testimony from administration officials about the strategy behind the Iran campaign.
The House of Representatives was expected to vote on a similar resolution on Thursday, although Republican leaders signaled confidence that it would also be defeated.