A Democrat-backed measure to constrain President Donald Trump’s ability to wage war with Iran has once again failed in the House of Representatives, just a day after a similar resolution was blocked in the Senate.
The House war powers resolution, which failed in a tight vote of 213-214, was largely symbolic, as it faced little chance of overcoming an expected presidential veto even if it had passed.
Most Republicans opposed the resolution in both chambers, though some lawmakers have signalled they could reconsider their position if the war extended beyond this month.
Trump has offered shifting timelines on the duration of the conflict, most recently saying the war was “close to over.”
In the House vote on Thursday, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the only Republican to side with Democrats in support of the measure, while Jared Golden of Maine was the lone Democrat to oppose it.
Warren Davidson of Ohio, who previously supported Democrats’ effort in March, voted present, a form of abstention.
Democrat Gregory Meeks, of New York, who introduced the resolution, told reporters after the vote that he would lobby Golden and others to support the legislation.
Meeks also indicated he would introduce another war powers resolution, continuing Democratic efforts to reassert congressional authority over military action
An earlier attempt to pass a similar resolution failed narrowly in the House last month, with two House Republicans voting for it and four Democrats opposing it.
Even if the resolution had passed the House, it would face an uphill battle in the Senate, where a similar resolution was rejected yesterday in a largely party-line 47-52 vote. And if it managed to pass both houses, it would not survive a veto from Trump.
Some Republicans have suggested their opposition to the resolution could shift if the conflict widens or persists.
Federal law requires congressional approval to continue military actions for more than 60 days. The US-Israel strikes began on 28 February.
The law setting the timelines for congressional approval, the War Powers Resolution in 1973, was passed by Congress to constrain the ability of then-President Richard Nixon to continue waging war in Vietnam.
