The Senate votes Thursday on a second War Powers Resolution demanding an end to the U.S. war with Iran, as American drivers face high fuel prices tied to the conflict. The measure would direct President Donald Trump to pull troops unless Congress explicitly approves the war, but it carries no legal force.
A second vote to end the war
The Senate is set to vote Thursday on a measure demanding an end to the U.S. war with Iran, as American consumers deal with high fuel prices linked to the conflict. An affirmative vote would direct Trump to remove U.S. troops from hostilities in Iran unless Congress explicitly approves the war.
Lawmakers have voted repeatedly on similar measures since the war began, passing one of them already. However, Thursday's measure is a concurrent resolution, so it does not carry the force of law and is never signed by the president — making the vote mostly symbolic.
Democrats argue the president must comply anyway
Democratic leaders behind the push argue the Constitution gives Congress, not the executive branch, the authority to declare war, and that Trump must abide by their disapproval whether or not he signs it. According to CNBC: "The president right now is in violation of the Constitution and the War Powers Act", said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who has led several of the votes to end the war.
Kaine said Democrats are pushing a second vote because they expect more support to build over time, even though the president should already be following the law.
Republican support has grown as the midterms near
The measure passed the House in July and now faces just a 50-vote threshold to clear the Senate. Democrats have seen an uptick in Republican support in recent votes to end the war, as the administration has blown through timelines to seek congressional approval for the conflict.
Meanwhile, the war has also created a challenging political environment for incumbent Republicans, who could lose control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections that loom less than six weeks away.
Source: CNBC
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