House passes – The House voted Wednesday to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran, passing a concurrent resolution by 215 to 208. Four Republicans—Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett and Warren Davidson—joined Democrats. The measure must still clear the
Wednesday didn’t end like many other war-powers fights in Washington. It ended with a final House tally—215 to 208—and a handful of Republicans stepping across the line they’d spent weeks guarding.
The House passed a concurrent resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran, a direct rebuke to Trump and to how the administration has handled the conflict. The measure still requires approval by both chambers, but it would not be sent to the president for signature.
The vote included Republican Reps. Thomas Massie. Brian Fitzpatrick. Tom Barrett and Warren Davidson joining Democrats. turning what started as a party-line pressure campaign into something bigger. The resolution’s support comes after Democrats repeatedly forced votes to limit Trump’s war powers in both the House and the Senate. a campaign that has picked up more GOP backing in recent weeks.
It was Rep. Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat and the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who introduced the concurrent resolution.
The momentum behind it has been visible in how the vote was handled before. The measure was originally set for May 21. but GOP leaders canceled it abruptly as Republicans were near losing due to absences. At the time, Meeks told reporters that he thought House Speaker Mike Johnson had been stalling the vote.
“A lot of my Republican colleagues are feeling the pressure back home when they’re looking at the cost of food. the cost of gas. ” Meeks previously told CNN. “(Johnson) is feeling heat. He’s trying to cover for the president. … But I think the time of him being able to cover for the president is rapidly ending.”.
On Wednesday, Johnson defended the opposition to reining in Trump’s war powers. He warned the move could weaken negotiations at a critical point in the conflict.
“I think it is a very dangerous prospect to take away from the administration and the commander-in-chief right now the ability to negotiate. That’s what this does. It, it weakens us, our position, and our leverage in negotiation on the peace in that situation. ‘Operation Epic Fury’ is concluded,” Johnson told CNN on Wednesday.
Johnson also argued that U.S. objectives in Iran were “well defined” and “achieved,” even as some lawmakers— including Republicans—have said they want more information from the administration.
“The president is now in the process of, of concluding a peace agreement, and we have to allow him the latitude to do that, and I think a war powers resolution right now is very untimely, and a very, very negative, and dangerous thing for the country,” Johnson said.
The House’s action now moves to the Senate, where the political stakes are unlikely to soften. Johnson has framed the measure as a threat to leverage and diplomacy. while the crossover vote from four Republicans signals how much pressure has built—on Capitol Hill and back home—around costs rising and scrutiny of what the administration is doing next.
House vote Iran war powers Donald Trump Mike Johnson concurrent resolution Operation Epic Fury Gregory Meeks Thomas Massie Brian Fitzpatrick Tom Barrett Warren Davidson
So they “rebuke” him but it still has to go through both chambers? Cool cool.
215 to 208 sounds like a close race like it’s about to blow up. If they’re limiting his war powers then why not just vote it down all the way? Also gas prices are mentioned like that’s supposed to explain Iran??
Wait, I thought the whole point was they could just stop the president from doing anything. But “concurrent resolution” sounds like nothing, like it’s just words on paper. Massie always acts weird anyway so I’m not surprised he crossed over. Still, if Johnson stalled it… that’s on-brand for Washington.
This is confusing because they say it’s a rebuke but it won’t be sent to the president for signature, so what does it even do? Like can Trump ignore it or not? I saw somewhere that war powers votes always fail in the end, so I’m guessing same thing. Meanwhile people are trying to afford food and nobody cares about Iran until it’s on the news.