The House rejected a measure Thursday that would have limited President Trump's authority to launch military strikes against Iran, marking the third consecutive failure for Democrats pushing the resolution.
The vote fell short by a single ballot: 213 to 214. The razor-thin margin underscored deep fractures within the Democratic caucus on the issue and exposed a strategic vulnerability heading into what some members worry could be an open door for the administration to bypass Congress on military action.
Rep. Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, brought the resolution to the floor. The effort drew crossover support and defections from both sides of the aisle, creating an unpredictable breakdown.
Centrist Democrat Jared Golden of Maine sided with Republicans against the measure. In a show of principle over party, Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a libertarian voice in the GOP, joined Democrats in support. Another Republican, Warren Davidson of Ohio, who had backed a similar Iran resolution just weeks earlier, punted and voted present.
Three Democrats flipped their positions from last month's attempt: Juan Vargas of California, Greg Landsman of Ohio, and Henry Cuellar of Texas all voted yes this time after opposing the measure previously.
The defeat carries real consequences. Lawmakers fear a string of losses will be read by the White House as tacit congressional consent to ignore the chamber's war powers authority when it comes to Iran. With Democrats unable to unite behind the measure, the administration faces minimal legislative obstacles to military escalation in the region.
Author James Rodriguez: "One vote separating restraint from a blank check is no way to run a foreign policy, and Democrats proved they can't get their act together on the one thing that matters most: stopping wars before they start."
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