The House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution Thursday ordering President Trump to withdraw U.S. military forces from hostilities with Iran, marking the second time lawmakers have sent this message in as many months.
The measure, introduced by Democrat Pramila Jayapal, cleared by 214-208. Four Republicans crossed the aisle to join all present Democrats in support.
This follows a similar resolution the House approved in June that the Senate later backed in bipartisan fashion, rejecting Trump's decision to strike Iran alongside Israel in February. Despite that earlier passage through both chambers, the Trump administration has dismissed such directives as unconstitutional.
Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued the president was ignoring the law. "Let me be clear: this body has already spoken," Meeks said. "The war powers resolution passed with bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. The Trump administration was required to end its hostilities against Iran. It has not."
Meeks announced plans to push legislation forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson to sue Trump and compel compliance. Johnson, a Trump ally, makes such action unlikely to gain traction in the current Congress.
The resolutions, while symbolically significant, carry limited enforcement power. The administration's constitutional objections and Republican control of the House present steep hurdles to any actual policy change.
The vote came as military tensions escalated across the Middle East. Iran launched strikes on U.S. bases in recent days after American counterattacks. Yemen's Houthi forces, backed by Tehran, announced Thursday they had attacked two oil tankers and threatened to disrupt Saudi crude shipments through the Red Sea, pushing oil prices to their highest levels in weeks.
The timing also followed House Republican advancement of a $95 billion spending proposal focused largely on military operations related to the Iran conflict and a separate $1.15 trillion defense bill.
Author James Rodriguez: "The House can pass what it wants, but without Senate teeth and a willing executive, these resolutions remain political theater in a conflict spiraling toward broader regional war."
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