World
House Approves Resolution to Halt Iran Military Action; Seven Republicans Support Measure
The US House of Representatives has, for the third time, passed a war powers resolution aimed at restricting President Donald Trump's authority to continue military action in Iran without congressional approval. The vote, which occurred late Tuesday, was 220-204. This outcome is consistent with previous attempts this summer, with an increased number of Republicans joining all Democrats in favor of ending the conflict. Seven House Republicans supported the resolution, three of whom voted in favor for the first time. Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Iowa explained his vote, stating that "with the negotiating window closed, sustained combat operations now require congressional authorization." Nunn added, "I will not support another open-ended war." None of these resolutions have reached the president's desk, where Trump would likely veto them. Republican Representative Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, questioned which military resources Democrats would seek to remove from the region, noting that Iran remains a threat. Mast asserted that Trump opposes "forever wars, and that is what he is ending" in reference to decades of hostilities from Iran. He further stated, "They are a continuous ongoing threat to the United States. Enough is enough." This action is expected to be the final House vote on the Iran war before the midterm elections, where the overseas conflict is a significant factor in political campaigns. The war, initiated by Trump on February 28, has continued for nearly seven months, marked by intermittent missile strikes causing regional instability. Lawmakers are returning home at the end of the week to campaign extensively, with fewer than 50 days remaining until elections that will determine control of Congress, as Democrats aim to gain power from Republicans. A report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), released on Tuesday, indicates that the US war on Iran is exacerbating inflation and depleting the country's munitions stockpiles. The report found that the six-month war has cost $38 billion and is projected to increase by $3 billion per month. It also forecasts a 0.5 percentage point increase in inflation during the first three months of 2027 due to the war. Trump had pledged not to involve the US in foreign wars during his campaign for a second White House term, and his actions against Iran are impacting the Republican Party, which controls both the House and Senate. An AP-NORC poll in July revealed that most Americans believe the war in Iran has not been worthwhile. Congress has repeatedly attempted to alter the course of the war against Iran. However, efforts to limit the Trump administration's military actions face challenges as long as the president can resist or veto such measures. The House first passed a war powers resolution in June, followed by another in July, both seeking to halt US action in Iran. The Senate, on its tenth attempt, also approved a war powers resolution to end the conflict, but Republican senators reversed their decision the following day after Trump criticized them during a private lunch. While the Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war, it also empowers the president as commander-in-chief to engage in certain military actions. The War Powers Act, enacted after the Vietnam conflict, aimed to establish a more specific time limit on presidential power, requiring congressional approval for sustained military actions after 60 or 90 days.